How to create an SRT file
You can create an SRT file in any text editor: type a number, a timing line in the form 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000, the subtitle text, then a blank line, and repeat. Save it with the .srt extension and UTF-8 encoding. If you already have a transcript, converting it is faster than typing timecodes — but the timings will be generated rather than matched to speech, so they still need checking against the video.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07
By hand, in a text editor
- 1Open a plain text editor — TextEdit on macOS (switch to plain text with Format → Make Plain Text), Notepad on Windows.
- 2Write
1on the first line. - 3On the next line write the timing:
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000. Two-digit hours, three-digit milliseconds, a comma before them, spaces around the arrow. - 4Write the subtitle text on the following line or two.
- 5Leave one blank line, then start the next entry with
2. - 6Save as
name.srt, encoding UTF-8.
1
00:00:03,233 --> 00:00:08,233
Puff pastry, 500 g
2
00:00:14,833 --> 00:00:19,033
Melted butter, 20 g
Brush the pastry with a thin layerFrom an existing transcript
Typing timecodes for a long video by hand is not worth anyone's time. If you already have the words, convert the text file and correct the timing afterwards — the structure is generated for you and you only adjust where it drifts.
Turn a plain transcript into a timed .srt in your browser.
TXT to SRT converterThe four mistakes that break a file
| Mistake | What happens |
|---|---|
| A dot instead of a comma before milliseconds | Strict parsers reject the file; it is WebVTT syntax in a SubRip file |
| Missing blank line between entries | The next entry is read as more text of the previous one, or the file fails entirely |
| Saved as .rtf or .docx renamed to .srt | The file contains formatting bytes, not plain text, and nothing can read it |
| End time earlier than start time | The subtitle never appears, or the player shows an error |
Timing that reads well
- •Reading speed — roughly 15 to 20 characters per second for adults. Netflix uses 17 for adult content and 13 for children's.
- •Minimum duration — about 1 second. Anything shorter flashes past unread.
- •Maximum duration — about 7 seconds. Longer and the viewer re-reads it and gets distracted.
- •Line length — up to 42 characters, at most two lines.
- •Gaps — leave a couple of frames between entries so they do not visually merge.
Naming so the player finds it
Most players pick up a subtitle file automatically when it sits next to the video with the same base name: holiday.mp4 and holiday.srt. Add a language code before the extension — holiday.en.srt, holiday.pt.srt — and the player offers a track for each.
Questions
Can I make an SRT file in Word?+
Only if you export as plain text. A .docx saved with the .srt extension still contains Word formatting data and no player can read it. Use a plain text editor instead.
What time format does an SRT file use?+
HH:MM:SS,mmm — two-digit hours, minutes and seconds, then a comma and three-digit milliseconds. Start and end are joined by a space-arrow-space: 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000.
How do I create subtitles from a transcript?+
Convert the text file to .srt so each line becomes a timed entry, then correct the timing against the video. The conversion generates an even grid; it cannot know when each line is actually spoken.
How long should each subtitle stay on screen?+
Between roughly one and seven seconds, set by reading speed rather than a fixed number: about 15 to 20 characters per second for adult viewers.