Add subtitles in Facebook Live

Facebook can show auto-generated captions while you are live, but you can only add your own subtitle file once the broadcast is over. The replay stays on your profile or Page as a video post, and that post accepts SRT captions in as many languages as you need.

Step by step: subtitle a Facebook Live replay

1. Save a copy of the broadcast: the recording from your streaming software or a download of the replay.
2. Upload it to HappyScribe (start with the free trial) and choose the language spoken during the live.
3. The AI generates subtitles in a few minutes. Review names, product terms and timing in the online subtitle editor.
4. Export an SRT file (HappyScribe also offers a Facebook SRT option) and rename it with Facebook's language code, for example replay.en_US.srt.
5. On Facebook, find the replay post on your Page, click Options > Edit Post > Closed captions, and upload the SRT. On a personal profile, the path is Options > Edit post > Edit > Add captions > Upload captions.
6. Repeat with a translated SRT for each extra language, such as replay.fr_FR.srt or replay.es_ES.srt.

Which caption format does Facebook accept?

Facebook takes SubRip (.srt) files. The file name must follow the pattern filename.[language code]_[country code].srt, with the language in lower case and the country in upper case, as described in Meta's SRT naming guide. Meta's help pages only list SRT for video posts, so export SRT from HappyScribe rather than VTT or SCC.

Live captions, SRT file or burned-in?

• While you are live: turn on auto-generated captions under Viewer settings in Live Producer. This is Facebook's built-in captioning for the broadcast itself.
• On the replay: upload an SRT. Viewers can switch it on and off, people watching with the sound off see captions automatically, and Facebook picks the language that matches each viewer's preferred language.
• For clips you share elsewhere: export the video with subtitles burned in, so the text stays on screen in Reels, Stories or on platforms without caption support.

HappyScribe's subtitle generator translates your subtitles into 80+ languages, so one live can reach several audiences from a single replay.

Facebook Live subtitles: FAQ

Does Facebook Live have captions?

Yes, Facebook can add auto-generated captions during a broadcast if you turn them on under Viewer settings in Live Producer. You can't upload your own caption file until the live has ended.

How do I add an SRT file to a Facebook Live video?

Edit the replay post once the live is over. On a Page, click Options > Edit Post > Closed captions and upload the SRT; on a profile, use Edit > Add captions > Upload captions.

Why won't Facebook accept my SRT file?

Usually the file name is wrong. It must end in a valid code such as .en_US.srt, with the language lower case and the country upper case. If the name is right, re-export the SRT from HappyScribe to fix formatting issues.

How do I add bilingual subtitles to a Facebook Live replay?

Upload one SRT per language to the same replay post. Translate your subtitles in HappyScribe, export each language with its own code, and Facebook shows each viewer the version that matches their language.