How to translate an SRT subtitle file on a Mac

Translate .srt, .vtt and other subtitle files into 100+ languages on your Mac while keeping every line's timing — and check the result next to the original.

Updated 2026-10-07 · Code Boop

A subtitle file is more than text: every line has a start and an end time. A good translation keeps those times exactly, so the new subtitles stay in sync with the film. Copying an SRT into a web translator usually breaks the numbering and the timecodes. Here is how to do it properly on a Mac.

What you need

  • The subtitle file: SubRip (.srt), WebVTT (.vtt), SAMI (.smi) or TTML.
  • AI Caption & Translate Pro (free for the first 5 exports).
  • An internet connection for the translation itself.

Step by step

  1. Open the subtitles. Drag the file onto the app, or double-click it in Finder. If you also open the movie, you can watch every line in place.
  2. Choose Translate Subtitles (⌘T). Pick one language or several — the most common languages are at the top, and Norwegian comes as both Bokmål and Nynorsk.
  3. Let it run. Each language opens as its own file with exactly the same timing as the original.
  4. Check it side by side. Show Original Side by Side (⌥⌘O) puts each translated line next to the line it translates. Double-click a line to correct it.
  5. Save. Save All (⌥⌘S) saves every language at once as “Movie.sv.srt”, “Movie.de.srt” and so on, in a “Movie Subtitles” folder next to the film.

Tips for better subtitle translations

  • Clean up the original first: fix misheard words and remove empty lines, or every translation inherits the mistakes. Clean Up Transcription (⇧⌘K) does this with one click.
  • Keep lines short. Subtitles are read in a few seconds; a translation that runs longer than the original may need a line break.
  • Convert formats on the way: open a .vtt and save the translation as .srt, or the other way round.

No subtitles yet? See how to make subtitles from a video with AI.

More guides