How to generate subtitles with AI
- 1Drop a video or audio file (MP4, WebM, MP3, M4A, WAV and more, up to 25 MB). The tool reads its length and shows what it will cost in credits.
- 2Pick the spoken language, or leave it on Detect automatically.
- 3Sign in if you haven't, then click Generate subtitles. Most files are done in under a minute.
- 4Preview the result as SRT, VTT or plain text, then download it, translate it, or open it in the Subtitle Editor to fine-tune lines.
How the AI subtitle generator works
This auto subtitle generator sends your file to our server, which passes it to OpenAI's Whisper speech recognition model and asks for timed segments. Each segment is split into readable cues of at most two lines, and written out as an SRT file and a WebVTT file, so you can generate subtitles from video for YouTube, Vimeo, course platforms or your own player. Whisper handles accents, background music and dozens of languages well, which makes these automatic captions a good first draft even for hard audio.
Pricing is per minute of audio: the tool measures the length of your file in the browser and shows the credit cost before you start. If the AI service fails, the credits are refunded automatically. New accounts get free credits, and credit packs are one-time purchases with no subscription. Files are processed and not stored by ToolDash.
Video files are often large because of the picture, not the sound. If your MP4 is over the 25 MB limit, export the audio only (an MP3 or M4A of an hour of speech is usually well under 25 MB). Audio to SRT works the same way as video to SRT: only the sound is transcribed.
Prefer to keep everything on your own computer? Our free Audio to Text tool runs Whisper subtitles directly in your browser with no upload at all. It is slower on older devices but costs nothing. Once you have subtitles, the AI Subtitle Translator can turn them into 50+ other languages with the timings unchanged.
Who uses it
YouTubers and podcasters
Add captions to every upload in minutes and improve watch time and accessibility.
Course creators
Turn lecture recordings into SRT files your LMS can show as closed captions.
Social video editors
Get a VTT or SRT to burn into short clips, then tweak lines in the Subtitle Editor.
Translators
Generate a timed transcript first, then translate it with the AI Subtitle Translator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost?
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It is billed in credits per started minute of audio; the exact cost is shown before you start. New accounts get free credits, and if a request fails the credits are refunded.
What is the file size limit?
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25 MB per file, which is OpenAI's upload limit. For long videos, upload the audio only: an hour of speech as MP3 or M4A usually fits.
Which languages are supported?
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Whisper recognises dozens of languages, including English, Hindi, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Arabic. Choose the language for best results or let it detect automatically.
Is there a free way to generate subtitles?
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Yes. Audio to Text on ToolDash runs Whisper in your browser for free, with nothing uploaded. This AI version is faster and works the same on phones and older laptops.
Is my video stored?
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No. The file is sent to OpenAI for transcription and the subtitles are returned to you; ToolDash doesn't keep the file or the text.
Related tools
Audio & Video to Text (Subtitle Generator)
Transcribe audio or video to text and SRT/VTT subtitles with Whisper running in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and there are no minute limits.
AI Subtitle Translator (SRT / VTT)
Translate SRT and WebVTT subtitle files into 50+ languages with AI. Timestamps are copied over untouched, so the translated file stays in sync.
Subtitle Editor & SRT ↔ VTT Converter
Open an SRT or WebVTT file, edit cue text and timestamps in a table, shift every timing earlier or later, fix overlaps, and download as .srt or .vtt.
AI Text to Speech (Natural Voices, MP3)
Turn text into natural-sounding speech with ElevenLabs voices and download it as an MP3. See the credit cost before you generate.