How to Add Automatic (AI) Subtitles in DaVinci Resolve
By Antonio Pennino · Updated July 2026 · 6 min read
Short answer: To add automatic subtitles in DaVinci Resolve you have three options. DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.5+ has a built-in Create Subtitles from Audio tool. On the free version there's no native auto-subtitle feature, so you either place captions manually with Fusion Text+ or use a plugin like SmartSubs Pro that transcribes your audio locally with Whisper AI and builds word-by-word captions on Studio and on free Resolve up to version 19.0. Below is exactly how each method works, and when to pick which.
Method 1, the built-in tool (Studio only)
Since version 18.5, DaVinci Resolve Studio can transcribe audio into a subtitle track automatically. Here's the workflow:
- Open the Edit page and select your timeline.
- Go to the Subtitle track header, right-click, and choose Create Subtitles from Audio.
- Pick the spoken language and caption length, then click Create.
- Resolve generates a subtitle track you can edit line by line.
The catch: this feature is Studio only (the paid $295 version), it produces one static line at a time, no word-by-word animation, and styling options are limited to the basic subtitle inspector. It also can't translate.
Method 2, manual captions with Fusion Text+ (Free)
On the free version you can build fully animated captions with a Fusion Text+ node, but you have to place every word by hand: transcribe your audio, cut a Text+ clip for each word or phrase, and line each one up to the exact frame it's spoken. It gives you total creative control, but for a 60-second reel that can mean hundreds of manual placements, slow and error-prone.
Method 3, automatic word-by-word captions with SmartSubs Pro
SmartSubs Pro combines the automation of the built-in tool with the styling freedom of Text+, and it works on Studio (any version) and free Resolve up to 19.0 and Studio. The workflow:
- Transcribe, Whisper AI runs locally and places every word on the exact frame it's spoken (99% accuracy, 90+ languages, 100% offline).
- Translate (optional), auto-translate the captions into 90+ languages while keeping the original timing.
- Emphasize (optional), Gemini listens to your voice and highlights the words you actually stress, karaoke-style.
- Style, point it at your own animated Text+ template and it drops every word onto the timeline in your font and animation.
Because it uses standard Fusion Text+ nodes, it runs on the free version too, and because transcription is local, your footage and audio never leave your machine.
Which method should you use?
| What you need | Built-in (Studio) | Manual Text+ | SmartSubs Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works on Free Resolve | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic transcription | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Word-by-word animation | ✗ | Manual | ✓ |
| Auto-translate (90+ languages) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 100% offline | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
If you're on Studio and only need plain, static captions, the built-in tool is enough. If you want viral word-by-word captions, work on the free version, or need translation, that's exactly what SmartSubs Pro is built for.
Get automatic word-by-word captions in minutes
SmartSubs Pro adds AI transcription, translation and animated captions to DaVinci Resolve. One-time payment, no subscription.
Get SmartSubs Pro for $39.9930-day money-back guarantee · Windows & macOS