Exports and subtitle files
How do I add an SRT file to my video?
Short answer
Decide whether viewers should be able to turn the captions off. To keep them optional, upload the SRT next to the video on YouTube, LinkedIn or Facebook, or add it as a subtitle track in a player or video file. To make them permanent, burn the SRT into the picture with HandBrake, FFmpeg or an editing app. TikTok and Instagram don't accept subtitle files, so burn the captions in for those.
3 min read
Should the captions be a separate track or burned in?
| Separate subtitle track | Burned-in captions | |
|---|---|---|
| Viewers can turn them off | Yes | No |
| Works on TikTok and Instagram | No | Yes |
| Your own font and color | No, the player decides | Yes |
| Easy to fix later | Replace the file | Export the video again |
How do I add an SRT as a separate track?
- On a platform, upload the file next to the video. YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook accept SRT; TikTok and Instagram don't. See which platforms accept SRT files.
- In a video file, add it as a soft subtitle track, for example with HandBrake, which can include subtitles as separate selectable tracks (HandBrake documentation). Not every player shows tracks in MP4 files.
- In a media player, load the SRT next to the video while you watch.
How do I burn an SRT into a video for free?
- HandBrake: open the video, import the SRT in the Subtitles tab and choose Burn In before you start the encode. Burned-in subtitles are written on top of the image permanently (HandBrake documentation).
- FFmpeg: use the subtitles filter (FFmpeg filters):
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "subtitles=captions.srt" -c:a copy output.mp4- An editing app: Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve import SRT files as caption tracks you can style and export burned in. See how to get captions into Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro.
How do I change the font or color of SRT captions?
SRT can't carry a style that apps respect; YouTube, for example, ignores styling in SRT files. Style the captions while you burn them in: in your editing app, with FFmpeg's force_style option, or by converting the SRT to ASS and editing its style line. See how to burn styled ASS subtitles with FFmpeg.
How to do it in CaptionBolt
CaptionBolt doesn't import SRT files; it makes styled captions from your video's audio. If what you want is styled, word-timed captions on the video, upload the video itself: CaptionBolt transcribes it, lets you fix the words in the Text Editor and burns in any of its 338 caption styles.
If you need to keep an existing SRT exactly, CaptionBolt's free Subtitle Converter turns it into an ASS file with a simple white style in your browser. Change the font and colors in its style line, then burn it in with FFmpeg or HandBrake.
When another approach is better
- The SRT is a translation or an approved transcript. Burn that exact file in with HandBrake or FFmpeg; making new captions from the audio would change it.
- You need styled captions in several languages. CaptionBolt captions the spoken language only.
Related questions
Can I upload an SRT file to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn?
YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook accept SRT files; TikTok and Instagram don't take a subtitle file and generate their own captions instead. For TikTok, Reels and Shorts you also post elsewhere, burn the captions into the video so they look the same everywhere, and keep the SRT for YouTube and LinkedIn, where viewers can turn captions on and off.
How do I burn styled ASS subtitles into a video with FFmpeg?
Use FFmpeg's ass or subtitles video filter, which draws the subtitles onto every frame with libass: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf ass=captions.ass -c:a copy output.mp4. The ASS file keeps its fonts, colors, position and animation, but the fonts must be installed or passed with the fontsdir option. Burning re-encodes the video, so keep a copy of the original.
How do I convert an SRT file to VTT, or VTT to SRT?
Change three things: VTT files start with a WEBVTT line, use a period before the milliseconds instead of a comma, and can carry cue settings and notes that SRT doesn't support. A converter does this in seconds without touching the text or timing. Renaming the file isn't enough. Use VTT for web players and HTML5 video; use SRT for LinkedIn, Facebook and most editing apps.
How do I create an SRT subtitle file from my video?
Let speech recognition write a first draft, then correct it and export SRT. If the video is on your YouTube channel, YouTube Studio can download its captions as a file for free. Otherwise use a caption or transcription tool that exports SRT, such as CaptionBolt on the Pro plan, or type the captions yourself in a subtitle editor. Always check names, numbers and timing before you use the file.