Why does my SRT file not show up in an HTML5 video player?

Because browsers do not parse SRT. The track element in HTML5 video accepts WebVTT only, so a src pointing at an .srt file loads nothing and fails silently — no error on the page, just no subtitles. Converting the file to VTT is the whole fix; the markup around it stays exactly the same.

Do I need to change my HTML after converting?

Only the file name in the track src, and the kind attribute if it was not already set. A typical line reads kind="subtitles" src="subs.vtt" srclang="en" label="English", sitting next to the source tag. Nothing else about the player, the video file or the page has to change.

What is the WEBVTT header and why does it matter?

Every valid WebVTT file starts with the literal word WEBVTT on its own first line. Browsers use it to recognise the format, and a file without it is rejected outright. The converter writes that header for you, which is one of the things that silently goes wrong when people rename .srt to .vtt by hand.

Can I just rename the extension from .srt to .vtt?

No, and it is the most common mistake. The formats differ in that header line, in the timestamp separator — SRT uses a comma, WebVTT a dot — and in cue numbering. A renamed file has none of those changes, so the browser treats it as broken and shows nothing at all.

My subtitles are in Russian and turn into garbage — will converting help?

Yes, if the problem is encoding. WebVTT must be UTF-8, while older SRT files are frequently windows-1251 or windows-1252. This converter works out the original encoding from the bytes and writes proper UTF-8, which is exactly what the browser expects to receive.

Does converting change the timings in any way?

No. Every start and end time is carried across unchanged, only reformatted from the comma notation to the dot notation WebVTT requires. If the subtitles were in sync with the video before, they still are; if they were offset, that offset is preserved too.

Will the italics and bold in my SRT survive?

Yes. The i, b and u tags are valid in both formats and pass through as they are. What SRT does not carry in the first place — positioning, fonts, colours from a styling block — cannot appear in the VTT either, because there was nothing to convert.

Convert SRT to VTT Online

Browsers will not load an SRT file — WebVTT is the format the HTML5 video track element actually accepts.

or drag & drop them here · images, video, audio, documents and subtitles · up to 2 GB

How to convert SRT to VTT

Click "Choose Files" and select your SRT file, or drag & drop it onto the page.
Make sure VTT is selected as the target format.
Click "Convert" and wait a few seconds.
Download your new VTT file.

Why Converters.live?

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Frequently asked questions

Why does my SRT file not show up in an HTML5 video player?: Because browsers do not parse SRT. The track element in HTML5 video accepts WebVTT only, so a src pointing at an .srt file loads nothing and fails silently — no error on the page, just no subtitles. Converting the file to VTT is the whole fix; the markup around it stays exactly the same.
Do I need to change my HTML after converting?: Only the file name in the track src, and the kind attribute if it was not already set. A typical line reads kind="subtitles" src="subs.vtt" srclang="en" label="English", sitting next to the source tag. Nothing else about the player, the video file or the page has to change.
What is the WEBVTT header and why does it matter?: Every valid WebVTT file starts with the literal word WEBVTT on its own first line. Browsers use it to recognise the format, and a file without it is rejected outright. The converter writes that header for you, which is one of the things that silently goes wrong when people rename .srt to .vtt by hand.
Can I just rename the extension from .srt to .vtt?: No, and it is the most common mistake. The formats differ in that header line, in the timestamp separator — SRT uses a comma, WebVTT a dot — and in cue numbering. A renamed file has none of those changes, so the browser treats it as broken and shows nothing at all.
My subtitles are in Russian and turn into garbage — will converting help?: Yes, if the problem is encoding. WebVTT must be UTF-8, while older SRT files are frequently windows-1251 or windows-1252. This converter works out the original encoding from the bytes and writes proper UTF-8, which is exactly what the browser expects to receive.
Does converting change the timings in any way?: No. Every start and end time is carried across unchanged, only reformatted from the comma notation to the dot notation WebVTT requires. If the subtitles were in sync with the video before, they still are; if they were offset, that offset is preserved too.
Will the italics and bold in my SRT survive?: Yes. The i, b and u tags are valid in both formats and pass through as they are. What SRT does not carry in the first place — positioning, fonts, colours from a styling block — cannot appear in the VTT either, because there was nothing to convert.

Related conversions

SRT→ASS VTT→SRT ASS→SRT