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Animated Captions in Final Cut Pro: Setup in 2 Minutes

Bigger Subs works with Final Cut Pro on Mac. It reads your edit, writes the captions word by word on your own computer and brings back a copy of your project with animated captions and sounds on top. Your original project stays exactly as it was.

Updated October 1, 2026 · by The Bigger Studio

What you need

• A Mac with Final Cut Pro 12 or later.
• Bigger Subs installed (the free trial works).

Step by step

1. Open your project in the Final Cut Pro timeline.
2. In Bigger Subs, choose Final Cut at the top, next to the connection button. It turns green with the name of your project.
3. Only the first time: your Mac asks you to allow Bigger Subs. Click Open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security › Accessibility and turn on Bigger Subs. If it isn't in the list, click + and choose it from Applications. If the Mac asks whether Bigger Subs may control Final Cut Pro, click OK. The Bigger Subs window notices it by itself.
4. Pick a style and click Create subtitles. Final Cut comes to the front for about two seconds while it hands over your edit, then you're back where you were.
5. If some words need a look, Bigger Subs stops so you can check them. Then click Put in Final Cut.
6. A copy called “Your project (Bigger Subs)” opens in your timeline with the captions and sounds on top. Change something and click Update in Final Cut: you get a new copy, “(Bigger Subs) 2”.

Good to know

• Works with cuts, gaps, connected music, J and L cuts, compound clips, multicam (it uses the angle you hear) and clips at a steady speed. Speed ramps aren't supported yet: Bigger Subs tells you.
• Works with Final Cut in any language and with timelines that start at 00:00:00:00 or 01:00:00:00.
• If Final Cut is on another desktop, it comes forward for a moment to open the copy and then you're back.

Common questions

Why does it make a copy?

Final Cut doesn't let other apps change a project directly. A copy keeps your original safe, and you can compare both.

Does it take over my mouse?

No. Bigger Subs asks Final Cut to export and open projects from inside; your mouse and keyboard stay yours.

Do I need DaVinci Resolve?

No. Choose Final Cut at the top of Bigger Subs and you're set. You can switch back to DaVinci Resolve any time.

More guides: Auto subtitles in DaVinci Resolve · Warning when installing