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How to Easily Add Subtitles to Movies on Your Phone: Android & iPhone Guide

James Hogan
James Hogan Originally published Nov 15, 24, updated Nov 15, 24

Watching a movie with subtitles can make a huge difference, especially if you're in a noisy environment or the movie is in a language you're not fluent in. But whether you're just a movie lover or a content creator looking to enhance your videos, you might wonder how to add subtitles to a movie on Android or iPhone. The good news is, with the right app, it's easier than ever!

In this guide, we'll show you how to add subtitles to a movie or video on your phone, no matter if you're using an Android or iPhone. From watching your favorite film to editing a new project, our easy-to-follow steps will help you add clear, readable subtitles in no time. Let's dive in and make your movie-watching or video-creation experience even better!

subtitle in good will hunting movie
In this article

Part 1. Top Video Editor for Adding Subtitles to Movies on Your Phone

Alright, now that you know how adding subtitles can level up your movie-watching experience, let's dive into how to make it happen easily. But before learning how to add subtitles to a movie on your phone, obviously, you'll need a reliable video editing app to do the job. And the best choice out there is clearly Wondershare Filmora.

add subtitles on phone with filmora

While it's mostly known for its desktop version, Filmora is also available on mobile, and it's just as powerful! It comes with a ton of great features that make adding subtitles super easy. Here's why Filmora is your go-to option:

1. Flexibility in Adding Subtitles: For those still wondering how to put subtitles to a movie on your phone, Filmora has you covered. You can either use the AI Captions feature to automatically generate subtitles or add them manually if you want to fine-tune each line yourself. This gives you the flexibility to get the subtitles exactly the way you like them.

add subtitles with filmora ai captions</h3>

2. Creative Templates Galore: Why use plain, boring subtitles? Filmora gives you tons of creative templates to choose from. You can go for a fun, colorful style or keep it sleek and professional. It's a great way to add some personality and make your subtitles pop!

filmora various template for subtitles</h3>

3. Multi-Language Support: Don't stress if the movie isn't in your language. Filmora's subtitle tool can handle multiple languages, so you can easily add subtitles to any international film. It's super handy for translating foreign movies or just making sure everyone can follow along!

add subtitles with multiple languages</h3>

4. Wide Range of Powerful Features for Further Edits: Filmora isn't just for adding subtitles. You can also trim, cut, and add cool effects. Plus, it has awesome AI features like Voice Cloning, Reels Maker, and Text-to-Video. It's like having a full editing studio right on your phone, giving you everything you need to make your videos look great!

powerful feature in filmora mobile</h3>
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What's more, Filmora is available on both Google Play and the App Store, making it easy to add subtitles to movies on both Android and iPhone.

Part 2. How to Automatically Add Subtitles to Movies on Your Phone Using AI Caption

Now that you know all the cool features Filmora offers, let's dive into how to add subtitles to a downloaded movie on Android or iPhone. But before we get started, just a quick reminder: if you're downloading a movie to add subtitles, make sure you're not violating any copyright rules. It's always best to stick to legally downloaded content to avoid any trouble.

Now, let's jump into how you can easily add subtitles with Filmora to level up your movie-watching experience! As we mentioned earlier, the best way to do this is by using the Auto Caption tool. It automatically creates subtitles for you, making the whole process quick and effortless. Just follow this simple guide, and you'll be good to go!

Step 1. Open Filmora and access the AI Caption feature

First, download the Filmora Mobile app either on Google Play Store or Apple Store if you haven't already. Once it's installed, open the app and tap on the "AI Caption" option.

launch filmora and select ai caption

Alternatively, you can also access the AI Caption feature by clicking the three dots (...) button and selecting "AI Caption" in the next window that appears.

access ai caption from toolbox

Step 2. Upload your movie

Next, find the movie you want to add subtitles to in your phone's library. Just select your clip, and then click "Import".

import your movie video

Step 3. Choose language and add captions

On the next screen, your video will start playing. Filmora's AI can automatically detect the language, but for better accuracy, it's a good idea to select the video's language from the options. Once you've done that, tap "Add Captions" to let Filmora start creating the subtitles.

select language and generate captions

Step 4. Choose subtitles style

After the AI finishes creating your captions, pick a subtitle style from Filmora's templates. Just tap on the one you like and check it out in the preview window. If you're happy with how it looks, you can either customize it further by clicking "Project Edit" or save it right away by tapping "Export".

pick subtitles style and further edits

Step 5. Adjust subtitles position

If you tap "Project Edit", you'll go to the main editing screen. Here, you can drag the subtitles by clicking on them to any spot you like, such as the bottom of the video, so they don't block the movie. If you want to make corrections or adjust the subtitles, just hit the "Batch Edit" option in the toolbar to make changes easily.

position the subtitles position

Step 6. Customize subtitles in batch edit

In the batch edit screen, you can tweak the subtitles as much as you want. To merge two lines of subtitles, tap "Merge above" or "Merge below", depending on which one you want to combine. If a subtitle line feels too long, just tap "Split" to break it into two shorter parts. And if you need to remove a specific subtitle segment, just tap the trash can icon to delete it.

make adjustments to the subtitles

Step 7. Change subtitles style if necessary

Next, if you want to update the look of your subtitles, tap the "Style" option in the toolbar.

tap the style option

From there, you can change the font, size, and color, and even add some cool animations to your subtitles.

adjust the movie subtitles

Step 8. Export your video

When you're done with all the edits, tap "Export" at the top right of the screen.

tap export to save video

Then, choose your preferred resolution and frame rate, then tap "Export" again to save the video to your phone.

select resolution and save video

Part 3. How to Manually Add Subtitles to Movies on Your Phone

Now that you've learned how to automatically add subtitles to a movie permanently on Android and iPhone with Filmora's AI Caption tool, let's go over how to do it manually. As we mentioned before, Filmora also gives you the option to add subtitles yourself, and this can be super useful if you want more control over the timing, style, or content of your subtitles.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide to get started

Step 1. Open Filmora and start a new project

This time, once you open the Filmora mobile app on your phone, tap on "New Project" to get started with your editing.

launch filmora and create new project

Step 2. Select your video clips

Next, choose the movie you want to subtitle from your phone's library. Tap on "Video", select your clip, and then press "Import". Your video will be added to the editing timeline, ready for you to start making edits.

select the videos and import them

Step 3. Write subtitles manually

Once you're in the main editing screen, hit the "Text" option from the toolbar.

tap text to add subtitle

Then, select "Add" to start writing your subtitles.

hit add to start writing subtitles

Write the subtitles based on what you hear. Then, move the subtitles position to the bottom of the video so it doesn't block the movie.

type subtitles manually and adjust position

Step 4. Edit subtitles

Next, you can customize the subtitles by changing the style, size, and font, and even adding some animations—just like you would in the batch edit window with the AI Caption tool. When you're happy with your changes, tap the checkmark button to save them.

make adjustments to subtitle style

Now that the subtitles are added to your video, you can adjust their timing using the trim feature shown in the picture below. You'll need to repeat this process to manually add each subtitle line. It might take a bit of time, but this way you can make sure everything is perfectly accurate!

customize the video subtitle timing

After that, you can tap Export and save the video like before.

Bonus: Adding Subtitles on PC for Greater Flexibility

As you can see, adding subtitles to your movie on iPhone and Android is easy with the help of Filmora's powerful tools. However, if your movie is an hour or two long it can be tricky to edit that on a mobile phone. The small editing space and potential performance issues on your phone can make it tough to edit such big files. In this case, switching to a PC might be a better option.

Luckily, Filmora also has a desktop version that comes with advanced features like Speech-to-Text. Plus, the PC version is more powerful than the mobile app and offers even more editing tools.

transcribe subtitles on pc with filmora

Here's why Filmora for desktop is worth trying out:

  • Three Simple Methods for Adding Subtitles: Filmora offers three main ways to add subtitles to your videos:
  • Auto-Transcribe with Speech-to-Text (STT): Filmora's STT tool automatically detects voices in your video and transcribes them into subtitles. This is especially useful for videos with spoken content, saving you time and effort while maintaining high accuracy. If you want to see how it works, check out this quick tutorial on making subtitles in Filmora using Speech-to-Text.
  • Import SRT Files: If you already have an SRT subtitle file, Filmora makes it easy to import and sync it directly with your video on the Timeline. This is great for those who prefer to use pre-existing subtitle files or have them generated elsewhere. Just check out this tutorial on How to Add SRT File to Video in Filmora to see how it works.
  • Manually Add Subtitles: For full creative control, you can manually input and edit subtitles within Filmora. This method allows you to customize text style, placement, and timing to match the aesthetic of your video. If you want to learn how, check out this YouTube tutorial on Adding Subtitles Manually in Filmora.
  • Effortless Translation: Filmora's desktop version not only turns your speech into subtitles but can also auto-translate them into multiple languages with just one click. It's a super handy feature for creators working with international audiences, making sure your message gets across no matter the language.
  • Easy Editing Right on the Timeline: Filmora's Speech-to-Text tool is built right into the editing workspace, so you can easily adjust and sync subtitles directly on the Timeline. This smooth workflow helps you save time and keeps your subtitles perfectly in sync with your video.
  • Works with All Major Video Formats: Filmora's STT feature supports a wide range of video formats, so you can use it on different projects without any compatibility issues. From MP4 and MOV to AVI, Filmora handles them all with ease.

On top of that, Filmora is super flexible since it works on both Windows and macOS. It's also pretty affordable, with different pricing plans and even a free trial so you can see if it's the right fit for you.

Conclusion

Adding subtitles to a movie can really enhance your watching experience, making it easier to follow along. So, this guide covered how to add subtitles to a movie permanently on Android and iPhone using the powerful video editing app, Wondershare Filmora.

With its advanced AI Captions feature, Filmora makes it super easy to add subtitles to a video on iPhone and Android. And if you want more control, you can also add subtitles to a movie on your phone manually—and this article gave you a step-by-step guide for both methods.

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James Hogan
James Hogan Nov 15, 24
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