Word-by-word captions in DaVinci Resolve

In DaVinci Resolve, Create Subtitles from Audio requires a paid DaVinci Resolve Studio licence. Even in Studio, native subtitle tracks are designed for traditional closed captions. Pop-in word-by-word animations or moving karaoke boxes need complex Text+ Fusion macros that slow down timeline playback.

Exporting a pre-rendered Transparent MOV (PNG codec with alpha channel) from Cuecaps gives you smooth word-by-word animations on a standard video track in free Resolve, while keeping your colour grade and cuts untouched on V1 underneath.

1. In DaVinci Resolve, open the Deliver page and render your locked edit (or export an audio-only WAV/MP3 bounce, which renders in seconds).
2. Open the studio at cuecaps.com and select that file (it stays on your computer and is never uploaded).
3. Click Find words: choose On this device (free, unlimited) or Cloud (ElevenLabs Scribe v3 across 90+ languages, ideal for music and fast speech).
4. Fix any words in the transcript, fine-tune word edges on the waveform timeline, and pick an animated preset like Karaoke, Bold or Comic.
5. Set Shape under Layout to match your Resolve timeline (e.g. 9:16 for vertical Shorts or 16:9 for YouTube).
6. Click Export, choose Transparent MOV, and match your Resolve timeline's exact frame rate (24, 25, 30 or 60 fps).

Transparent MOV and WebM exports are included in Creator ($9 a month) and Pro. Because the MOV container stores a lossless PNG with alpha for every frame to keep shadows and strokes crisp, expect roughly 48 MB per 26 seconds at 1080 × 1920.

1. Drag the exported .mov file into your Resolve Media Pool (or choose File › Import › Media).
2. Switch to the Edit page and drag the MOV clip onto Video Track 2 (V2), directly above your main footage on V1.
3. Snap the first frame of the MOV overlay to the start of the sequence you exported. Because the overlay matches your file's exact duration, every word lands on the frame it was spoken.
4. Deliver your final render from Resolve as usual.

If you only need standard static subtitles in free DaVinci Resolve without paying for Studio, Cuecaps' Free plan exports unwatermarked SRT and VTT files (with unlimited on-device transcription and 10 cloud minutes a month). In Resolve, click File › Import › Subtitle and drop the SRT onto a subtitle track.

For animated captions, open the studio at cuecaps.com, pick Karaoke or Bold, and export the transparent MOV for V2.