Chrome Automatic Subtitles: How to Use & Best Free Alternatives

Subtitles are alternative text to the spoken dialogue in videos and can be useful, especially if the audio is unclear or in another language. Well, Google Chrome has something known as Live Captions that creates live subtitles automatically. But it does have limitations, such as only working for English and not functioning on all videos. In this guide, we will cover how to turn on automatic subtitle in Chrome, plus the best subtitle alternative videos that are more customizable and other HitPaw Video Converter subtitle features.

Part 1: How to Enable Automatic Subtitles on Chrome

Chrome Automatic Subtitles is a new feature that automatically creates subtitle/cc on audio and video content. It is an accessibility feature targetting people with hearing difficulties and people who relied on captions to understand better. Enable it on your browser: It’s Simple Just Follow This Steps:

Step 1: Open Chrome Settings

Launch Google Chrome on your PC and click on the three-dot menu available on the top-right corner. Click on Settings from the menu that appears. This takes you to the main page in Chrome’s settings, where you can modify different good and not-so-good items — including accessibility features, such as the Live Captions setup. The settings menu puts you in total control of the your browsing experience and makes it simple to adjust features to fit your needs.

Step 2: Navigate to "Accessibility"

Within the Settings menu, scroll to find the “Advanced” section. Scroll down until you see the "Accessibility" option under this section. Accessibility settings also include the adjusted font and language unifying text, new screen reader support options, and more, making it easier to browse the web effectively for users with specific needs. Additionally, users can explore a chrome extension add subtitles option for more subtitle control across various platforms.

Step 3: Turn on "Live Captions"

Scroll down to find the Live Caption option under Accessibility, turn on this feature. Note that enabling this option will cause Chrome to automatically generate captions for all audio or video on-playback within the app. The subtitles will be open in a small floating window at the bottom of your browser, which will let you read the subtitles but never cover the video itself. This raw data is of great help for people who follow the spoken content or find it hard to hear clearly.

Step 4: Customize Subtitle Appearance (Font, Size, Color)

If you are having a hard time reading subtitles, Chrome let you change the way they are displayed. Under "Caption preferences", you’ll see options to change the font, size, color, background color, and opacity. Note that these customisation options allow you to select a style that best fits your preference or requirement. Be it bigger text or a contrasting enough color to easily read the subtitles, Chrome is flexible enough to make sure the subtitles are readable for everyone.

Step 5: Test It on a Video or Streaming Site

Now that you have set up Live Captions and customized its appearance, it is time to test it. Use YouTube, Netflix or other video-streaming sites and see whether subtitles display at the bottom of the video. You may check compatibility of the feature and confirm if it works as intended by trying on various websites. If subtitles don’t show up, refresh the page or restart Chrome to fix any problems.

Part 2: Limitations of Chrome Automatic Subtitles

While Live Captions on Chrome is a helpful tool for many users, it does come with certain limitations that can make it less ideal for certain needs. Here are some of the key drawbacks of this feature:

Only Supports English (No Multilingual Subtitles)

A major drawback of Chrome’s live captions is that right now it only supports subtitles in English. What this means is that, if you happen to be watching a video in a different language (or need subtitles in a different language) Chrome’s Live Captions will not come to your rescue. To create multilingual subtitles, you will instead need to look for alternative tools or third-party services that can support a wider range of languages, making Chrome relatively less versatile for more global audiences.

Not Available for All Videos and Websites

A second disadvantage of Chrome's Live Captions is that it might not be available on every website or video. Some video sites, particularly those utilizing embedded players or proprietary video formats, may not support auto-captioning. Moreover, the function might not function if the video contains specific types of encoding or if the audio quality is bad. This can be annoying to users who are used to seeing captions on various sites and video types.

Accuracy Issues with Auto-Generated Subtitles

since Chrome's Live Captions is based on AI-made algorithms, subtitles accuracy can sometimes be a problem. The captions can have difficulties with some accents, noise, or muffled speech, which can result in mistakes in the subtitles. Though Chrome tries to offer a useful service, the AI can make mistakes in interpreting words, particularly if the audio quality is not optimal. This could make it hard for audiences to use subtitles as a way of comprehending important content

No Option to Edit or Export Subtitles

Chrome's Live Captions feature also does not provide the user with the ability to export or edit subtitles. In case you spot mistakes in the captions or require changes, you cannot edit them. Similarly, there is no way of saving or exporting the subtitles in order to reuse them later. For users that need more management over their tasks, such as individuals creating presentations or videos, this is an evident disadvantage. For operations involving editing or exporting subtitles, there must be a more adaptable tool.

Part 3: 2 Best Alternatives for Adding Subtitles to Videos

Given the limitations of Chrome’s Live Captions, many users look for better alternatives that offer more features and customization. Below are two of the best alternatives for adding subtitles to videos, including some extensions that add subtitles for more control and flexibility.

HitPaw Video Converter

A top alternative to chrome automatic subtitles is HitPaw Univd a superior subtitle-making tool. Automatically generated subtitles using this program are far more precise and even capable of supporting more than one language. Moreover, HitPaw has an edit mode for manual subtitles, rendering it a versatile alternative for individuals with greater flexibility needs.

Features of HitPaw Video Converter:

• Automatic Subtitle Generation: AI-powered tool for generating accurate subtitles for videos.
• Multilingual Support: Supports subtitles in multiple languages for global content.
• Subtitle Editing: Allows users to edit subtitles before finalizing.
• Export Options: Export subtitles in various formats for video editing or sharing.
• High Accuracy: More precise than Chrome’s Live Captions, with fewer transcription errors.

How to Add Subtitles to a Video with HitPaw Video Converter:

Step 1: Install HitPaw Univid on your PC or Mac.

Step 2: Upload your video to the HitPaw Univid interface and check the subtitle status in the Video Meta Info section.

Step 3: Select the "Add Subtitles" icon, then pick the subtitle file (VTT, SSA, ASS, SRT) to insert into your video.

Step 4: Choose the desired output format and convert your video.

Part 4: FAQs About Chrome Automatic Subtitles

Conclusion

Chrome has a feature called Live Captions that can provide you with automatic subtitles, but they are notoriously bad and will not benefit everyone. So to create more accurate, multilingual, and editable subtitles, you might choose HitPaw Univd instead of chrome automatic subtitles. This will enable you to add subtitles to GIFs and videos more precisely, editing captions, and exporting them for different uses. If you require high-quality, editable subtitles, HitPaw Univd is the most secure option!