StreamLive ProMy captions are out of sync with the video
Captions out of sync? Usually the file is timed to a different cut of the video. How to tell the kinds of offset apart and fix each one in StreamLive Pro.
Captions that run early or late are almost always timed to a different version of the video than the one being played. Our captions are timed from the first frame of the file you uploaded to Translate and subtitles. If an intro was added, a section trimmed, or the editor's timeline starts at a timecode other than zero, every caption moves. The pattern of the offset tells you which one it is.
Symptom, cause, fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Every caption is early or late by the same amount | An intro or a few seconds were added or cut at the start after you captioned | Shift all lines by that amount, or caption the final cut |
| Fine at first, then off from a certain point | A section was cut or added in the middle | Caption the final cut again |
| Off by exactly one hour (or another round amount) in an editor | The editor's timeline starts at a timecode such as 01:00:00:00 | Use the editor's import option that respects the timeline start |
| The offset grows steadily through the video | A different edit, or a different frame rate between the file and the timeline | Upload the exact file you publish |
| One or two lines start too early or end too late | That line's timing | Drag the line's edge in the list |
| The spoken-word highlight runs ahead of the voice | Word timings of that line | Fix the line timing; word timings move with it |
Steps
- Compare the two files. Is the video on YouTube, Facebook or your timeline exactly the file you uploaded for captions? Same length to the second is a quick test.
- Watch three points. Play the first caption, one in the middle and the last. Write down how early or late each is.
- Same offset everywhere: shift the lines. In Subtitles press Select all in the list toolbar, then Shift time. Enter the offset in seconds, positive to make captions later and negative to make them earlier (for example +0.5 or -1.2), and choose Apply shift. Word timings move with their lines, so the highlight stays on the right word.
- Offset only after a point: select from there. Select the lines from the point where it starts and shift only those. If the cut changed in several places, upload the final cut instead; it is faster than repairing many sections.
- A single bad line: drag its edge. In the line list or on the timeline, drag the start or end of that line. Split (S) cuts a long line in two at the playhead.
- In an editor: check the import option. Final Cut Pro asks for Relative to Timeline or Absolute when you import captions; see Import SRT captions into Final Cut Pro. For Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve: Automatic Hebrew captions for Premiere Pro, step by step and Import SRT captions into DaVinci Resolve.
- Export again. Files you downloaded before the fix keep the old times. Press Export and download the new file, or render the burned video again.
Why captions can look a fraction late
The recogniser dates each word from where it decoded it, which lands a little after the sound begins. StreamLive Pro pulls each line back to the moment speech actually starts before you see it. If one line still feels late, nudge that line by hand rather than shifting the whole file.
Prevent it next time
- Trim first, caption last. Upload the cut you will publish.
- Do not add an intro or end card after captioning; if you must, shift every line by its length.
- Keep the downloaded caption file next to the exact video it belongs to, with the same base name.
When to contact support
If the captions are off inside our own editor, on the file you uploaded, and shifting does not fix it, write to [email protected]. Send the project name, the time of a line that is off and by how much, and whether the video came from a phone, a camera or a screen recording.
Frequently asked questions
How do I shift all subtitles by a few seconds?
In the subtitles list choose Select all, then Shift time, enter the seconds (for example -1.5) and apply it.
Why are my captions exactly one hour late in my editor?
The editor's timeline starts at one hour of timecode. Import with the option that adds the timeline start, or set the timeline to start at zero.
Why do the captions drift more and more through the video?
The video you play is not the same edit as the one you captioned, or its frame rate differs. Caption the exact file you publish.
Does shifting the lines break the word highlight?
No. Word timings move together with their line.
I fixed the timing; why is the old file still wrong?
A downloaded file does not update. Export the captions again after the fix.
Keep reading
Another translation is already running? Your plan's limit on parallel translations is reached. How long to wait, what counts as running, and stuck jobs.
The source video of my project is no longer storedSource video no longer stored in a subtitle project? What you can still open and download, why it happens, and how to get the captions back onto the video.
My transcript came out in the wrong languageTranscript in the wrong language? Auto-detect decides from the opening of the video and keeps that choice. Set the source language yourself and run it again.
Undo, history and autosave in the video editorHow the StreamLive Pro editor saves your work: autosave status, 100 undo steps, the resume offer after a refresh, and caption versions you can restore.
Want to try it? 7-day trial, no credit card.
Start free