hardsubtitled

Hard-subtitled, or hardsubtitled, refers to video content in which subtitles are permanently embedded into the video image. Once encoded, the subtitles become part of every frame and cannot be disabled, removed, or extracted as a separate text track. This is in contrast to soft subtitles, which are stored as a separate subtitle stream or file and can be turned on or off by the viewer’s player.

Hardsubbing is typically done during the encoding process by rendering the subtitle text directly onto the video frames. Subtitles may be created from caption files or added during transcoding, with control over font, size, color, and placement. Common tools for creating hardsubs include video encoders and editors that support subtitle rendering, such as FFmpeg with subtitle filters or dedicated encoding pipelines. The result is a single, self-contained video file that will display subtitles on any device, regardless of subtitle support in the playback environment.

Pros of hardsubtitled content include universal visibility across devices and platforms, reliable legibility in environments where subtitle rendering might be unreliable, and suitability for archival or distribution where separate subtitle tracks are impractical. Cons include irreversibility (subtitles cannot be toggled off or edited by the viewer), difficulty of updating or translating into multiple languages without re-encoding, potential limitations in accessibility (font customization is fixed), and typically larger file sizes or more complex revision workflows compared with soft subtitles. Hardsub content is common in certain distribution channels and fan-sub communities where consistent subtitle presentation is prioritized.