Convert audio to FCPXML for Final Cut Pro

Upload a recording, get back an FCPXML file whose titles land on the right frame of your Final Cut timeline — with word-level timing and your styling already applied.

Why FCPXML instead of SRT

Final Cut Pro will import an SRT, but you get flat captions: no fonts, no positioning, no per-word control. FCPXML describes a timeline instead of a cue list, so subtitles arrive as real title clips on a lane above your video — restylable, movable, and frame-accurate.

Frame rate is the part that bites people

Transcription returns timings as floating-point seconds. Final Cut thinks in frames. If those are converted at the wrong rate the captions drift, and drift is cumulative — imperceptible in the first minute, obviously wrong by minute ten.

CaptionsThis writes rational timecodes (for example 1001/30000 s) at the frame rate you select, so the maths matches your sequence exactly. Set it before exporting: 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, or 60.

Steps

1. Drop your audio or video file into the tool. Video is decoded to audio in your browser first.
2. Wait for transcription and forced alignment — usually well under a minute for a short clip.
3. Set words per line, or switch to natural sentence breaks. Split and join lines as needed.
4. Choose your project's frame rate, then export FCPXML.
5. In Final Cut Pro: File → Import → XML, and select the downloaded file.

Import the FCPXML into the same project whose frame rate you selected. Importing a 25 fps export into a 23.976 timeline is the most common cause of captions landing a frame or two off.

Per-word styling

Because every word is an addressable object, you can bold a name or change a font mid-sentence and have it survive the import. Each title clip carries its own text-style definitions, so Final Cut renders exactly what you set up here.

Frequently asked questions

Does FCPXML work in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve?

No — FCPXML is specific to Final Cut Pro. For Premiere or Resolve, export SRT instead. Both formats are generated from the same timings, so you can export both and they will agree.

Which FCPXML version do you export?

FCPXML 1.9, which Final Cut Pro 10.4.9 and later import directly. Subtitles are written as title elements on lane 1 over a gap, so they sit above your video without disturbing the existing edit.

Can I change the frame rate after exporting?

You do not need to re-transcribe. Change the frame rate setting and export again — the word timings are stored in seconds and converted at export time.