Translating Video Subtitles and Descriptions

Step 1: Create the subtitles file

Captions, subtitles and descriptions of WAI videos are stored in WebVTT (.vtt) files.

To create the subtitles file, duplicate the English captions file, with language shortcode added to the middle of the filename, as follows:

Step 2: Translate the file

1. Translate all text segments
2. Keep the first line (WEBVTT)
3. Do not edit time-intervals

Step 3: Add the new subtitles to the video player

In the English version of the page, the embedded video player looks similar to this:

Actions needed in the translated page

1. Delete |default from: captions="VTT_FILE_NAME.vtt|en|default"
   so it’s: captions="VTT_FILE_NAME.vtt|en"

2. Add your subtitles file name in subtitles parameter, along with the translated language shortcode.
   Add |default, so that subtitle will be the default selected one when opening the translated page.

If no subtitles have been added yet, you may have to create the subtitles parameter.

More information

The video player may contain additional parameters:

• subtitles-ad
  Audio described version of the subtitles.

• descriptions-ad
  Text of the audio description.

In that case, apply the same logic as described above:

• Delete |default when specified next to the English version.
• Add your translated file in the parameter, along with the translated language shortcode and |default.