How to fix out-of-sync subtitles on Android TV

The three kinds of subtitle drift

• Constant offset. Every line is early or late by the same amount, say 1.5 seconds. Usually the subtitle was timed for a release with a slightly different start, such as an extra logo or intro. This is the most common case, and the easiest to fix.
• Growing drift. The first scenes are fine, but by the end the subtitles are many seconds off. The subtitle was timed for a different frame rate: 25 fps European TV releases run about 4% faster than 23.976 fps film releases.
• Sudden jumps. Everything matches until one scene, then it is off by a fixed amount. The subtitle was made for a different cut, for example a version with an extra scene or with ad breaks removed.

Fix a constant offset with the remote

This is how it works in AskIT TV for Emby Server; other players offer a manual delay slider instead.

1. Open the subtitle timing menu

   While the video plays, open the subtitle timing menu. It lists every subtitle cue with its exact timestamp.

2. Select the line that was just spoken

   Wait until an actor says a recognisable line, then select that line in the list. The player calculates the difference and shifts every subtitle by that amount.

3. Fine-tune if needed

   Use the step buttons (−1.0 s, −0.25 s, +0.25 s, +1.0 s) or "Sync to dialogue" to nudge the timing while you watch.

4. Check later in the film

   Skip ahead ten or twenty minutes. If it still matches, you are done. If it has drifted again, you have a frame-rate or cut problem, not an offset.

Fix growing drift or sudden jumps

An offset cannot fix these, because the gap changes during the film. The reliable fix is a subtitle file made for your exact release.

• Download a matching subtitle. Emby can fetch subtitles from online providers through server plugins. Choose a file whose release name matches your video file (resolution, source and release group).
• Prefer embedded subtitles. Subtitles muxed into the video file were usually timed with that file, so they drift far less often than separate SRT files.
• Edit the file on a computer. For a frame-rate mismatch, a desktop subtitle editor can convert timings from 25 fps to 23.976 fps (or the other way round) in one step.

When the audio is the problem

If voices do not match lips either, the subtitles may be right and the audio late. Soundbars, AV receivers and Bluetooth headphones all add delay. Set the audio or lip-sync delay on the TV or soundbar first, then check the subtitles again.

Hard to hear the dialogue at all? AskIT TV's Vocal Clarity Boost lifts speech by up to 12 dB over music and effects.

Frequently asked questions