What is this website?
subtitle.im is a desktop Chrome extension for managing YouTube's switchable captions. It does not generate, translate, or download captions, and it cannot erase burned-in text from the video image. You can follow YouTube, auto-open, or auto-close available tracks; when local OCR finds burned-in subtitles, it applies your rules to overlapping soft captions. It fits viewers who want a stable on/off habit across videos or less bilingual stacking—not subtitle generation or download workflows.
Key features
- Switch caption control among Follow YouTube, Auto-open, and Auto-close
- Detect burned-in subtitles with in-browser OCR, then close or keep switchable captions per your settings
- When burned-in and soft-caption languages differ, auto-close, ask first, or keep both
- Manual CC changes apply only to the current viewing; saved rules resume after reload or a new video
- Pro adds channel rules, per-video exceptions, and memory of confirmed closures
Common use cases
- Caption-dependent viewers who want available tracks to open automatically so they click CC less often
- People who find captions distracting and prefer a global auto-close that sticks across videos
- Language learners or bilingual content: burned-in source text plus another soft-caption language—dedupe or keep both on purpose
- Pro users who force captions on or off for a channel, then carve out exceptions for single videos
Who is it for?
- Desktop Chrome YouTube viewers who want one durable caption preference
- Viewers who often see burned-in subtitles stacked with CC and want rule-based duplicate handling
- Users who prefer local detection without uploading frames for recognition
- Poor fit: anyone who needs caption generation/translation, SRT export, or the same tool on mobile or non-YouTube sites
- Also poor fit: expecting to remove burned-in subtitles from the image itself
How does it compare to similar tools?
Align expectations on these points before choosing:
- Scope: switchable YouTube captions—not a caption generator or burned-in remover
- Detection: burned-in recognition runs locally in the browser; frames are not uploaded for detection
- Coverage: desktop Chrome + YouTube today; mobile browsers, other sites, and local files are out of scope
- Pricing shape: limited successful free handling after install; ongoing automation plus channel/video rules need Pro
If you need AI-written captions or bulk SRT downloads, look at generation/download tools instead of this extension.
FAQ
Q: Is subtitle.im free?
A: Yes to try after install with no signup. Each install includes 10 distinct videos for successful closures, with no monthly reset; failed detection, manual CC, and rewatches do not count. Ongoing automation and channel/video rules require Pro.
Q: Can it remove burned-in YouTube subtitles from the picture?
A: No. Burned-in text is part of the image; player CC cannot remove it either. The extension only detects that layer and manages the switchable soft-caption track per your settings.
Q: Are video frames uploaded to a server?
A: Frame sampling and OCR for detection run in the browser. Per the official site, detection does not upload video frames or subtitle text.
Q: How is this different from clicking YouTube's CC button?
A: CC only changes the current playback. This extension can remember auto on/off across videos and apply duplicate-caption rules when burned-in text is detected; a manual CC change still wins for that viewing.
