Convert SRT to VTT for HTML5 video in seconds
This SRT to VTT converter turns SubRip subtitle files (.srt) into WebVTT (.vtt), the caption format that HTML5 video understands. Paste the subtitles or drop the file, and the WebVTT version appears next to it instantly, ready to copy or download. Nothing is uploaded: the conversion runs in your browser, so unreleased videos, client work and private recordings stay on your device.
You need WebVTT whenever subtitles have to play on the web. The <track> element accepts only WebVTT, and many web players and course platforms ask for it when you upload captions. SRT, on the other hand, is what most subtitle editors and transcription services hand you. The two formats look almost the same, but a browser silently ignores an SRT file — which is why this small conversion matters.
How to use the SRT to VTT Converter
- Drop your .srt file on the upload area, click it to browse, or paste the subtitle text into the SRT subtitles box.
- Read the badges under the options: the number of cues, the total length and any timing problems such as overlaps are reported straight away.
- If letters look wrong (é instead of é), pick the right File encoding — Windows-1252 suits most older Western files.
- Optionally enter a Time shift in milliseconds to fix subtitles that run early or late, or tick Strip formatting tags.
- Drag the Preview slider to see each cue on screen, then press Download .vtt or Copy.
SRT to VTT Converter features
Exact, reversible conversion
Timings keep millisecond precision, multi-line cues keep their line breaks and every character survives. Convert the result back with the VTT to SRT converter and you get the original file character for character.
Escaping done right
WebVTT treats &, < and > as markup, so text such as “Tom & Jerry” or “2 < 3” is escaped automatically instead of breaking the cue.
Formatting carried over
Italic, bold and underline tags pass straight through. SRT font colours become WebVTT colour classes with a matching STYLE block, and the {\an8} top-of-screen tag becomes the cue setting line:0.
Encoding detection
UTF-8 and UTF-16 files are read correctly. Older files that are not valid UTF-8 fall back to Windows-1252, and a menu offers code pages for Cyrillic, Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew and East Asian scripts. The VTT is always UTF-8.
Timing check and live preview
Overlapping, out-of-order and zero-length cues are listed by number, and the preview screen can play the subtitles at real speed.
What changes between SRT and WebVTT
The converter handles every row of that table. Timings are copied exactly, with no rounding, and SubRip’s cue numbers are dropped because WebVTT does not need them.
| SubRip (.srt) | WebVTT (.vtt) | |
|---|---|---|
| First line | Cue number 1 | The word WEBVTT |
| Time format | 00:01:02,500 (comma) | 00:01:02.500 (full stop) |
| Cue numbers | Required | Optional identifiers |
| Special characters | Written as they are | & < > must be escaped |
| Styling | <i> <b> <u> <font color> | <i> <b> <u> <c.class> plus CSS ::cue rules |
| Positioning | {\an8} and similar (player-dependent) | Cue settings: line, position, align |
| Typical use | Desktop players, editors, TVs | HTML5 <track> and web players |
Using the .vtt file on a web page
Upload the downloaded file next to your video and reference it with a track element: <video controls src="talk.mp4"><track kind="subtitles" src="talk.vtt" srclang="en" label="English" default></video>. Serve it with the text/vtt content type and from the same site as the page (or with CORS enabled), otherwise browsers refuse to load it.
Players on social networks usually ignore caption files. To draw the subtitles permanently into the picture use Burn Subtitles; to put them inside an MP4 or MKV as a track viewers can switch on and off, use Add Subtitles to Video.
Fixing subtitles that are out of sync
If every line appears a little too early or too late, the whole file is offset by the same amount. Enter the difference in Time shift: 1500 delays everything by 1.5 seconds and -800 shows it 0.8 seconds sooner. If the gap grows during the video, the subtitles were made for a different frame rate — 25 fps PAL versus 23.976 fps film is the classic case — and the Subtitle Converter can rescale them.
SRT to VTT Converter FAQ
How do I convert SRT to VTT?
Drop the .srt file on this page or paste its text. The WebVTT version is created instantly; press Download .vtt to save it. There is nothing to install and no sign-up.
Is SRT to VTT conversion lossless?
Yes, for everything WebVTT can express: millisecond timings, line breaks, italics, bold, underline, colours and top-of-screen positions. Only the SubRip cue numbers are dropped, because WebVTT doesn’t use them.
Why doesn’t my browser show my SRT subtitles?
The HTML5 track element only accepts WebVTT, and browsers ignore an SRT file without any error message. Convert it to .vtt and serve it with the text/vtt content type.
My subtitles show strange characters like é. What happened?
The file was saved in an older code page such as Windows-1252, or was read with the wrong one. Choose the correct File encoding; the output is always UTF-8, which every modern player reads.
Are my subtitle files uploaded?
No. Reading, converting and previewing all happen in your browser. You can even go offline once the page has loaded.
Can I convert a VTT back to SRT?
Yes — use the VTT to SRT converter. Files made here convert back exactly.