How to Set Up Arabic Subtitles in VLC Player
Downloaded a movie from Iwaatch and want to add Arabic subtitles in VLC? This guide walks you through the entire setup — from loading the subtitle file to fixing common RTL text issues.
If you're looking for a general overview of subtitles on Iwaatch, check out our guide to watching with subtitles first.
Step 1: Download the Movie and Subtitle File
On any movie page on Iwaatch, click the Download button. You'll see options for different video qualities along with subtitle files in .vtt format. Download both the video file and the Arabic subtitle file, and save them to the same folder on your computer.
Step 2: Open the Video in VLC
Launch VLC Media Player and open your downloaded video file. You can drag and drop the file into VLC, or go to Media > Open File and select it.
Step 3: Add the Subtitle File
With the video open, go to Subtitle > Add Subtitle File in the menu bar. Navigate to where you saved the .vtt file and select it. The subtitles should appear immediately.
Step 4: Fix Arabic RTL Text Display
If the Arabic text looks jumbled or displays left-to-right instead of right-to-left, you need to adjust the encoding settings:
- Go to Tools > Preferences (or press Ctrl+P)
- Click on Subtitles / OSD in the left panel
- Set Default encoding to UTF-8
- Click Save
- Restart VLC and reopen your video
This should fix any Arabic text rendering issues. The .vtt files from Iwaatch are already encoded in UTF-8, so this setting ensures VLC reads them correctly.
Step 5: Adjust Font Size and Position
If the subtitles are too small or positioned awkwardly, you can adjust them:
- Go to Tools > Preferences > Subtitles / OSD
- Change the Font size — "Relative to window" with a value of 16-20 works well for most screens
- Adjust Force subtitle position if you want them higher or lower on screen
- Click Save and restart VLC
Alternative Players
VLC isn't the only option. Here are two other great players for subtitle support:
- MX Player (Android) — Excellent for mobile viewing. Tap the subtitle icon in the player, then select your .vtt file. MX Player handles Arabic RTL text well out of the box.
- IINA (Mac) — A modern player for macOS with clean subtitle rendering. Drag your .vtt file onto the player window, or go to Subtitles > Open External Subtitles.
Still Need Help?
Check out our subtitle help page for a video walkthrough of the entire process. If you prefer streaming with built-in subtitles instead of downloading, just watch directly on Iwaatch — subtitles are baked right into the player.