Make SRT File

An SRT file (SubRip Subtitle file) is a plain-text subtitle file that contains dialogue or caption text along with timestamps that tell a video player when each subtitle should appear and disappear. SRT files use the .srt file extension and are one of the most widely supported subtitle formats.

An SRT file contains the subtitles rather than the video itself, so it can be uploaded separately to supported video platforms and players.

You can create an SRT file manually in a text editor by writing each subtitle and its corresponding timestamps, but this can be time-consuming. An SRT file maker like Kapwing can automatically transcribe a video or audio file, generate timestamps, and format the subtitles as an SRT file.

With Kapwing, upload your video or audio, click "Subtitles" in the lefthand sidebar, and select 'Auto-generate subtitles." Once your subtitles are ready, review the transcript and timing, then click the download button at the top to download your SRT file.

Yes, if you already have a transcript, you can use it as the basis for your subtitles rather than transcribing your content again. To create a valid SRT file from text, the transcript needs to be divided into individual subtitle entries and paired with start and end timestamps.

If you only need a transcript without subtitle timing, a TXT file may be a better fit.

SRT files are commonly used to add closed captions or subtitles to videos. They can make dialogue accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, help people follow videos without sound, and provide subtitles in additional languages.

Because the captions are stored separately from the video, viewers can typically turn them on or off when the video platform supports closed captions.

SRT files are supported by many video hosting, social media, learning, and media platforms. Depending on the platform, you can upload an SRT file alongside your video to add closed captions without permanently embedding the text into the video itself.

Platforms that support subtitle or caption uploads include YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Vimeo. The exact upload process and file requirements vary by platform, so check the platform’s current captioning requirements before uploading.

SRT and VTT are both timed subtitle formats, while TXT is primarily a plain-text format. SRT is a simple, widely supported format containing subtitle text and timestamps. VTT (WebVTT) also supports timed captions but was designed for web video and can support additional formatting and metadata.

A TXT transcript usually contains the spoken text without the structured timestamps required to display captions at specific moments in a video. If you need captions that synchronize with playback, SRT or VTT is generally more appropriate than TXT.

Kapwing's SRT file maker supports downloading as VTT and TXT as well as SRT.

An SRT file stores captions separately from the video. On supported platforms, viewers can turn these closed captions on or off. This also makes it easier to replace or update the subtitle file without editing the video itself.

Embedded or “burned-in” subtitles become part of the video image and are always visible. If you want subtitles permanently displayed in your video, you can use Kapwing’s Subtitle Generator to generate, edit, and style captions before exporting the video.

Yes, SRT files are text-based, so you can edit their subtitle text and timestamps after they're created. However, editing timestamps manually can be tedious and makes it easier to introduce formatting errors.

Kapwing’s SRT File Editor lets you upload an existing SRT file, edit the text and timing alongside your video, and download the updated file.

Yes, SRT is a text-based format and can be used for subtitles in many languages. You can create separate SRT files for each language and upload them as different subtitle tracks when your video platform supports multiple caption languages.

Kapwing can generate subtitles in hundreds of languages and dialects and translate subtitles into 100+ languages, making it possible to create SRT files for different audiences.

No, an SRT file only contains subtitle text, sequence numbers, and timing information. It does not contain video, audio, images, or other media.

That also means SRT files are typically very small and need to be used alongside the corresponding video or audio content.