What an SRT file looks like
An SRT file is a list of numbered cues. Each cue has a number, a time range with a comma before the milliseconds, and one or two lines of text, followed by an empty line.
1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,200 Hey there! 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,000 This is a quick test.
What a VTT file looks like
A WebVTT file starts with the word WEBVTT. Timestamps use a dot instead of a comma, cue numbers are optional, and you can add positioning and styling.
WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.200 Hey there! 00:00:03.400 --> 00:00:06.000 line:85% This is a quick test.
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The key differences
- Header: VTT files must start with
WEBVTT; SRT files have no header. - Timestamps: SRT uses a comma (
00:00:01,000), VTT a dot (00:00:01.000). - Cue numbers: required in SRT, optional in VTT.
- Styling: VTT supports positioning, alignment and CSS styling; SRT only basic tags like
<i>and<b>. - Extras: VTT supports comments (
NOTE) and other metadata.
Which one should you use?
- YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Vimeo: both usually work – SRT is the safest choice.
- Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, VLC: SRT.
- Websites with the HTML5
<track>element, video.js or Plyr: VTT. - Zoom, Teams and many web players export VTT.
Need to switch? Use the free SRT to VTT converter or VTT to SRT converter – both run in your browser. No subtitles yet? The SRT generator creates them from your video.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just rename .srt to .vtt?
No – the header and timestamps are different, so many players reject the file. Convert it instead; it takes one click.
Which format does YouTube prefer?
YouTube accepts both. SRT is the most common choice and works almost everywhere.
Do SRT and VTT files contain the video?
No. They’re small text files with just the subtitle text and timings. To show subtitles without a separate file, burn them into the video.