Convert SRT to WebVTT (VTT)

How to use the SRT to VTT Converter

1. Drop your .srt file onto the box, or paste its text. Several files can be converted at once and downloaded together as a ZIP.
2. Leave Convert font colour and top/left/right positions ticked if your SRT uses <font color> tags or {\an8} codes; untick them for a plain, minimal VTT.
3. Press Convert to VTT. The preview shows the first lines and any warnings, for example about overlapping cues.
4. Download the .vtt file and reference it from your video element or upload it to your player.

What actually changes between SRT and WebVTT

The two formats look almost identical, which is why a one-line search-and-replace sometimes “works”. The converter does the full job properly:

Cue numbers are dropped by default because WebVTT does not need them; tick “Keep cue numbers” if your workflow refers to them.

Using the .vtt file in an HTML5 video

Browsers only understand WebVTT in the <track> element — they ignore SRT files. A minimal example:

<video controls src="movie.mp4">
  <track kind="subtitles" src="movie.en.vtt"
         srclang="en" label="English" default>
</video>

Serve the file from the same origin as the page, or add the crossorigin attribute to the video and send CORS headers with the .vtt file. A server that returns the wrong MIME type is usually fine, but text/vtt is the correct one.

Colours, italics and positions

Italic, bold and underline tags are valid in WebVTT and pass through unchanged. SRT colour tags are converted into WebVTT class spans with a small STYLE block (::cue(.c1){color:#ffcc00}), which is the standards-compliant way to colour text. Players that ignore STYLE blocks simply show white text.

If a line begins with an ASS-style position code such as {\an8} (top centre), it becomes line:0; left and right alignments become align:start and align:end. Anything the converter cannot express is reported in the warnings instead of being silently lost.

Where WebVTT is the right choice

• Websites and web apps that use the native HTML5 video element.
• Streaming platforms and video hosts that accept WebVTT as an upload format.
• HLS streaming, where WebVTT segments carry the subtitles.
• Chapter markers and descriptions (these need a different kind, but the same file structure).

Keep SRT when you need maximum compatibility with desktop players, TVs and editors.

Frequently asked questions