SUBTITLE CONVERTER

If you are using Kapwing on a Free account then all exports — including the Subtitles Converter — will contain a watermark. Once you upgrade to a Pro Account the watermark will be completely removed from your creations.

An SRT file (short for "SubRip Subtitle file") is a popular subtitle format that contains the text of what’s being said in a video, along with the timing and order in which the subtitles appear. The SRT file format is a plain text file that must be used alongside the video file to display captions.

While there are more advanced file formats that allow for custom caption style and positioning, SRT files remain extremely popular because of their simplicity and broad compatibility with video platforms. When working with an SRT file on Kapwing, you can still achieve custom positioning and stylization, too, since the editor automatically hardcodes final subtitles into your video when you export.

A VTT file (short for "Web Video Text Tracks") is used for adding subtitles and captions, and other text elements, to videos in HTML5 players. This format is lightweight, user-friendly, and widely supported by platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

In addition to subtitles, VTT files can also store chapter markers, descriptions, positioning, and other metadata. While more complex than SRT files in terms of capabilities, VTT subtitles can still be easily edited in text editors like Notepad++ or Sublime Text. They are compatible with web-based video content —notably HTML5 players — and offer flexibility for both content creators and developers.

VTT is similar to SRT but offers more editing and styling options, making it more versatile, though it’s not always compatible with every social media platform. VTT supports additional features like metadata (e.g., title, author) and styling, making it more robust than the simpler SRT format. Here’s a quick comparison:

• SRT timecode format: hours:minutes:seconds, milliseconds
• SRT lacks metadata and styling options
• SRT is a simple, basic format
• VTT timecode format: hours:minutes:seconds.milliseconds
• VTT includes metadata
• VTT supports HTML5 features
• VTT is more robust and feature-rich than SRT

A TXT file is a simple "plain text" document with no special formatting or styling. It's widely compatible across different devices and platforms, making it ideal for basic text storage. Created with programs like Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac, TXT files are lightweight and easy to open on nearly any system and software.

Due to their simplicity, TXT files are efficient in terms of storage and can hold large amounts of text without taking up much space. TXT files are also useful for viewing content when you're unsure of a file’s format, as they can be opened regardless of the file's original extension. With Kapwing's Subtitle Converter, you can easily transform SRT or VTT files to TXT format in just a few clicks.

Video localization is the process of adapting video content to fit the language and cultural preferences of a new audience. This often involves translating subtitles, dubbing the audio, and editing SRT subtitle files for timing, minor inaccuracies, and line lengths.

The goal of video localization is to showcase your content to new regions, increasing your market reach. Localization gives you a competitive advantage by helping connect your brand with customers in new places before competitors can reach them.

Full localization includes subtitle translation, but also involves making cultural adjustments, such as using country-specific references, different units of measurement, and culturally relevant visuals.

There are a range of applications available for you to edit subtitles online with. Kapwing stands out with it's feature-rich, cloud-based platform that enables precise customizations and easy collaboration. To edit subtitles online in Kapwing, open the editor in your browser and select "Subtitles" in the left-hand toolbar. Auto-generate subtitles in one click, or upload a VVT or SRT file. Then, edit your subtitles directly in the editor. When you're done, export or download your subtitles in popular file formats.

There are a couple ways to download an SRT file from YouTube. The first is to click on the "More" option in the video description of a video you want the file for, and select "Show transcript." A transcript with timestamps will appear and you can copy and paste the entire thing into Notepad on PC or TextEdit on Mac, then save it as an SRT file.

Alternatively, you can copy a given YouTube video's URL link into Kapwing, then auto-generate subtitles for it, which instantly creates an editable SRT file you can download.

YouTube's automatic subtitles tend to have a lower accuracy rate, often around 60-70%. The system can struggle with things like regional accents, background noise, and other factors that affect precision. Punctuation is another common problem, as captions often lack correct punctuation and may appear as long, unbroken text, making them hard to follow.

Poor captioning can negatively impact your brand’s reputation, while accurate subtitles improve accessibility, enhance SEO, and strengthen your brand’s credibility. You can leverage Kapwing's Subtitles Editor to help you edit SRT and VTT subtitles files word-by-word, perfect line segmentation, and easily adjust timing and synchronization.