Positioning on the Timeline
Adjusting Timing Manually
Several ways to modify a subtitle's timing:
On the timeline — the most visual method:
- Drag a block to move it in time
- Pull the left or right edges to adjust the in and out points
- Adjustments snap to the frame grid
During playback — to sync a subtitle by ear:
Isets the in point at the exact playhead positionOsets the out point- Works whether the video is playing or paused
Fine nudging — for precise adjustments:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Nudge one frame back | , |
| Nudge one frame forward | . |
| Nudge one second back | Shift + , |
| Nudge one second forward | Shift + . |
Nudging moves the selected block as a whole, respecting the active profile's constraints.
Snapping
Snapping is toggled with the S key (magnet icon in the timeline toolbar). Once on, it works on two kinds of targets.
To scene cuts
Scene cuts represent shot changes in the video. A subtitle should never straddle a shot change — this is one of the strictest rules in professional subtitling.
Subtitle edges automatically lock onto nearby scene cuts. The snap threshold is 80 milliseconds: as soon as an edge enters this zone, it locks to the cut.
Between blocks
Snapping also applies between subtitles themselves. While dragging a block, its in-edge locks onto the out-edge of the previous block (and vice versa) — handy for chaining two entries with no micro-gap, or for precisely aligning two overlapping subtitles in free overlay mode (for instance, syncing the start of a French subtitle with its Arabic counterpart).
The threshold is the same (80 ms) and works whether the two blocks share a row or overlap in time.
Safety zones define a perimeter around each scene cut. A subtitle whose start or end falls within this zone is flagged as problematic:
| Profile | Safety zone |
|---|---|
| Cinema FR | 3 frames |
| Netflix | 12 frames |
Navigation between safety issues is done with the timeline toolbar buttons, allowing you to review each case quickly.
Real-Time Constraints
When standards locking is enabled (visible in the timeline toolbar), Scene Cut prevents modifications that would violate the active profile's rules. A subtitle cannot be shortened below its minimum duration, nor moved in a way that creates an overlap.
Without locking, manipulations are unrestricted — violations are flagged visually but not blocked. This is useful for exploratory adjustments before finalizing the timing.