RTL Subtitles in Premiere Pro (Hebrew & Arabic) - Complete Guide 2025
Why RTL Subtitles Are About More Than Just Inverting Direction
Words going in the opposite direction may appear to be a slight change, but it alters production massively. RTL subtitles impact more than simply the direction of words on screen - grammar, sentences, and graphics must bend to accommodate RTL subtitles.
Why Does This Matter?
Some languages are read and written right-to-left. Maximizing the success of your content in these markets means adapting your captions for RTL. This can enhance your content's reach and connect you with international audiences.
Creating RTL Subtitles in Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro has started to offer complete functionality for RTL subtitling. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Open Your Project
- Start up Premiere Pro and open your video project file
- You should see your video sequence broken into various video and audio tracks
Step 2: Open the Captions Menu
Open the Captions menu from the panels at the top of the viewer
Step 3: Create or Import Transcript
Option A - No SRT File (Auto Transcribe):
- Press TRANSCRIBE SEQUENCE to open a menu for automatic transcription
- Select the audio track to generate transcription
- After import completes, access the transcription by pressing TRANSCRIBE
Option B - With SRT File:
- Select IMPORT CAPTIONS FROM FILE to open the file viewer
- Select your SRT file for upload
- The transcript will be available in the TRANSCRIBE tab for editing
Tip: Use Smart Captions for fast, accurate Hebrew/Arabic transcription (10-minute video transcribed in ~60 seconds)
Step 4: Set the Text Engine for RTL
Press CREATE CAPTIONS to open a new menu
Find the STYLING OPTIONS section
Under this heading you'll see TEXT ENGINE with two choices:
- EUROPEAN AND EAST ASIAN - for LTR languages
- SOUTH ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN - for RTL languages
Select SOUTH ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN - this reverses the default text direction to right-to-left
Note: You can also change this in Edit > Preferences > Graphics
Step 5: Style Your Subtitles
The Essential Graphics tab allows you to edit:
- Justification and alignment
- Scale and formatting
- Colors and background
- Fonts (use fonts that support Hebrew/Arabic like Arial Hebrew, Noto Sans Arabic)
Step 6: Export with Burned-In Subtitles
Export via File > Export with subtitles burned in. These subtitles cannot be toggled off - they are now part of the video file.
Free Alternative: Subtitle Edit
Subtitle Edit is popular freeware for crafting subtitles with limited RTL functionality:
- Open Subtitle Edit and import video via Video > Open Video File
- Open your SRT file via File > Open (Keep Videos)
- Hit Edit > Right-to-Left Mode to rework subtitles for RTL
- Go to Video > Generate Video with Burned-In Subtitles
- Title your video and export to desired location
Smart Captions + Premiere Pro: Recommended Workflow
Why Combine Both?
- Smart Captions: Fast, accurate Hebrew/Arabic transcription (79 languages, ~60 seconds for 10 minutes)
- Premiere Pro: Proper RTL configuration and professional styling
The Workflow:
- Transcribe with Smart Captions - Select source language (Hebrew/Arabic), click Transcribe
- Export to SRT format from Smart Captions
- Import to Premiere Pro via Import Captions from File
- Set TEXT ENGINE to SOUTH ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN
- Style in Essential Graphics - font, color, size
- Export with burned-in subtitles
Pro Tips for RTL Subtitles
Words Per Line
In Hebrew and Arabic, 4-6 words per line are optimal (words are shorter than English)
Fonts
Use fonts with good Hebrew/Arabic support:
- Arial Hebrew / Arial
- Noto Sans Hebrew / Noto Sans Arabic
- David CLM
Mixed Languages
When combining Hebrew/Arabic with English in the same sentence - verify the order is correct before export
Punctuation
- Business/educational content: Full punctuation
- Social media: Cleaner look without punctuation
FAQ
Q: Does Smart Captions create RTL subtitles directly? A: Smart Captions generates accurate Hebrew/Arabic transcription. For proper RTL display in Premiere, you need to set TEXT ENGINE to SOUTH ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN.
Q: What's the difference between burned-in subtitles and SRT? A: Burned-in subtitles are part of the video and cannot be toggled off. SRT files are separate files that video players can display or hide.
Q: Can I translate from Hebrew to other languages? A: Yes! Smart Captions supports translation to 79 languages.
Summary
Creating RTL subtitles in Premiere Pro requires:
- Transcript - Create with Smart Captions or import SRT
- TEXT ENGINE setting - Select SOUTH ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN
- Styling - Font, color, position in Essential Graphics
- Export - With burned-in subtitles
Ready to try? Smart Captions offers 5 free minutes to try, no credit card required.