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Caption file converter: SRT, VTT, SBV

Paste or open a caption file to convert it between SRT, VTT and SBV, shift every caption earlier or later to fix sync, and see overlaps and broken lines before you upload. The file you download is plain UTF-8, which YouTube Help asks for.

Convert your captions

Waiting for a file

Paste or open a caption file to check it.

  1. Not checked yetEvery caption has a readable timePaste or open an SRT, VTT or SBV file.
  2. Not checked yetEach caption ends after it startsChecked once captions are read.
  3. Not checked yetNo overlapping captionsOverlaps show two captions at once.
  4. Not checked yetNo empty captionsAn empty caption flashes a blank box.
  5. Not checked yetStyling YouTube will readYouTube reads no styling in SRT or SBV.

What YouTube reads in each format

YouTube Help recommends SRT or SBV if you’re new to caption files, and supports WebVTT too. Upload the file in YouTube Studio under Subtitles.

  1. .srt

    SubRip

    YouTube Help: “Only basic versions of these files are supported. No style info (markup) is recognized. The file must be in plain UTF-8.”
  2. .sbv

    SubViewer

    YouTube Help: “Only basic versions of these files are supported. No style info (markup) is recognized. The file must be in plain UTF-8.”
  3. .vtt

    WebVTT

    YouTube Help: “Positioning is supported, but styling is limited to <b>, <i>, <u>.”

Source: YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files, checked .

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Questions

Something else? Email support@donecut.com

Which caption file should I upload to YouTube?

YouTube Help recommends SubRip (.srt) or SubViewer (.sbv) if you’re new to caption files. It also lists WebVTT (.vtt) among the formats it supports.

Will YouTube keep italics or colors from my SRT file?

No. YouTube Help says only basic SRT and SBV files are supported and no style info (markup) is recognized. For WebVTT it says styling is limited to <b>, <i> and <u>. This converter drops the tags YouTube won’t read.

What text encoding does YouTube want?

YouTube Help says SRT and SBV files must be in plain UTF-8. Every file this converter saves is plain UTF-8. If you open an older file saved in Windows-1252, it’s read in that encoding and saved as UTF-8.

My captions are ahead of or behind the speech. How do I fix that?

Type the offset in seconds under Shift every caption: a positive number shows every caption later, a negative one earlier. Check one line against the video, then download.

What does an overlap mean?

A caption that starts before the one above it ends, so both are on screen at once. The checker lists the lines; fix the times in your file, then convert.

Is my file uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is read and converted in your browser and never leaves your device.