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SRT file example subtitle by subtitle, with every part explained.

An SRT file is plain text with numbered subtitles, each with a start time, an end time and up to two lines of text. Below is the SRT for the opening of a photography class, written by the same exporter FilmScribe uses, with up to 42 characters per line. Download the .srt and open it in your video editor or player.

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photo-class-opening.srt

10 subtitles · 00:38 · UTF-8
1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:03,250 Good evening, everyone. Welcome to class.
2 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:07,500 Tonight we're talking about light, thething that changes a phone photo most.
3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,750 Before you touch a single setting,
4 00:00:10,750 --> 00:00:13,500 look at where the light is coming from.
5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:18,000 A window to the side almost always beats alight right overhead.
6 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:21,750 [laughs] I know, this ceiling isn'thelping.
7 00:00:22,250 --> 00:00:26,500 So this week's exercise is simple: threephotos of the same object,
8 00:00:26,500 --> 00:00:30,000 one in the morning, one in the afternoonand one at night.
9 00:00:30,750 --> 00:00:35,000 Next class, we'll compare the photos andsee what changed.
10 00:00:35,500 --> 00:00:38,500 Sound good? Then let's get started.
What to notice

The four parts of every subtitle

01

The number

Each subtitle starts with a sequential number: 1, 2, 3. It only sets the order. Some editing apps reject the file when the numbering skips or repeats.

02

The timestamp

Start and end as hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds, separated by an arrow (-->). The comma before the milliseconds is SRT; VTT uses a period.

03

The text

One or two lines per subtitle. Lines of up to 42 characters are easy to read on a TV and a phone. Sounds and laughter go in brackets, like [laughs].

04

The blank line

An empty line separates one subtitle from the next. Without it, the player merges two subtitles into one or stops reading the file at that point.

SRT, VTT or TXT: which one?

SRT is the most widely accepted subtitle format: YouTube, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, VLC and most website players read it. VTT is similar, with a WEBVTT header and a period before the milliseconds, and it's the standard for web players. TXT has no timing: it's for reading, not for captions.

Save SRT files as UTF-8 so accented characters don't turn into strange symbols. If your subtitles came from somewhere else, FilmScribe's free converters change the format and fix the timing without installing anything.

FormatTimed?Where to use it
SRTYes, with a comma: 00:00:03,500YouTube, video editors, VLC
VTTYes, with a period: 00:00:03.500Website players and course platforms
TXTNoReading, summaries, blog posts
With FilmScribe

How to get an SRT for your video

  1. 01

    Upload the video or link

    A video or audio file, or a YouTube link. We transcribe it with timing for every word.

  2. 02

    Fix the text

    Correct names and terms right in the transcript. The fix carries over to the subtitles.

  3. 03

    Download the SRT

    Pick the TV, Netflix or YouTube preset and the frame rate, then download the .srt.

Make my SRT SRT on every plan. Subtitles translated into 9 languages, also as SRT, on Studio and Agency.

Keep going

How to create an SRT fileTranscription and speakersTranslationSRT generatorSubtitle converterSubtitle checker

More examples

Interview transcript A research interview transcribed with speaker labels, a timestamp on every turn and chapters by topic. YouTube chapters The chapter list for a 52-minute podcast, in YouTube's description format, with the moments inside each part. Video hooks Seven hooks found in a 58-minute podcast, each with a 0 to 100 impact score, type, timestamps and reason. Video script A 3-minute script built from the lines of a 58-minute podcast, with sections, timestamps and editor notes. Paper edit The footage log and paper edit for a short documentary, with timecode, a use for each clip and story order.

Frequently asked questions

What is an SRT file?

It's a text file with the subtitles for a video. Each subtitle has a number, the time it appears and disappears, and the text. Because it's plain text, it opens in any text editor and is accepted by YouTube, video editing apps and most players.

How do you create an SRT file?

By hand, open a text editor, write each subtitle with its number, timestamp and text, separate them with a blank line and save the file with the .srt extension as UTF-8. It's slow: one minute of speech has 10 to 20 subtitles. In FilmScribe, you upload the video, review the transcript and download a finished SRT.

Why does the timestamp use a comma instead of a period?

Because that's the SRT rule: 00:00:03,500. VTT, a similar format used on the web, uses a period. Mixing them up is a common reason a file won't open. FilmScribe's free subtitle converter switches between them without errors.

How many characters fit on a subtitle line?

Between 37 and 47, depending on where it plays. The TV standard is 42, which is what this example uses. More than two lines per subtitle makes it harder to read. The free CPS checker flags subtitles that are too long or too fast.

How do I add an SRT to YouTube?

In YouTube Studio, open the video, go to Subtitles, choose the language and upload the .srt as a file with timing. YouTube reads the time of each subtitle and shows it in the player.

Can I use this file to test my editing software?

Yes. Download the .srt and import it into Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or the player you use to see how it reads the subtitles. It's a good test before you send the subtitles for a real project.

Your video's SRT, ready like this. No typing subtitles.

Upload the video or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe it with timing for every word, you review it and download the SRT with the TV, Netflix or YouTube preset.

Make my SRT
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.