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How to Extract Hardcoded Subtitles from Video in 2025

· 2 min read
QuantumSubtitle Team
QuantumSubtitle Team
Maintainer

Have you ever tried to edit a video only to find that the subtitles are permanently "burned" into the image? These are known as hardcoded subtitles, and removing or editing them has traditionally been a nightmare for video editors and translators.

But with the rise of AI and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, extracting these subtitles is now easier than ever.

The Problem with Hardcoded Subtitles​

Hardcoded subtitles are part of the video frames. Unlike "soft" subtitles (like SRT files), you can't just switch them off. This is a common issue when:

  • You've lost the original project files.
  • You are repurposing social media content (which often has burned-in captions).
  • You need to translate a video but only have the final export.

The Solution: AI-Powered OCR​

The best way to handle this is using a Video OCR tool. These tools scan every frame of your video, identify text shapes, and convert them back into editable text formats like SRT.

Why use QuantumSubtitle's Extractor?​

QuantumSubtitle offers a powerful Subtitle Extractor designed specifically for this purpose.

  1. High Accuracy: Our advanced OCR engine works even with complex backgrounds.
  2. Multi-Language Support: Whether it's English, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, we've got you covered.
  3. Batch Processing: Extract subtitles from multiple videos at once to save time.

Quick Guide: Extracting Subtitles​

Here is how you can do it in 3 simple steps:

  1. Upload: Drag and drop your video files into QuantumSubtitle.
  2. Select Region: Draw a box around the area where subtitles appear (or let our AI detect it).
  3. Export: Click "Extract" and download your new SRT file.

Ready to try it out? Check out our Subtitle Extractor Tutorial or start extracting right away on our primary application.