Do you want to know how to display subtitles on YouTube? What is their function? How to customize them? Read this article! Find out on Libero Tecnologia.
YouTube is one of the absolute reference platforms for video publishing and is used by millions of users all over the world, not only to view, but also to publish their own videos, often creating custom channels on which to be followed by their followers. However, for newbies there is often a common problem: viewing videos in a foreign language of which you do not understand the meaning.
The function of subtitles on YouTube
The ability to add subtitles to your favorite YouTube videos is a really interesting and useful option that will allow every user not to be stopped by the barrier of the unknown foreign language, without having to be a polyglot. The usefulness is especially noticeable when it comes to lesser-known languages: while most people know English, the situation can become very difficult when it comes to videos in languages such as Chinese or Russian. In any case, enabling the feature that lets you add subtitles on YouTube is relatively simple and you don't need to download or install applications on your devices.
How to add subtitles on YouTube
To add subtitles on YouTube you first need to access YouTube using your Google account: if you are not logged in, you won't be able to take advantage of this option. You'll just have to access your profile, associated with the Google one, by clicking on "Sign in" at the top right, entering your Google credentials. Once logged in, just look for the movie of which you want to view the subtitles, you must click on the white rectangle visible at the bottom right of the video screen (obviously when available). This will be enough to enable the subtitles right away. However, if the displayed language is not the one you want and you want to see subtitles on YouTube in Italian, you'll have to click on the icon next to it, the one shaped like a gear wheel, where the settings are available: here a drop-down menu will appear from which you can then click on the Subtitles item. It will then be possible to select the reference language among those available. If you don't have Italian among them, you'll just have to click on the item "automatic translation" and choose the language in which you want the subtitling to be done. This will start the automatic subtitles on Youtube.
Customize subtitles on Youtube
If you want to further characterize the subtitles on Youtube, just do a few simple steps. In the same menu of the subtitles you'll find an "Options" tab, from which you'll be able to customize the subtitles even more: you'll be able to choose the type of font to display, their size and color. And that's not all: you'll also be able to act on the subtitle background, deciding its color and opacity, as well as deciding the same characteristics for the window, and the style and opacity of the characters. Then you will be able to reset the basic view by clicking on the "reset" button.
Add new subtitles on YouTube
For users who are particularly good at translations, there is even a possibility to add a new language for YouTube subtitles of other people's videos. How to do it? Just enable the display of subtitles of the concerned video, then click on the settings symbol (in the shape of a gear), then click on "subtitles" and then select the "Add subtitles" item: it is not always available, so subtitles can be added only if the initial settings of the video allow it. Once this is done, a new screen will open, where you'll first have to select the language you want to add. Then you'll have to move the video cursor to the part where you want to insert the text and finally fill in the correct translation in a box that will appear on the left. These steps will be repeated for all the subtitles you want to add, then, once you're done editing, you'll have to click on the "submit" button.
It will also be possible to improve the subtitles already present, again from the "add subtitles" screen: by selecting an existing language, you'll be able to put your hand to the subtitles already present, by clicking on the processing box. Of course, the portal team will then verify that the inserted YouTube subtitles are fine. If the changes are accepted, they will appear below the video in a short time.