Clean and Tidy SRT Subtitles
Pick the clean-up steps you need and apply them all in one pass: remove tags and ads, delete sound descriptions, merge duplicates, fix overlaps and tidy spacing.
Remove
Tidy
🔒 Runs in your browser. Your files and text are not uploaded.
How to use the SRT Cleaner
- Drop an SRT, VTT or ASS file (or paste text). Several files can be cleaned at once.
- Tick the steps under Remove and Tidy. Each option is independent, so combine only what you need.
- Click Clean subtitles. The status line tells you how many cues were removed or changed and why.
- Download the cleaned file or copy it to the clipboard.
What each option does
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Formatting tags | Removes <i>, <b>, <font> and ASS-style {\an8} codes, leaving plain text. |
| [Bracketed] / (Parenthesised) | Deletes sound descriptions like [door slams] or (laughs). Cues that become empty are dropped. |
| Music lines | Removes lines made of ♪ or # and the notes around lyrics markers. |
| SPEAKER: labels | Deletes upper-case speaker names such as JOHN: at the start of a line. |
| Ads and credits | Removes typical promo lines (“Subtitles by …”, “Support us and become a VIP member”, site names). |
| Merge duplicates | Combines consecutive identical cues into one longer cue. |
| Fix overlaps | Trims the end of a cue that runs into the next one. |
| Sort / spaces / empty | Orders cues by start time, trims whitespace and removes empty cues. |
Typical clean-up recipes
- Download from a subtitle site: Ads + Formatting tags (if your player shows them) + Tidy spaces.
- Learning transcript: Brackets, parentheses, music lines, speaker labels, then convert to text with SRT to TXT.
- YouTube auto-captions: Merge duplicates + Fix overlaps.
- A file a TV refuses to read: Sort, Fix overlaps, Tidy spaces and empty cues.
Caution with automatic removal
Pattern-based removal is powerful but not perfect. For example, removing parentheses will also remove a character’s spoken aside in brackets, and the speaker-label option only targets upper-case names followed by a colon. Always skim the preview and keep your original file. The status line lists the number of changes per category so you can spot surprises.
Format support
Any format the tool can read (SRT, VTT, ASS, SBV, SUB, LRC, CSV) is accepted, and the output keeps the same format where possible. ASS files keep their styles; only the dialogue text is cleaned.
Frequently asked questions
Will cleaning change my timings?
Only if you tick “Fix overlaps” or “Merge duplicates”. Other options modify text but leave the times alone.
Can I remove only music symbols but keep other brackets?
Yes. Use the “Music lines” option on its own.
What counts as an advertisement?
Common patterns such as “Subtitles by”, “Synced and corrected by”, “Support us”, OpenSubtitles and similar promotional lines near the start or end.
Why was a normal line removed?
Check whether it was in brackets or parentheses, or looked like an ad. Untick the matching option and clean again.
Can I undo the cleaning?
The tool never changes your file on disk; simply reload the original.
Is it private?
Yes. The cleaning runs locally in your browser.