Bug 514838 - Having a .srt file in the project folder burns subtitles despite having hidden the subtitle track
Summary: Having a .srt file in the project folder burns subtitles despite having hidde...
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Alias: None
Product: kdenlive
Classification: Applications
Component: Title Clips & Subtitles (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 25.08.0
Platform: Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Jean-Baptiste Mardelle
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2026-01-19 18:54 UTC by anarelle
Modified: 2026-01-21 18:50 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
what it looks like while editing in kdenlive where only styled subtitles are visible, vs what it look after video is rendered while having a srt file in the project folder (425.56 KB, image/png)
2026-01-19 18:54 UTC, anarelle
Details

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Description anarelle 2026-01-19 18:54:08 UTC
Created attachment 188692 [details]
what it looks like while editing in kdenlive where only styled subtitles are visible, vs what it look after video is rendered while having a srt file in the project folder

SUMMARY
If a .srt is kept in the project folder, even when subtitles are not embedded or the subtitle track is hidden, the subtitles are burnt into the rendered file. The kdenlive project monitor doesn't show them, so it can only be seen after rendering the video.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Create a new project.
2. Add subtitles (you can use speech recognition).
3. Export subtitles to a .srt file > save the file to project folder.
4. Mark subtitle track as hidden.
5. Render video.

OBSERVED RESULT
Subtitles are embedded into the rendered video (with the default style) even when the subtitle track is hidden. The default subtitles are not visible while editing in kdenlive, only after rendering they are visible.

EXPECTED RESULT
Only the subtitles visible while editing are embedded in the rendered video.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 10 22H2
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.21.0
Qt Version: 6.10.1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This was reproduced on the standalone 25.08.0 version and the installed 25.12.0 version.
For speech recognition the Turbo Whisper model has been used.
If the subtitle track is not hidden, and let's say subtitle styles are edited so they don't look just like the default subtitles (manage subtitles > styles tab > edit > change position, color, font, etc.) then both subtitles will show in the rendered video (styled from the .ass file, plus the default style from the .srt file).

Workaround:
Remove .srt file from the project folder before rendering.
Comment 1 anarelle 2026-01-21 13:59:45 UTC
Please ignore this report. The culprit here was actually the VLC video player, which automatically loads any .srt file found in the same folder. So the subtitles were being loaded, not burnt into the rendered video file.
Comment 2 Bernd 2026-01-21 18:50:55 UTC
(In reply to anarelle from comment #1)
> Please ignore this report. The culprit here was actually the VLC video
> player, which automatically loads any .srt file found in the same folder. So
> the subtitles were being loaded, not burnt into the rendered video file.

Closing the report