How to Add Subtitles to Kodi (Jarvis/Krypton)- Step By Step Guide

Kodi is a great media player. It comes packed with plenty of features. Kodi allows you to add subtitles too. We love to watch movies and TV shows on Kodi. Sometimes, we need subtitles for better experience. For example, if you are watching a movie in the language you do not understand, you will need subtitles. Those who are hard of hearing enjoy the content better with subtitles.

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Kodi has a built-in subtitle feature that lets you add the subtitles very easily. It also automatically populates the related subtitles available for download. In this article we will provide the step by step process to get subtitles for your favorite content from the popular subtitle services.

How to Select Desired Subtitle for Kodi

To add the subtitle to any video you are playing on Kodi, you will first need to set the default subtitle service. The service you choose will be used as a source to pull the subtitles from. There are plenty of services around but it is best to choose the tried and tested ones. OpenSubtitles.org, TVSubtitles.net and SubScene.com are the two most widely used subtitle sources. You will find most of the subtitles on these sites. TVSubtitles.net is primarily for TV shows.

You can choose the service by following the steps below. In case you do not like a particular service, you can go through the same process again to select a different one. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Launch Kodi player on your device.

Step 2. Click System on the Menu bar on the home screen of the player.

Step 3. Click ‘Settings’ in the submenu.

Step 4. Select ‘Video’ on the left pane on the ‘Change your Settings’ window.

Step 5. Select ‘Subtitles’ on the left pane in the ‘Videos-Settings’.

Step 6. Select one of the top options on the screen:

  • Default TV show service: here you can select the default subtitle service for TV shows
  • Default movie service: in this section you will be able to set the default service for movies

Step 7. Click the button ‘Get More’ when a small pop-up appears on the screen.

Step 8. Choose the desired Subtitle service from the list of the popular subtitle service that appears. Here, we chose “OpenSubtitles.org”.

Step 9. If you need to add more services, follow the steps 1-8 again (recommended as one service may not always have the desired subtitles).

This will set the subtitle services on your Kodi player. Now we will see how to use the subtitles.

Using the Kodi Subtitles

Once you have chosen the desired subtitle services, you will want to use them. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:

  1. Launch the TV show, movie or any other content you wish the subtitles for.
  2. You should be able to see 4 small buttons on the bottom left of the playback screen; select the first one (it is for subtitles).
  3. Select ‘Download’ on the small pop-up menu that appears.
  4. After a little while you will see the list of the available subtitles from the subtitle services you have selected. Kodi will automatically look up for the subtitles related to the content. It may take a few seconds to populate this list. Choose the subtitle you wish to use.
  5. You will now be able to see the subtitles with the video.
  6. In case you don’t like the subtitles, you can add repeat steps 1 to 4 or you can add more subtitle services.

Offsetting the Subtitles

Many times the downloaded subtitle is not in synch with the audio. This could happen for several reasons. For instance, the duration of the same content may differ across different sources. The user who uploaded the video may have added an introductory banner for a couple of seconds before the start of the video, but the subtitle may not be adjusted to the delay. Thankfully, you can offset the subtitle to make it synch with the audio. Here are the steps:

  • 1. Once you have added the subtitle to a particular video play the video with the subtitle.
  • 2. Select the subtitle button on the bottom left of the screen (the same button you selected to download the subtitle earlier).
  • 3. Select ‘Subtitle offset’ from the small pop-up.

  • 4. You should be able to see the ‘Subtitle offset’ bar on the top of the screen; you can slide the bar to the left and the subtitle will get delayed by the amount of time shown on the screen; slide it to the right and you will be able to jump it ahead.

Conclusion

Adding subtitles to the video on Kodi is easy. The first thing you need to do is set the subtitles services. Once that’s done, you can download the subtitles during the playback. It would be a good idea to add multiple Kodi subtitle services so that you have higher chances of finding the right subtitle.


Kodi Leach

He is a passionate movie enthusiast and a seasoned blog post writer. With an extensive knowledge of the film industry and a love for cinematic experiences, Kodi brings a unique perspective to his articles. He is dedicated to sharing his insights and recommendations with fellow movie buffs, helping them discover the best in cinematic entertainment. When he's not watching movies or crafting engaging content, you can find Kodi exploring film festivals and seeking out hidden cinematic gems.

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