Subtitle Edit (also known as SE) is a free and open-source subtitle editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is used to create, edit, synchronize and convert video subtitles, and includes tools for automatic transcription, translation and conversion of image-based subtitles to text.
SE supports 250+ subtitle formats. Some of the most popular ones are SubRip, Timed Text, DFXP (Netflix standards), ITT (iTunes), SubStation Alpha, MicroDVD, SAMI, D-Cinema and BdSub.Support for these formats isn't complete, though. For instance, WebVTT is one of the supported formats, but none of its styling features are supported.
As of version 5.0, SE relies on either the VLC media player or mpv for video playback, and FFmpeg for waveform generation.
SE is available in 34 languages and works on Windows and Linux.
In 2001, Nikolaj Lynge Olsson had started the development of Subtitle Edit in Delphi which continued until April 2009. On 6 March 2009, 2.0 Beta 1 version (build 42401) was released.
What is Subtitle Edit?
Subtitle Edit by Nikse (developed by Nikolaj Lynge Olsson) is open-source Windows software in the video editors category. It ranks 3rd by popularity among video editors in this catalogue. It is written in C#. Besides Windows, it is available for cross-platform.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.3.0.0, released on October 14, 2026. The version history goes back to August 13, 2022: 27 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 6.5 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 96,143 times. The source code on GitHub (SubtitleEdit/subtitleedit) has 14,670 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 5 of our languages. On Windows it registers 61 file types, including .html, .txt, .xml, .json and .csv. Similar programs include Shotcut, OpenShot Video Editor and Aegisub.
Project description on GitHub: “the subtitle editor :)”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 6.5 a year)
- Opens 61 file types
- Also runs on cross-platform
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Subtitle Edit is an open-source video editor tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Subtitle Edit safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
D77F5ED24E55EC6D95E22D88F19FF6BF2C72FF48D2A1012F9A016712C2D61D3C· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 27 versions ›27 versions over 4 years · about 6.5 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3.0.0Latest | October 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 5.2.0.0 | September 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 5.1.0.0 | July 29, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 5.0.0.0 | June 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 4.0.16.0 | June 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)32-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 4.0.15.0 | February 6, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 4.0.14.0 | October 28, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)32-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 4.0.13.0 | July 30, 2025 | — | 32-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Nikse.SubtitleEdit -echoco install subtitleedit -ySubtitleEdit-Windows-x64-Setup.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Nikse
- Developer
- Nikolaj Lynge Olsson
- Category
- Video editors
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/SubtitleEdit/subtitleedit
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Other platforms
- cross-platform
- Version
- 5.3.0.0
- Released
- October 14, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 19, 2022
- Versions listed
- 27
- Updates / year
- 6.5
- Chocolatey downloads
- 96,143
- GitHub stars
- 14,670
- GitHub forks
- 1,339
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Nikse.SubtitleEdit
- Chocolatey package
- subtitleedit
File types it opens (61)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Subtitle Edit free?
Yes. Subtitle Edit is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Subtitle Edit safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Subtitle Edit with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Subtitle Edit be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Subtitle Edit run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Subtitle Edit?
The versions page lists all 27 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 13, 2022.
What are alternatives to Subtitle Edit?
Shotcut, OpenShot Video Editor, Aegisub, LAV Filters and Kdenlive. The alternatives page compares them.
