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Glossary

What Is an SRT File?

An SRT file is a plain-text caption file: numbered lines, each with a start and end time and the words shown then. YouTube takes it as a basic subtitle format.

SRT stands for SubRip Subtitle, after the SubRip program that made it common. Each caption is a block: a number, a line with the start and end time (hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds, with a comma), then the words, then a blank line. Because it is plain text, you can open and fix one in any text editor.

YouTube lists .srt among its basic subtitle formats and says only basic versions are supported: no style markup is recognized, and the file must be plain UTF-8 text. It lists .vtt (WebVTT) as an advanced format, with positioning and limited styling. A caption file sits apart from the video, so viewers can turn it off; captions burned into the picture cannot be turned off.

For a creator, an SRT file is how captions travel: upload it to YouTube, give it to an editor, or translate it line by line. Clip-Short’s Auto Caption downloads your video’s captions as SRT, VTT or plain text.

How to add captions to TikTok, Reels and Shorts

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Questions

What does an SRT file look like?

A number, a time line such as 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,500, the words, and a blank line, repeated for each caption.

How do I open an SRT file?

In any text editor, since it is plain text. Video players and editors also read it as a caption track.

What is the difference between SRT and VTT?

VTT starts with WEBVTT, uses a dot before the milliseconds and can carry positions and styling. SRT is plainer and uses a comma.

How do I add an SRT file to YouTube?

In YouTube Studio, open the video’s subtitles, choose to upload a file with timing, and pick the .srt file.

Can an SRT file change the caption style?

No. YouTube says no style markup is recognized in SRT. For a styled look, burn the captions into the video, or use a format that carries styling.

Sources

Related terms

VTT file (WebVTT)

A VTT file (WebVTT, Web Video Text Tracks) is a text file of timed captions for web video. It starts with WEBVTT and can carry position and styling.

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Closed captions

Captions kept apart from the picture: the platform draws them over the video and viewers can turn them off. Burned-in captions are called open captions.

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Captions vs subtitles

Captions write out a video’s speech and key sounds for people who cannot hear it; subtitles give the speech in a language the viewer reads, often a translation.

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Burned-in captions

Burned-in captions, also called open or hardcoded captions, are part of the video picture itself, so everyone sees them and no viewer can turn them off.

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