Topic hub
Subtitles & Captions
Subtitle and caption files are time-coded transcripts: lines of dialogue with start/end timestamps that a video player uses to render text on screen.
TL;DR
Subtitles, captions, and SRT/VTT files are all time-coded versions of a transcript. Generate them from any audio or video upload, export as SubRip (SRT) for YouTube/Premiere/Final Cut or vtt-webvtt" class="text-blue-600 underline decoration-dotted underline-offset-2">WebVTT (VTT) for web video, or burn captions into the video pixels themselves for social-media reposts.
SRT / VTT
subtitle formats out
32–40 chars
max line length
All editors
compatible with
Yes
WCAG-aligned
Subtitles, captions, and SRT/VTT files all describe the same artifact: a time-coded transcript that a video player overlays on the picture. The differences are mostly conventions: subtitles assume the viewer can hear and translate dialogue; closed captions include non-speech audio (music cues, sound effects, speaker labels) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
Format choice depends on your target. SRT (SubRip) is the most universally supported — YouTube, VLC, Premiere, Final Cut, DaVinci Resolve, every desktop editor, every social-media uploader. WebVTT is the W3C standard for HTML5 video and the format you want for browser-native players, Vimeo, Cloudflare Stream, and modern CMS systems.
If you're producing for social media (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts), most creators burn captions directly into the video pixels rather than using a sidecar file — captioned clips outperform un-captioned ones by 2-3x in retention. Use our SRT export then run it through a tool like Headliner, Riverside, or Descript to burn in styled captions.
All subtitles & captions pages
Generate subtitles
Captions for video
Related topic hubs
Or read the full Complete Guide to AI Transcription pillar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the subtitles and captions hub help me choose?
It helps you choose between SRT, VTT, burned-in captions, downloaded subtitles, and transcript-first workflows for accessibility or publishing.
Why are captions pages different from transcription pages?
Captions require timing, line breaks, player compatibility, and sometimes non-speech context; transcription pages focus on editable text.
Which pages should social video creators start with?
Creators making TikToks, Reels, or Shorts should start with video subtitle generator, add captions to video, or free captions depending on the final output.
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Upload any audio or video file and get a transcript in seconds — free for clips under 5 minutes.
Transcribe a fileLast updated: September 06, 2026 · Reviewed and maintained by the Transcript.you team.