What Does "Auto-Dubbed" Mean on YouTube?

The label means YouTube generated a translated voice track for the video. If you want to hear the original speaker, open the player's Settings → Audio track and choose the original language.

By AutoDub · Updated · Settings checked against YouTube Help

Auto-dubbing on YouTube, explained

YouTube's automatic dubbing translates speech and generates audio tracks in other languages. These videos carry an "auto-dubbed" label in the description. A translated subtitle is different: it changes the text you read, while a dub changes the speech you hear.

An Audio track menu can also contain tracks uploaded by the creator. Having several audio languages does not, by itself, mean they were all generated by YouTube.

How to turn off auto-dubbing for the video you are watching

  1. Open Settings in the YouTube player.
  2. Choose Audio track, if the video offers it.
  3. Choose the track marked as the original language.

You can select available audio tracks on the website and in the YouTube app. The menu can vary by device. If you cannot find Audio track, that video may not offer an alternative track.

If you still hear a translated voice after choosing the original, check whether a dubbing extension is running. YouTube's audio setting does not stop an extension. In AutoDub, open the AutoDub panel and click its “Dubbing... (Click to Stop)” button to stop the session, or choose Dubbing → Off, subtitles only to keep translated subtitles.

Keep original audio in languages you understand

You do not need to keep switching every video manually. Add the languages you understand to YouTube's preferred languages. When a video's original audio is in one of those languages, YouTube defaults to the original.

On the desktop website:

  1. Click your profile picture and open Settings.
  2. Choose Playback & Performance.
  3. Under Language, select “add or edit languages”.
  4. Select the languages you understand and click confirm.

For example, if you understand both English and Spanish, add both. An originally Spanish video should then play in Spanish instead of an English dub. Videos originally recorded in other languages may still use a translated track.

This preference also applies to translated titles and descriptions. It is separate from the app language and location, and it is not an account-wide "never dub anything" switch. YouTube also offers preferred languages in its mobile app; follow the device-specific steps in YouTube's preferred-language guide.

Turn automatic dubbing off for your own channel

Changing a viewer's audio preference does not change what your channel publishes. To stop automatic dubbing for your channel, use YouTube Studio:

  1. On a computer, open YouTube Studio → Settings → Channel → Advanced settings.
  2. Uncheck “Allow automatic dubbing”.
  3. Click Save.

Manage existing tracks separately: open Content, select the video, then open Languages. In the relevant language's Audio menu, choose Unpublish or Delete. Unpublishing lets you publish the track again later; deleting it does not.

Turn dubbing on and review it before publication

In the same Advanced settings, check Allow automatic dubbing. If the feature is not enabled, look for an Enable option for early access. Availability depends on your channel and video.

Check Manually review dubs before publishing if you want to listen first, then save. Set the original video language correctly and review generated tracks in Languages. YouTube currently requires a computer to preview, publish, unpublish or delete dubs. See the official creator instructions or our YouTube dubbing tutorial.

Why a dub may be missing or sound wrong

YouTube may skip videos over 120 minutes, videos with little speech, unsupported or undetected source languages, speech that is too fast, or copyrighted content. It may also generate dubs for previously published videos over time.

Support varies by source language, target language and channel. Check the video's Languages page in Studio rather than assuming that every supported language pair is available. The official language table lists current support.

Automatic dubs can mispronounce names or mistranslate jargon. Accents, background noise and speech recognition errors can affect the result. Some language pairs support expressive speech, but it is not used for every eligible video. Creators can review or unpublish a dub; they cannot directly edit an automatic track. If the source language was set incorrectly, correcting it can trigger new dubs.

When the video has no audio track in your language

First check Settings → Subtitles/CC for a translation or Auto-translate. If reading subtitles works for you, no extension is needed.

If you prefer listening, AutoDub can read translated captions aloud while you watch. It is free, with no account or daily limit, and offers 42 target languages, selectable voices and bilingual subtitles.

It needs a caption track, including auto-generated captions, and a desktop browser: Chrome, Edge, Brave or Firefox. It does not support live streams, run inside the YouTube mobile app, or export dubbed video files. Caption errors can carry through to the translation, so it is not a guaranteed quality upgrade over YouTube's own dub.

Add to Chrome — It's Free

See the dubbing extension page for setup and browser links, or the user guide for sound and subtitle settings.

Frequently asked questions

What does the “Auto-dubbed” label on YouTube mean?

YouTube generated a translated audio track automatically. The label appears in the video description. You can choose an available track, including the original, under Settings → Audio track.

How do I stop YouTube from translating audio I already understand?

For the current video, choose the original in Settings → Audio track. For future videos, add the languages you understand to your preferred languages in YouTube. Videos whose original audio is in one of those languages default to the original. This is not a universal switch that disables every dub in every language.

Is changing my Google account language enough?

Use YouTube’s preferred languages setting for audio, titles and descriptions. It is separate from the app language and location settings. On the desktop website, find it under Settings → Playback & Performance → Language.

Why is there no Audio track menu?

The video may not offer another audio track. Changing your language settings cannot generate a missing track. If you need a translation, check for translated captions or auto-translate instead.

Can creators check automatic dubs before viewers hear them?

Yes. In YouTube Studio on a computer, open Settings → Channel → Advanced settings and enable “Manually review dubs before publishing”. Review available tracks in the video’s Languages page. YouTube does not let you directly edit automatic dubs.

Is YouTube auto-dubbing free?

Yes. Watching available dubs and using YouTube’s automatic dubbing feature for eligible uploads are free. Viewers do not need an extension to hear a track that is already available.