How to translate social media videos with subtitles
Your feed is full of videos in languages you don't speak: a recipe in Spanish, news in Portuguese, a tutorial in Korean. Instagram, TikTok and X sometimes offer captions or translations, but it depends on the video and the creator, and most videos still arrive with no subtitles in your language.
This guide shows how to translate any public video from social media into English (or 20+ other languages) with subtitles burned into the video, right from your phone.
Step 1: share the video or copy its link
- Fastest: tap Share on the video and choose Subtix from the list of apps.
- With the link: tap Copy link, open Subtix and paste it into the link field.
- From your gallery: tap the gallery button and pick a video you recorded or saved.
Where to find the link: on Instagram it's the paper plane icon, on TikTok the share arrow, on X the share icon under the post.
Step 2: choose the language and tap Subtitle
Subtix shows the link and the target language. It defaults to your phone's language. Pick another one if you need it, or choose Original language to get subtitles without translation.
Step 3: wait a minute or two
The app downloads the video, listens to the audio, transcribes it and translates it. A 30 to 60 second video is usually ready in one or two minutes. The first time takes longer because it downloads the speech model and the language pack. You can leave the app; it notifies you when it's done.
Step 4: watch, save or share
The subtitles are burned into the video, so they show on any phone. Save it to your gallery, send it on WhatsApp, or save just the subtitles as an .srt file.
Get Subtix
How good is the translation?
With clear speech it gets nearly every sentence right. It struggles most with names of people, brands and apps, slang and figurative phrases. Loud music or several people talking at once can also cost a word or two.
To fix a line, tap Fix subtitles on the result, correct it and tap Save and regenerate video. It's quick because it doesn't transcribe again. For videos full of names or technical terms, try High accuracy mode.
What can't be translated
- Videos from private accounts, and most Instagram stories.
- YouTube videos. YouTube already has its own captions and auto-translate.
- Live streams while they are live.
- Videos longer than 5 minutes on the free version.
- If a public link stops working because a site changed something, save the video to your gallery and pick it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free?
Yes. Subtix is free for videos up to 5 minutes. Premium removes ads, allows longer videos and adds High accuracy mode.
Which apps does it work with?
Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook and other sites with public videos. You can also pick any video from your gallery.
Can I add subtitles without translating?
Yes. Choose Original language as the target and Subtix writes what is said in the video's own language.
Are my videos uploaded to a server?
No. Transcription and translation run on your phone. The app only downloads the public video you ask for.
Try Subtix free
Subtix is not affiliated with Instagram, Meta, TikTok, ByteDance or X. Their names are used only to describe which videos it works with.