Guides · 6 min read · Updated 2026-09-19
How to translate a YouTube video into another language
YouTube lets a single video carry subtitles in as many languages as you like, and viewers pick theirs from the settings menu. Each extra language widens who can find and follow the video. This guide covers doing that for a video you own.
Start from your own video file
Work from the original file you uploaded if you still have it. If not, YouTube Studio lets you download your own videos: open the video in Studio, and use the download option in its menu.
Only translate videos you own or have permission to use.
Generate the subtitles in the original language
Upload the file to SubFlow. It transcribes the speech into timed captions, detecting the spoken language automatically or using the one you choose. Check names, product terms and anything spoken over music — those are where a transcript is most likely to need a correction.
Translate into each target language
Choose a target language. Every caption is translated with the lines around it as context, and shown beside the original on the same timeline, so you review the translation against what was actually said.
Watch for text that runs long. Spanish, Portuguese and German translations of English are typically 15–35% longer, so a caption that fit in English may need splitting.
Upload each language to YouTube Studio
Export an SRT file for each language. In YouTube Studio, open the video, go to Subtitles, add the language, and choose to upload a file with timing. Repeat for each language.
- Upload subtitle files rather than burning text into the video, so viewers can choose their language.
- Translate the title and description in Studio too — they are indexed by search in each language.
- Keep one SRT per language; YouTube treats each as a separate track.
Try it on your own video
30 free processing minutes every month, no credit card. Transcribe, translate into 99+ languages, review both side by side, and export.
Create subtitles free →Questions
Does YouTube translate subtitles automatically?
YouTube can machine-translate captions on the fly, but you cannot review or correct that output. Uploading your own reviewed translation gives viewers a better result and gives search engines real text in that language.
Which subtitle format does YouTube accept?
SRT is the simplest choice and is accepted by YouTube Studio. VTT works as well.
Should I burn translated subtitles into a YouTube video?
Usually not. Uploaded subtitle tracks let each viewer choose a language and keep the video clean for everyone else. Burn subtitles in for platforms that do not support tracks, such as many short-form feeds.