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SRT to VTT Converter — Convert Subtitles Online, No Upload

Convert SRT to VTT and VTT to SRT online. Paste or drop subtitles, keep every cue and its timing, and fix the format for web video players. Free.

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Everything is converted in your browser. Your subtitles are never uploaded.

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Make subtitles work in web video players

Subtitle files come in two common flavours. SRT is the plain, widely supported format that most desktop players and editors use, and WebVTT is the format that web browsers understand. Paste or drop a file and this converter turns one into the other, keeping every cue and its timing. It runs in your browser, so your subtitles are never uploaded.

What actually differs between SRT and WebVTT

The two formats are close cousins. SRT numbers every cue and writes times with a comma before the milliseconds, as in 00:00:01,000. WebVTT starts with the line WEBVTT, writes times with a dot, as in 00:00:01.000, treats the numbers as optional, and allows the hour to be left out. WebVTT can also carry position and styling settings that SRT has no place for.

Why web video needs WebVTT

The track element of an HTML video reads WebVTT, not SRT. Point it at an SRT file and browsers will not show the subtitles. Converting the file to VTT is the usual fix: you then point the track element at the .vtt file and the captions appear in the video's own subtitle menu.

What is kept and what is dropped

The text, the line breaks, the timing and the italic, bold and underline tags are kept in both directions. Going from SRT to VTT, position tags such as {\an8} and font tags are removed, because WebVTT has no equivalent. Going from VTT to SRT, cue settings, notes, style blocks, voice tags and timing tags inside a cue are removed or simplified. Whenever something is dropped, the converter says so.

Encoding and timing

Files are read as UTF-8, and if the bytes are not valid UTF-8 the converter falls back to Windows-1252 and tells you, because older subtitle files often use it. This tool converts the format only: it does not shift the timing, so subtitles that are out of step with the video stay out of step. To prepare the video itself, the video converter changes its format and the video compressor makes it smaller.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert SRT to VTT?
Paste your SRT text into the left box, or choose the file. The converter detects the format and shows the WebVTT version on the right. Press Download to save it as a .vtt file, or Copy result to paste it elsewhere.
How do I convert VTT to SRT?
Paste or choose your WebVTT file. The tool detects it from the WEBVTT line and gives you the SRT version, with cues renumbered from 1. If detection ever guesses wrong, set Convert to WebVTT to SRT.
Why do my SRT subtitles not show in the browser?
The HTML track element only understands WebVTT. Convert the SRT file to VTT here and point the track element at the new file, and the subtitles will appear in the player's menu.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?
SRT is a minimal format with numbered cues and times written with a comma, such as 00:00:01,000. WebVTT begins with a WEBVTT header, writes times with a dot, makes cue numbers optional and supports positioning and styling. Browsers play WebVTT; many desktop players prefer SRT.
Will the timing of my subtitles change?
No. Every start and end time is copied exactly. Only the way it is written changes, the comma becoming a dot or the other way round. The converter does not shift or stretch timing.
What happens to italics, bold and other formatting?
Italic, bold and underline tags are kept in both directions. Position tags and font tags from SRT, and settings, voice tags and notes from WebVTT, have no equivalent in the other format, so they are removed or simplified and the converter lists what it dropped.
My subtitles show strange characters after converting. Why?
The file was probably saved in an older encoding. The converter reads UTF-8 and falls back to Windows-1252 when the bytes are not valid UTF-8, and it tells you when it has done so. If accents still look wrong, re-save the original as UTF-8 and convert again.
Are my subtitles uploaded, and is it free?
Nothing is uploaded. The conversion runs in your browser, so the text never leaves your device. It is free, with no account and no limit on how many files you convert.

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