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    This guide covers the full process from uploading your video to publishing translated output.

    Overview

    Smartcat supports end-to-end video translation workflows, including subtitle translation and multilingual AI dubbing. This guide covers the full process from uploading your video to publishing translated output.

    Prerequisites

    • A Smartcat workspace with video translation enabled

    • A video file in a supported format:

    • Video formats : 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, M2V, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, OGV, QT, WMV

    • Audio formats : WAV, WMA, AAC, FLAC, M2A, M4A, MP2, OGG, MP3

    • Source language and target language(s) configured in your workspace

    📌 WebM format is not supported

    Step 1: Create a video translation project

    1. From the left navigation, select Projects → New Project

    2. Upload your video file and select the Translate video, audio, subtitles template

    1. Select the source language

    2. Select one or more target languages

    3. Recommended: set segmentation rules. These rules define parameters like maximum segment length, timing constraints, and line breaks to ensure segments meet specific formatting requirements for different media types and specifications.

    1. Then select workflow template and enter any additional details

    1. Click Create Project

    Smartcat automatically extracts the audio track, generates a transcript for translation, and enables the video subtitles editor.

    Step 2: Review and edit subtitles

    If your workflow includes the Source Layout check stage, once the transcript is generated:

    1. Open the project in the Video Subtitles Editor (may also appear as "VTT Editor")

    2. Review the auto-generated transcript segment by segment

    3. Edit any segments with transcription errors before translation begins. Edits may include:

    • Cue Management:

      • Merge cues : Combine selected segments into one subtitle block

      • Split cues : Divide long segments using the "Split by line" button

      • Insert new cues : Add empty subtitle segments before or after existing ones

      • Delete cues : Remove unwanted subtitle segments entirely

    • Line Breaking:

      • Press Enter to create multiple lines within a single cue

      • Ensure complete sentences or clauses stay in one cue (especially important for AI dubbing)

      • Split multi-line cues into separate segments when needed

    1. Confirm segments to approve them for translation

    2. Mark the file as processed to complete the review stage and trigger the next stage.

    Step 3: Translate subtitles

    1. With segments confirmed, Smartcat completes the AI translation

    2. Edit any segments requiring post-editing. Key considerations include:

    • Text Expansion/Contraction

      • Some languages expand significantly (e.g., German, French can be 20-30% longer than English)

      • Others contract (e.g., Chinese, Japanese may be shorter)

      • You may need to adjust timing or split/merge cues to accommodate these differences

    • CPS Recalibration

      • The reading speed that worked for the source language may not work for the target

      • Review and adjust CPS limits in the Settings tab for the target language if needed

    • Cultural Adaptation

      • Review any culturally-specific content that may need localization beyond direct translation

      • Ensure humor, references, and tone translate appropriately

    1. Confirm all translated segments

    Step 4: Add multilingual AI dubbing (optional)

    If your project requires dubbed audio in addition to subtitles:

    1. In the Video Subtitles Editor, access the voice selection sidebar

    2. Select target languages for dubbing

    3. Choose a voice profile for each language from the available options

    4. Configure dubbing settings in the audio settings panel

    5. Generate AI dubbing (powered by ElevenLabs)

    6. Review the output. Play back the dubbed audio against the video timeline

    7. Make any timing or segment adjustments as needed

    Step 5: Export your project

    1. Once all translations and dubbing are approved, go to Export

    2. Choose your output format:

      • Subtitles only (SRT, VTT, or other formats)

      • Video with burned-in subtitles

      • Video with AI voiceover (dubbed audio track)

      • Video with AI voiceover AND burned-in subtitles

    Download or send to your delivery destination

    Known limitations

    • AI dubbing is available for selected languages only. Voice availability varies by language and is powered by ElevenLabs. Check the current supported language list in your workspace settings.

    • Automated transcription accuracy varies by audio quality and speaker clarity.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How does Smartword consumption work for video translation and AI dubbing?

    Smartword costs vary depending on the action:

    • Extracting text from video and audio files: Free of charge (requires a positive Smartword balance)

    • Translating subtitles: Smartwords are charged when translated subtitles are downloaded, not during the actual translation process. Standard rate of 1 Smartword per word applies.

    • AI dubbing/voiceover: 10 Smartwords per word. For example, if your video transcript contains 500 words, AI dubbing costs 5,000 Smartwords.

    You can view detailed Smartword consumption reports at smartcat.com/app/smartwords-usage using the "Download detailed CSV report" button.

    How do I change the AI voice for dubbing?

    To change the AI voice:

    1. In the Video Subtitles Editor, select the target language in the selector under the Preview section

    2. Open the voice selection panel on the right side

    3. Browse available voices — you can view recommended voices, recent voices, or favorites

    4. Preview any voice by clicking on it before applying

    5. Select your preferred voice and preview the video with it

    6. You can switch to a different voice at any point before export

    Note: Voice availability varies by language. Admins and Project Managers can manage favorite voices for their workspace.

    What should I do if I can't hear any audio during preview?

    If you can't hear audio during preview, check the following:

    1. Browser audio settings: Ensure your browser tab isn't muted and system volume is up

    2. Background sound toggle: If you're using AI dubbing, check whether the "Background Sound" option is turned on or off. Background sound ON means AI voice plus original background audio. Background sound OFF means AI voice only.

    3. AI voice selection: Make sure you've selected an AI voice for the target language — without a voice selected, there won't be any dubbed audio to preview

    4. Click "Preview with AI voice": Use the preview button in the subtitle segment or the main preview area to hear the AI-generated audio

    If issues persist, try refreshing the page or using a different browser.

    My exported file only has subtitles but I wanted AI dubbing. What happened?

    This typically happens when AI dubbing wasn't enabled before export. To get a video with AI voiceover:

    1. Before downloading, select a target language in the Preview section

    2. Choose an AI voice from the voice selection panel

    3. Preview the video to confirm the AI voice is working

    4. When clicking Download, select the option that includes AI voiceover: "Video with AI voiceover" for dubbed audio only, or "Video with AI voiceover AND burned-in subtitles" for both

    If you only downloaded subtitles (SRT/VTT files), you'll need to re-export and select a video output option with AI dubbing enabled.

    What if my video has text on screen that needs translation?

    Smartcat's video translation workflow focuses on audio/subtitle translation and does not automatically translate on-screen text (such as titles, lower thirds, graphics, or text overlays embedded in the video).

    For videos with on-screen text:

    • Burned-in text: This text is part of the video image and cannot be extracted or translated automatically. You would need to edit the original video source files to change this text.

    • Subtitles as a workaround: You can include translations of on-screen text in your subtitle track, though this may result in subtitle overlap.

    • Best practice: When creating source videos intended for localization, keep on-screen text in editable layers (in your video editing software) separate from the final render, so text can be swapped for different languages before export.

    For image translation within documents (not video), Smartcat offers separate image translation capabilities at 1,000 Smartwords per image.