The SRT file, for SubRip Subtitle, is a plain text subtitle format that associates each caption with a time range. In a guide published by ElevenLabs, the company details how to create, edit, and integrate this file into a video, and how to distinguish it from the WebVTT format. The guide notes that millions of people watch videos without sound.
The guide cites a Verizon survey, which noted as early as 2019 that 69% of users surveyed in the United States muted videos in public places. The same institute estimated that 80% of consumers were more likely to watch a video in its entirety when it had subtitles. According to the guide, a 2024 study reiterates these figures and confirms they remain valid.
A simple format, read by most players
An SRT file consists of numbered blocks. Each block contains a sequence number, a timestamp line indicating the start and end of display, and then the caption text. A blank line separates the blocks. The guide gives the example of a first block displayed from 00:00:01,000 to 00:00:06,000, followed by a second block from 00:00:06,500 to 00:00:10,200.
The timestamp format must be followed to the letter: hours, minutes, and seconds separated by colons, then a comma before the milliseconds. The guide points out that this syntax error is common. The format is widely supported, so most video players and editing software open it without an extension. According to the guide, simply placing the SRT file in the same folder as the video, with the same name, will cause the subtitles to appear automatically.
Create, correct and integrate subtitles
A plain text file contains no timing information. To turn a transcription into SRT, the timestamps must therefore come from the audio itself. The guide presents speech recognition as a solution for long recordings: the model generates both the words and their timestamps. The Scribe v2 model, cited in the guide, transcribes audio in over 90 languages and provides word-level timestamps. In the ElevenCreative interface, the user uploads their file, reviews the transcription, and then selects Export, then SRT.
Once the file is created, the guide lists three common errors: misaligned timestamps, lines too long to be read comfortably, and overlapping time ranges. Correction can be done in a simple text editor, but the guide recommends, for long videos, a dedicated subtitle editor. It displays a video preview next to the timestamps and allows spotting misalignments while working. The guide notably cites Jubler, a free and open-source editor available for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
SRT or WebVTT?
The choice between the two formats depends on the distribution platform. SRT is the most widespread format, especially on desktop players and older platforms. It does not natively handle text styling, fonts, colors, or screen positioning. WebVTT, more recent, is designed for HTML5 video players and allows these adjustments. For web-focused distribution, the guide therefore considers it better suited.
SRT alone cannot produce a video. To get an MP4 file with burned-in subtitles, you need to import the SRT into editing software, then export the project: the text is then permanently embedded in the image. If the viewer must be able to enable or disable subtitles, the file must remain separate or be uploaded to the distribution platform.
