An SRT file is the most widely accepted subtitle format there is. YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut and most video players can all read it. If you have a video and want subtitles for it, an SRT file is almost always what you need.
Making one by hand means typing every line and every timestamp. Making one automatically takes a few clicks. This guide shows how to make an SRT file from a video with Spokly's free Subtitle file tool: the steps take about two minutes, and the tool does the listening and the timing for you.
What an SRT file is
An SRT file is a plain text file with a list of numbered subtitles, called cues. Each cue has a number, a start and end time, and the text:
1
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,000
Welcome back to the channel.
2
00:00:04,300 --> 00:00:07,100
Today I'll show you three quick fixes.
That's all there is to it. Because it's plain text, you can open an SRT file in any text editor to read it or make a small change. The times use a comma before the milliseconds, which is one of the details that sets SRT apart from VTT.
What you need
- The video, or just its audio: MP4, MOV, WebM, MP3, M4A, WAV and OGG all work.
- A browser: Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox, on a computer or a phone.
- Length: up to 60 minutes on a computer and 15 minutes on a phone.
There's no account and nothing to install. The video stays on your device; it isn't uploaded.
Step by step: make the SRT file
- Open the Subtitle file tool and drop your video into the box, or click it to choose the file.
- Choose the spoken language. This is the language people speak in the video. Choosing it gives better results than Auto-detect.
- Choose Fast or Accurate (on a computer). Fast is quicker and fine for clear English. Accurate makes fewer mistakes with accents, background noise and other languages, and it's picked for you when the language isn't English.
- Press Make subtitles for free. The browser listens to the video and times every line.
- Read the lines. Each subtitle is in its own box with its times. Fix names, brands and any misheard words directly in the box.
- Press Download SRT. The file is saved with your video's name, such as
my-video.srt.
The clicks really do take about two minutes. How long the browser spends listening depends on the length of the video and the speed of your device. The first time, it also downloads the free speech model once (the tool shows its size, from 125 MB for Fast); after that, it starts right away.
Checking your subtitles
Automatic subtitles get most words right, but a quick check makes them publishable:
- Names and brands. These are the most common mistakes. Fix them in the boxes before you download.
- Numbers. "Fifteen" and "fifty" sound similar. Check prices, years and amounts.
- Line length. Long lines are split in two at around 42 characters, so subtitles stay readable. If a line still feels long, shorten the wording: subtitles don't need every "um" and "you know".
- The start and the end. Play the first and last minute of the video with the subtitles on. If those line up, the rest almost always does.
If you need to change a timing, open the SRT file in a text editor and edit the numbers, keeping the exact format: hours, minutes, seconds, a comma and milliseconds.
Using the SRT file
On YouTube
In YouTube Studio, open Subtitles, choose the video and the language, then Add → Upload file → With timing, and choose your SRT file. Our guide to adding subtitles to a YouTube video has every step.
On Facebook and LinkedIn
Both accept SRT files when you upload or edit a video. Facebook expects the language code in the file name, such as my-video.en_US.srt; rename the file before you upload it.
In a video editor
Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut and most other editors can import an SRT file as a subtitle track. From there you can style the subtitles and burn them into the video, or export them again with your edits.
On a website
Web video players that use the HTML <track> element need VTT instead of SRT. The same tool downloads both formats. Not sure which one you need? Read SRT vs VTT.
SRT file or captions on the video?
An SRT file is a separate track: viewers can turn it on or off, and the platform decides how it looks. That's ideal for YouTube and for videos you'll keep editing.
For Reels, TikToks and Shorts, captions are usually burned into the video instead, so everyone sees them and they look the way you want. For that, use Captions on video: it draws styled captions onto the video and exports an MP4.
What makes a good subtitle line
Subtitle style guides differ in the details, but they agree on the basics, and they're worth keeping in mind as you check the lines:
- One idea per subtitle. A subtitle that ends mid-phrase is harder to follow. If a line breaks in an awkward place, move a word to the next subtitle.
- Two lines at most. Three lines cover too much of the picture.
- Long enough to read. A subtitle that flashes past is no help. Short subtitles can stay on screen a little longer than the speech if there's a pause after them.
- Clean, not word for word. Drop repeated words and fillers, but keep the meaning and the speaker's tone.
- Consistent spelling. Write names, brands and terms the same way every time they appear.
Common problems and fixes
- The subtitles are in the wrong language. Auto-detect guessed wrong. Choose the spoken language and make the subtitles again.
- The platform rejects the file. Make sure it ends in
.srt, not.srt.txt. Turn on file extensions on your computer to see the real name. - Accented letters or Arabic show as symbols. The file must be saved as UTF-8. Files downloaded from the tool already are; if you edited the file, save it as UTF-8 again.
- Subtitles appear early or late everywhere. The video was edited after you made the subtitles. Make the SRT from the final version of the video.
- Parts with music have no subtitles. That's expected: the tool writes speech, not lyrics or sounds.
Tips for better automatic subtitles
- Use the final edit of your video, so the timings match what viewers see.
- Choose Accurate for interviews, accents and noisy recordings.
- Split long recordings into parts if your device struggles, then join or upload each part's file.
- Speak clearly when you record. A microphone close to the speaker helps more than any setting.
AI-translated subtitles are coming soon to Spokly; making SRT and VTT files is free today.
FAQ
Is it free to make an SRT file?
Yes. The Subtitle file tool is free, with no sign-up and no limit on the number of files.
Is my video uploaded?
No. Your browser reads the video and makes the subtitles on your device. Nothing is sent to Spokly.
Can I make subtitles in Arabic?
Yes. Choose Arabic, or your dialect, as the spoken language. The subtitles are made in the language that's spoken.
Can I edit the timings?
You can fix the text of every line on the page. To change a timing, open the downloaded SRT file in a text editor, or adjust it in your video editor.