The different subtitle (and transcription) file formats (and transcription) available at ClosedCaptioner

• April 18, 2024

We offer four types of files that you can download for your subtitles/transcription: SRT, VTT, SCC, and TXT formats.

1. The .srt file type

This is a type of subtitle file primarily used for videos. This is the preferred format for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Adobe Premiere Pro, Vimeo, and the majority of platforms.

SRT stands for “SubRip Subtitle” and is a simple text file format containing subtitles synchronized with the video content. SRT files contain information about the timing of each subtitle line’s display, as well as the text of each subtitle itself. This file type is widely used because it is compatible with many media players and video editing software.

Click here to download an example of this file type.

Upload your video and audio files

2. The .vtt file type

The VTT (WebVTT) format is another commonly used subtitle format for online videos and web content. So, this is the ideal format for embedding a video natively on an HTML website.

VTT stands for “Web Video Text Tracks”. VTT subtitle files are similar to SRT files in that they contain text synchronized with the video content. However, the VTT format offers additional features compared to the SRT format, including the ability to include text formatting tags (such as style, color, font size, etc.), additional metadata, and support for multiple languages in a single file.

The VTT file type is widely used on the Internet, particularly on video streaming platforms and online media players, due to its flexibility and compatibility with modern web technologies.

3. The .scc file type

The SCC (Scenarist Closed Caption) subtitle format is primarily used in the television and film industry. And this is the primary format in North America, and our subtitles comply with the standards of the CRTC and EIA-608 and 708.

Unlike subtitle formats such as SRT or VTT, which are simple text files, SCC files are binary files with a more complex structure. SCC files are used to provide closed captions, i.e., subtitles that can be turned on or off by the viewer.

These subtitles may include information such as the start and end time of each subtitle line, formatting codes for colors and text styles, as well as positioning data for on-screen subtitles. SCC files are often used in professional post-production workflows and are supported by many professional video editing software programs. They are also used for broadcasting television and film content where closed captions are required for the deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for translation into different languages.

Click here to download an example of this file type.

4. The .txt file type

TXT files correspond to the transcription of the video, with or without timecodes.

This is a written or textual version of everything said in a video, chronologically. It thus captures the verbal content of the video, including dialogues, monologues, descriptions, etc.

Video transcriptions are very useful for several reasons:

• Accessibility: They allow deaf or hard of hearing people to access the video content by reading the text.
• SEO: They can improve the SEO of a video on online platforms, as the transcribed text provides content indexable by search engines.
• Understanding: They can help viewers better understand the content of the video, especially if they have difficulty following dialogues or understanding the audio.
• Translation: They provide a basis for translating video content into different languages.

We also offer a text format, but with timecodes every 30 seconds.

5. Burning your subtitles is also an option :)

We also offer the option to download the video with embedded subtitles in MP4 format, ready for streaming.

In this case, the subtitles cannot be disabled by the viewer. This option is ideal for quick subtitles, such as on TikTok or Reels on Facebook.

Click here to download a video with permanent embedded captions.

6. Choosing the file type to download after your order had been delivered

To download any of these file types, it’s simple: go to the customer/friends’ section and select the file type that suits you.

If you need additional assistance, feel free to contact Samueline from our customer service (samueline@closedcaptioner.com).

Click here to see a comparison table of the file types on the FAQ.