Blog · Subtitles

How to create SRT subtitles for video, step by step

2 July 2026 · 5 min read

Subtitled videos are watched by more people, for longer — on mute, in noisy places, and they're more readable to search engines too. The good news: you don't have to type and time them by hand. Let's look at what SRT is and how to get finished subtitles fast.

In short

SRT is a simple, timed subtitle file. Upload the video, the system transcribes and times the text, you review it in the editor, then download it as SRT (or VTT) — ready for your video.

What is SRT (and VTT)?

SRT (SubRip) is the most common subtitle format: numbered blocks, each with a start and end time and the text below. Almost every player and video platform understands it. VTT (WebVTT) is its web cousin, used for HTML5 video in the browser. Both are plain text files.

Why add subtitles?

Create subtitles – step by step

  1. Upload the video (mp4, mkv, webm…) in Subtitle mode.
  2. The system transcribes and times the text — split into segments with start/end times.
  3. Review in the editor: the video and subtitles play together, so you can refine both the text and the timing.
  4. Download as SRT (or VTT) and attach it to your video, or upload it to your video platform.
Timing tips: a subtitle line is usually 1–2 lines, up to roughly 42 characters per line, and should stay on screen long enough to read comfortably (around 15–20 characters per second). Subtitles that flip too fast are tiring — break them into shorter, tighter sentences instead.

How long does it take?

Machine subtitling does the hard part — the transcription and timing — in a few minutes. All that's left for you is the polish: checking names, jargon and line breaks. That's a fraction of the effort of subtitling from scratch by hand.

Subtitle your next video

Upload it and get a timed SRT subtitle file back in minutes. You only pay for the time you use.

Try it now →