Explainer
What Is an SRT File, and How to Make One from a Video for Free
Last updated: October 4, 2026
An SRT file is the most common subtitle file. It is plain text: each subtitle has a number, a start and end time, and the words. YouTube, video editors and most video players read it. You can make one from any video in a couple of minutes, for free, without uploading the video.
Free. SRT, VTT and text files have no watermark. Your video is not uploaded.
Make an SRT file from a video →What an SRT file looks like
Each subtitle is a block of three parts, followed by an empty line:
| Line | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | The subtitle's number |
| 2 | 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:02,400 | Start and end time: hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds |
| 3 | Hello everyone, welcome back. | The words (one or two lines) |
| 4 | (empty) | Separates it from the next subtitle |
The next block starts with 2, then 3, and so on. That is the whole format, which is why almost every program can read it.
SRT, VTT and TXT compared
| File | Starts with | Time format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRT | 1 | 00:00:00,500 | YouTube, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, VLC |
| VTT | WEBVTT | 00:00:00.500 | Video players on websites (the HTML video track) |
| TXT | The first line | 0:00 (optional) | Notes, show notes, a blog post, captions under a post |
How to make an SRT file from a video
- Open the Free Subtitle Generator in Chrome or Safari.
- Pick the video or audio file (up to 3 minutes). It stays on your device.
- Choose the spoken language: English, Hindi, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese or German.
- Check the words and fix any mistakes. Join, split or re-time lines if you need to.
- Choose Just download the words, pick SRT, and download. The download screen shows what the file will look like first.
Adding the SRT file to YouTube
In YouTube Studio, open Subtitles, choose the video, then add subtitles by uploading a file with timing and pick your SRT file. Menu names in YouTube Studio change from time to time, but the option to upload a subtitle file has been there for years.
Adding it to a video editor
Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro can all import an SRT file as a caption track, which you can then style in the editor. If you would rather not edit at all, the Free Subtitle Generator can draw styled word-by-word subtitles onto the video for you.
Frequently asked questions
What does SRT stand for?
SubRip Text, after SubRip, an early program that created subtitle files in this format.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?
Both are plain-text subtitle files. VTT (WebVTT) starts with the line WEBVTT, uses a dot instead of a comma before the milliseconds, and is the format web video players use. SRT is the most widely accepted by editors and upload sites.
Can I open an SRT file?
Yes, in any text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit. You can fix words there too, as long as you keep the numbers and time lines intact.
Is the SRT file free?
Yes, and it has no watermark. Each file you turn into words counts towards the daily limit (1 a day without an account, 5 with one), whether you then download a video or just the words.
Can I make an SRT file from an audio file?
Yes. Pick an MP3, M4A, WAV or other audio file up to 3 minutes; for audio, the tool gives you the words only.