AI Subtitle Studio

Installing AI Subtitle Studio and first launch

AI Subtitle Studio is a desktop app for Windows and macOS. This page covers downloading, installing, and what you'll see the first time you open it.

Download the app

Download the installer for your platform from the Download page:

  • Windows — a .zip installer for Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • macOS — a .dmg for Apple Silicon (M1–M4) or Intel Macs, macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer

The app is free to download and try — the full feature set unlocks with a one-time license, covered in Activating your license.

Install

Windows: extract the downloaded .zip and run the installer inside it.

macOS: open the .dmg and drag AI Subtitle Studio into your Applications folder. On first launch, macOS Gatekeeper may ask you to confirm you want to open an app downloaded from the internet — this is expected for apps distributed outside the Mac App Store.

What you see on first launch

The app opens to the Dashboard — an empty drop zone inviting you to add a video. Before you can extract or transcribe anything, two things typically need attention:

  • Dependencies — AI Subtitle Studio relies on a handful of external tools (FFmpeg, Whisper.cpp, etc.) that it downloads and manages for you. If any core dependency is missing, an amber "Setup Required" banner appears at the top of the Dashboard. See Installing dependencies.
  • License activation — the Dashboard, Edit Subtitles, Translate and Convert screens all require an active license. If yours isn't activated yet, you'll see an "Activation required" screen instead, with a link to purchase a key and a shortcut straight to the license screen. See Activating your license.

Settings is always reachable, even before activation, specifically so you can enter your license key.

The four main screens

Once set up, the left sidebar gives you access to four feature screens plus Settings:

  • Dashboard — import videos, scan them for subtitle tracks, extract embedded subtitles, and transcribe audio with AI.
  • Edit Subtitles — edit subtitle text and timing, clean up and sync subtitles, and export to different formats.
  • Translate — translate subtitles into other languages with AI.
  • Convert — convert ASS, SSA, SUP, VobSub and MicroDVD files to SRT.

See Interface tour for a guided walkthrough of the whole layout.

FAQ

Do I need an internet connection to use the app?
Only for downloading the app, activating your license, checking for updates, and the optional AI translation feature. Transcription, syncing, extraction, conversion and cleanup all run offline once set up.
Can I use the app before buying a license?
You can install it and explore Settings, but the Dashboard, Edit Subtitles, Translate and Convert screens require an active license.
Is it available for Linux?
Official builds currently target Windows and macOS only.
Next →Activating your license