DubbingMate
YouTube auto-dubbed audio track missing? Why it happens and what to do
You open a foreign-language video, look for Settings → Audio track, and the menu is not there. That is common, and it usually has a simple reason. This guide explains why the option can be missing, how to check, and what to do when you still want to listen in English.
Why the Audio track menu is not there
The menu only appears when a video has more than one audio track. If it is missing, the video most likely has a single track, the original one. Nothing is broken on your side.
According to YouTube’s help page on auto-dubbing, a dub is made when an eligible creator uploads a video. A video is not eligible in several cases, including these:
- The original language is not one YouTube supports, or it was not detected.
- The video is longer than 120 minutes.
- There is little speech, or the speech is very fast.
- The video contains copyrighted content.
Source: YouTube Help, “Auto dubbing” (support.google.com/youtube/answer/15569972). Check that page for the current rules, since they can change.
YouTube also says dubs can vary in quality and that proper names and idioms are hard for them. So even where a track exists, it may not suit every video.
A short checklist
- Open the video on a computer, click Settings (the gear icon) and look for Audio track.
- Read the description. An auto-dubbed video is labeled “auto-dubbed”.
- Try a different video from the same channel. Dubs depend on the creator and the video, so one may have a track while another does not.
- If the video is a Short and the menu is missing, some users report that changing
shortstowatchin the address opens the regular player. This is a user report, not an official fix, and it may not work for you.
If the menu is still missing, the video has no extra track, and you cannot add one as a viewer. Creators manage dubs in YouTube Studio on a computer.
What you can do instead
Read translated captions. Click CC, then Settings → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate and choose English. It is free and instant, but you have to keep your eyes on the text.
Listen to the captions. DubbingMate reads a video’s captions aloud in English while the video plays. It does not need the creator to publish a dubbed track, only captions. Auto-generated captions count.
- Install DubbingMate and open a YouTube video that has captions.
- Press the dub button. DubbingMate takes the captions, gets English text through YouTube’s auto-translation, and speaks it.
- Set the original and dubbing volumes separately. Lower the original voice if it distracts you.
The app downloads its voice model (about 400 MB) once, the first time you use it, which can take a few minutes depending on your connection. After that, dubbing starts right away.
Limits
- Captions required. A video with no captions at all cannot be dubbed by DubbingMate.
- Translation quality follows the captions. The English is YouTube’s automatic translation of the captions. If the captions or the translation are wrong, the speech repeats the mistake.
- It is a different thing from YouTube’s dub. It is a synthesized voice reading captions, not a re-recording that matches the speaker.
- YouTube only. The Windows installer is not code-signed yet, so Windows may show a warning.
Trial and price
Everything is free for 72 hours counted from your first dub. Installing alone does not start the clock, and you do not enter payment details. After that it is a one-time purchase of $9.99 with no subscription, for up to 3 devices. See the pricing section for the current price.
FAQ
Why is there no Audio track option on my YouTube video?
The menu only shows when a video has more than one audio track. If it is missing, the video most likely has only its original track. YouTube lists several cases where a video is not eligible for auto-dubbing, such as videos over 120 minutes or with copyrighted content.
Can I turn on auto-dubbing myself as a viewer?
No. Dubs are made for eligible videos and managed by the creator in YouTube Studio on a computer. As a viewer you can only pick from the tracks a video already has.
Does DubbingMate need a dubbed track?
No. It works from the video's captions, including auto-generated ones, and speaks the English text. A video with no captions cannot be dubbed.
Do I need to pay to try it?
No. All features are free for 72 hours from your first dub, with no card. After that it is a one-time purchase of $9.99.