How to Add Captions in DaVinci Resolve Free Version

Adding captions in DaVinci Resolve is one of those tasks that looks straightforward until you're actually inside the software. The free version of Resolve includes a capable captioning toolset — but understanding how it works, where it lives, and what its limitations are will save you a lot of frustration before you start.

What "Captions" Actually Means in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve distinguishes between two things that editors often conflate:

• Subtitles/captions — text elements tied to the timeline that can be exported as a sidecar file (like .srt) or burned into the video
• Text titles — visual design elements from the Effects Library that look like captions but are treated as video clips

For proper captions — especially ones that need to be exported for YouTube, accessibility compliance, or broadcast — you want the Captions track, not the Titles toolset. The free version of Resolve supports this workflow.

Where to Find the Captions Tool 🎬

Captions live in the Edit page, not the Cut page or Fusion. Here's how to access them:

1. Open your project in the Edit page
2. Go to the menu bar and click Timeline → Captions → Add Caption Track
3. A dedicated Captions track will appear at the top of your timeline, separate from your video and audio tracks
4. Right-click within the caption track to Add Caption, or use the keyboard shortcut shown in the menu

Each caption segment appears as a block on the track. You can drag the edges to adjust timing, double-click to edit the text, and reposition segments along the timeline just like any other clip.

Setting Caption Format and Style

When you add a caption track, Resolve asks you to choose a caption format. The most common options are:

For most independent creators and social video, SRT is the practical choice. It's the format YouTube, Vimeo, and most video platforms expect when you upload a separate caption file.

You can adjust the visual appearance of captions — font, size, color, background — in the Inspector panel on the right side of the Edit page when a caption segment is selected. In the free version, styling options cover the basics but are more limited compared to the Studio version's advanced text tools.

Manual Captioning vs. Importing a Caption File

The free version of DaVinci Resolve gives you two practical routes:

Writing Captions Manually

You add each caption block by hand, type the text, and set in/out points on the timeline. This is time-consuming but gives you precise control. It works well for short videos, highlight reels, or content where you need specific phrasing.

Importing an Existing SRT File

If you've already generated captions elsewhere — through a transcription service, YouTube's auto-caption export, or a tool like Otter.ai — you can import that file directly:

1. Go to Timeline → Captions → Import Captions
2. Select your .srt or compatible file
3. Resolve populates your caption track with all the segments and timing already set

This is significantly faster for longer videos. The imported captions still appear as editable blocks, so you can correct errors or adjust timing after import.

Exporting Captions from DaVinci Resolve Free

This is where the free vs. Studio distinction matters most. 🔍

In the free version, you can export captions in two ways:

Burned-in (open captions): Captions are rendered directly into the video image — they're always visible and don't require a separate file. When you deliver from the Deliver page, check the Burn Captions Into Video option under the Caption settings in the render menu.

Sidecar file export: Resolve can export a standalone .srt file alongside your video. In the Deliver page, look for the Export Subtitle option. This lets you upload the caption file separately to platforms that support closed captions.

What the free version cannot do (compared to Studio) includes more advanced caption export formats for broadcast workflows and some automated speech-to-text captioning features. The manual workflow described above remains fully functional at no cost.

Factors That Affect Your Captioning Workflow

How smooth this process feels depends on several variables:

Video length — A 90-second social clip is a manageable manual captioning job. A 45-minute interview is not. The feasibility of manual captioning scales sharply with runtime.

Source audio quality — If you're importing auto-generated captions from another tool, the accuracy of those captions depends on how clean your original audio is. Poor recordings produce more corrections to make inside Resolve.

Export destination — Platforms differ in what they accept. YouTube handles SRT natively. Some broadcast workflows require specific closed-caption formats that may push you toward more specialized tools.

Your editing experience — The caption track behaves like other timeline elements, so editors already comfortable in Resolve will adapt quickly. If you're new to non-linear editing, the interface logic takes a short learning curve.

Operating system and Resolve version — The captioning workflow described here applies to Resolve 18 and 19. Earlier versions had fewer caption features, and the exact menu locations shifted between major releases. Keeping Resolve updated ensures access to the most complete free feature set.

The mechanics of adding captions in the free version are well within reach for most users — but whether manual entry, file import, or burned-in rendering makes sense for your project comes down to how your specific video is structured, where it's going, and how much time you have to work with.