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YouTube

Complete guide to using Subtide with YouTube videos.


  1. Navigate to any YouTube video
  2. Look for the Subtide button in the player controls (bottom right, next to settings)
  3. Click to start translation
  4. Subtitles appear within seconds

Tip: First Time Make sure your backend is running and the extension is configured before translating.


Subtide integrates directly into YouTube’s native player controls.

Located in the bottom-right control bar:

  • Click to start/stop translation
  • Icon changes to indicate active translation
  • Tooltip shows current status
  • Position: Centered at the bottom of the video
  • Draggable: Click and drag to reposition anywhere
  • Reset: Double-click to return to default position

Choose from four sizes:

SizeUse Case
SmallLarge monitors, minimal distraction
MediumDefault, balanced readability
LargeSmaller screens, easier reading
XLAccessibility, maximum visibility

Show both original and translated text simultaneously:

  1. Press D or toggle in the dropdown menu
  2. Original text appears above the translation
  3. Useful for language learning

KeyAction
TToggle subtitles on/off
DToggle dual subtitle mode
SDownload subtitles

Download your translated subtitles:

  1. Click the download icon in the Subtide menu
  2. Choose format:
    • SRT - Standard subtitle format, compatible with most players
    • VTT - Web Video Text Tracks, for HTML5 video
    • TXT - Plain text transcript

  • Uses existing YouTube captions as the source
  • Your API key is used directly from the browser
  • Best for: Videos with existing subtitles
  • Generates subtitles using Whisper AI
  • Works on videos without existing captions
  • Your API key is used from the browser
  • Best for: Any video, regardless of existing subtitles
  • Server handles all API calls
  • API key stored securely on the server
  • Best for: Shared deployments, teams

  1. Use GPT-4o for complex languages
  2. Enable context merging for better sentence handling
  3. Choose the right Whisper model for your hardware
  1. Cache is automatic - Replay videos instantly
  2. Pause video if subtitles are too fast
  3. Use Tier 4 for real-time streaming translation

If subtitles don’t appear:

  1. Check that the backend is running
  2. Verify your API key is valid
  3. Look at the browser console for errors
  4. See Troubleshooting for more help

Subtide works with embedded YouTube players on other websites:

  1. The extension detects YouTube iframes automatically
  2. Controls appear in the embedded player
  3. All features work the same as on youtube.com

Note: Limitations Some websites may block extension access to embedded content.