The short version
- SRT is the simplest format and works almost everywhere. Pick it when you are uploading to a video platform or bringing captions into an editing program.
- VTT was made for web video. Pick it for your own website, or when you need to control position, styling, or speaker labels.
- You can convert between the two without much trouble, though going from VTT to SRT drops all styling and requires changing the timecode separators.
- Save either format as UTF-8 so Hebrew and Arabic text displays properly.
- When a platform handles neither format well, burning the captions directly into the video is the safest fallback.
What are SRT and VTT?
Both formats are plain-text subtitle files that pair lines of dialogue with start and end times. Your video player reads the file and puts each line on screen at the timestamp listed. Neither file holds any video or audio of its own.
SRT comes from SubRip, so it is the older format and stays simple on purpose. VTT is short for WebVTT, a format built for the web and defined by a W3C specification. Most subtitle tools can read and write both.1
How do the two files differ in structure?
An SRT file is just a list of numbered blocks with no header at the top. Each block has a sequence number, a timestamp line with start and end times joined by an arrow, one or two lines of text, and a blank line after it. A comma separates seconds from milliseconds.
A VTT file starts with WEBVTT on the top line. You do not have to number each block, though you can add an optional identifier if you want. A period comes before the milliseconds, and you can leave off the hours place whenever it is zero. VTT also lets you include editor notes (comments) and put cue settings right on the timestamp line.
A single wrong character or a missing line can keep a file from opening. Many players will refuse a VTT file that is missing its header, or an SRT file that uses periods in its timestamps. When an upload fails, open the file in a text editor and look at the first few lines and the first timestamp before checking anything else.
Which format handles styling and positioning?
VTT gives you much more control over how captions look. Cue settings let you move a subtitle to the top or bottom of the video, align it left, right, or center, and cap its width. You can also mark who is speaking with a voice tag, or use a CSS block to set colors and fonts in players that support it.1
SRT was built to hold almost no formatting. Some players will read basic tags for bold, italics, or underline, though support is hit-or-miss. If your subtitles need to look the exact same everywhere, burn them into the video instead.
Which platforms accept which format?
VTT is the standard for websites. The HTML track element, which links a subtitle file to a video on a webpage, runs on WebVTT. If you are putting video on your own site with a native HTML player, you will want a VTT file.2
SRT is the standard format for passing files around. Most video editors, social platforms, hosting services, and subtitle tools take it cleanly, so it is the safest default whenever an upload form asks for a subtitle file. If a platform accepts more than one format, check its documentation, since requirements vary and change over time.
KolWrite exports both SRT and VTT from your edited transcript, either in the original language or translated. It can also burn captions straight into the video.
Can you convert one into the other?
Yes. Switching between the two comes down to a few simple edits. You add or delete the header, swap commas and periods in the timestamps, and either drop the sequence numbers or leave them in as identifiers. For a short file, a plain text editor is all you need. Dedicated subtitle tools can convert a file in one step.
Going from SRT to VTT keeps all your data intact. Going the other way, from VTT to SRT, strips out positioning, voice tags, and styling. After you convert a file either way, open it in a video player and check a few subtitles at the start, middle, and end.
What matters for Hebrew and Arabic?
Make sure to save both formats in UTF-8. Other encodings can turn Hebrew and Arabic letters into question marks. Because the player controls text direction rather than the file format itself, punctuation next to English words or numbers can land on the wrong side of the line in either format.
Test those lines in the actual player where the video will be published, and tweak the text before exporting. Our guide to right-to-left subtitles covers why this happens and how to fix it.
How do you choose in practice?
Pick the format based on where the file is headed. Use SRT to upload to a video platform or import into an editing program. Use VTT if the video is going on your own website. If you need custom colors, fonts, or placement, go with VTT and check that your player actually reads those settings. And if the captions must look identical on every device, burn them into the video.
If you are not sure, keep both. Subtitle files take up almost no space, and having both formats ready saves time if another platform asks for the other one.
Before uploading, take five minutes to check the text file. Make sure it is saved as UTF-8, the filename and language tag are clear, the first and last subtitles sync with the video, and no line goes over the platform's length limits. Catching a problem now is much faster than re-uploading and waiting for a video to process all over again.
Common questions
Is VTT better than SRT?
Neither one is better across the board. VTT is the standard for web browsers and lets you set position, styling, and speaker labels. SRT is simpler and works on nearly every platform and editor.
Can I use SRT on my website?
Native HTML video players need VTT. Plenty of third-party players and video hosts will take an SRT file, but if you are using the HTML track element on your own page, go with VTT.
How do I convert SRT to VTT?
Put WEBVTT at the very top of the file, replace the comma before the milliseconds with a period in every timestamp, and delete the sequence numbers if you want. Any subtitle program can also do this for you.
Do SRT and VTT support Hebrew and Arabic?
Yes, provided the file is saved in UTF-8 encoding. Check any lines that combine right-to-left text with English words or numbers, because the punctuation can shift.
Can KolWrite export both?
Yes. KolWrite exports both SRT and VTT from your edited transcript, and it can burn captions directly into the video file too.