General Questions
What is Subtitle Creator?
A macOS app that generates professional subtitles for movies and TV shows using AI. Everything runs locally on your Mac – no cloud uploads, no subscriptions.
What makes it different from other subtitle tools?
Built specifically for movies with automatic movie detection, character name support, and optimizations for action scenes and background noise. Plus complete privacy – your videos never leave your computer.
Do I need an internet connection?
Only for initial setup (downloading FFmpeg and AI models) and if you use translation features. Subtitle generation works completely offline.
What video formats are supported?
MKV, MP4, MOV, AVI, and most formats playable in VLC.
Licensing & Purchase
How do I get a license key?
Purchase from our Gumroad store. Your license key arrives in the purchase email and is available in your Gumroad Library.
How many computers can I use it on?
Each license allows 3 simultaneous activations. Deactivate from an old device to activate on a new one.
Is there a free trial?
We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied, request a full refund – no questions asked.
Is this a subscription?
No. One-time purchase, lifetime access, free updates forever.
Can I use this commercially?
Yes. Your license includes commercial use rights for subtitles you generate.
System Requirements
What Mac do I need?
macOS 12.0 or later with 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended). Works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Does it work on older Intel Macs?
Yes, but Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4) run 3-10x faster due to hardware acceleration.
How much disk space do I need?
2GB minimum. 5GB recommended if you download multiple AI models.
Will this work on Windows?
Not yet. Windows version is in development. Sign up for notifications on our download page.
Performance & Speed
How long does it take to process a movie?
On Apple Silicon: 2-hour movie takes 10-20 minutes. On Intel: 20-40 minutes. Speed depends on which AI model you choose and your Mac’s processor.
Which model should I use?
Small model is recommended for most users. It balances speed and accuracy well. Tiny is faster but less accurate. Large models are slower but better for challenging audio.
Can I process multiple videos at once?
Yes. Add multiple files and click Generate. They process sequentially, and subtitle files appear next to each video when complete.
Why is it slow on my Intel Mac?
Intel Macs lack hardware acceleration support. Consider using the Tiny or Small model for faster processing, or reduce beam size in settings.
Features & Capabilities
What languages can it transcribe?
Currently optimized for English audio transcription.
Can I translate subtitles to other languages?
Yes. After generating English subtitles, you can translate to 50+ languages including Turkish, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, and more. Requires a free Gemini API key. (coming soon)
Does it detect movie information automatically?
Yes. The app parses filenames to detect movie titles, years, and TV show episodes. You can add character names for better accuracy.
Can I adjust subtitle timing?
Yes. Use the Time Offset setting to shift all subtitles forward or backward. Adjust in 0.1 second increments.
What subtitle format does it create?
Standard SRT format, compatible with VLC, Plex, Jellyfin, and all major video players.
Technical Questions
Where are subtitles saved?
Next to your video files with the same filename. Example: Movie.mkv → Movie.en.srt
Where are AI models stored?
~/Library/Application Support/SubtitleCreator/whisper-cpp/models/
Can I delete models I don’t use?
Yes. Go to Settings → Engine & Models → Manage Models. Click the trash icon next to any installed model.
How much data do AI models download?
Tiny: 150MB | Base: 142MB | Small: 466MB | Medium: 1.5GB | Large: 3.1GB each
Does it use my GPU?
Yes, on Apple Silicon Macs. The app uses VideoToolbox hardware acceleration for 3-10x faster processing.
Troubleshooting
Subtitles have “[Music]” or “[Silence]” in them
These are automatically removed during processing. Make sure you’re using the latest version which includes enhanced hallucination filtering.
Subtitles appear too early or too late
Adjust Time Offset in Settings → Fine-tuning. Positive values make subtitles appear later, negative values make them appear earlier.
Getting repeated text like “I know, I know, I know”
This is a known issue with Large v2 model. The app automatically detects and removes consecutive duplicates. If it persists, try the Small or Large v3 model instead.
“FFmpeg not found” error
Go to Settings → Engine & Models and click “Download FFmpeg”. Wait for installation to complete.
“Model not found” error
You need to download at least one AI model. Go to Settings → Engine & Models → Manage Models, then download the Small model (recommended).
Low quality transcription
Try these: (1) Add character names via the bubble icon, (2) Use a larger model like Medium or Large, (3) Increase beam size to 8-10 in Fine-tuning settings.
App crashes or freezes
Make sure you’re running the latest version. Close other apps to free up RAM. If problems persist, contact support with your crash logs.
Privacy & Security
Do you collect my data?
No. Everything runs locally on your Mac. We never see your videos, subtitles, or usage data.
Are my videos uploaded anywhere?
Never. All processing happens on your computer. Your videos never leave your device.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Just enter your license key – no account, no tracking, no telemetry.
Is my license key stored securely?
Yes. License information is stored locally in macOS Keychain.
Advanced Usage
What is Voice Activity Detection (VAD)?
A feature that filters silence before transcription to prevent hallucinations. Enabled by default and highly recommended for movies.
When should I disable “Use Previous Context”?
Keep it disabled for movies (default). It prevents error cascades during action scenes. Enable it only for continuous speech like podcasts or audiobooks.
What does Temperature control?
How conservative vs creative the transcription is. Keep at 0.0 (default) for maximum accuracy in subtitles.
What’s the difference between Large v2 and v3?
Large v3 is more accurate for clean dialogue. Large v2 is more stable for noisy scenes and heavy background music, but can have repetition issues (automatically fixed).
Can I customize the processing pipeline?
Yes. Settings → Fine-tuning gives you control over 8 parameters including filtering thresholds, beam size, and more. See our Advanced Fine-Tuning Guide for details.
Support & Updates
How do I get updates?
Updates are free forever. The app will notify you when new versions are available.
Where can I get help?
Check our Getting Started Guide and Documentation. For issues, contact support email.
Can I request features?
Yes. Email us your suggestions. We actively develop based on user feedback.
What’s your refund policy?
30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied for any reason, email us for a full refund.