What is an SRT File- 4 Best Ways to Create and Download SRT Files

What’s an SRT File, And How Does it Empower Your Videos?

Think of an SRT file as your video's translator. It's like a transcript of your subtitles that you can easily upload to video platforms (Facebook and YouTube), making your video content universally accessible.

Breakdown of SRT File Structure- Timecodes and Subtitle Texts

Alright, let’s take a peek at how SRT files work. It’s like a carefully choreographed dance between time and words-

1. Starting and Ending Timestamps- These depict the exact minutes, seconds, and milliseconds of when those words should appear on the screen. 
2. Actual Subtitle Text- At the bottom of every timestamp, you’ll see the exact text displayed on the screen for the specified time of that particular section.

What Are The Benefits of Adding SRT Files as Subtitles to Videos?

• Boosts Video Engagement- SRT files are like magnets for your audience’s eyes. They add extra zing to your videos, making viewers stay longer, interact more, and… enjoy. 
• Make Your Videos Globally Accessible- Imagine your content resonating with audiences who speak different languages. Uploading SRT files to videos makes it possible. In fact, few online video subtitle translators allow you to create subtitles automatically and translate them automatically, allowing you to make your video go global.
• Seamlessly Integrates with Social Media Platforms- Did you know that YouTube and Facebook love SRT files? It improves your video’s score, ranking it above in search results. And guess what? You can upload your video with multiple SRT files in various languages. The platforms are smart enough to serve the correct language to the right viewers based on their preferred language.

Have a look at the below image, where a user clearly states on Reddit why he finds movies with subtitles are better-

How To Upload SRT Files To YouTube and Facebook?

YouTube

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Choose Subtitles from the left menu.
3. Pick your video.
4. Add a language, and click ADD LANGUAGE.
5. Under subtitles, hit ADD. That's it!

Facebook

1. Click Photo/Video at the top of the timeline.
2. Choose a video, and click Post.
3. Click notification or post date.
4. Select Edit video from the top right.
5. Upload .srt file, and click Choose File.
6. Hit Save. Easy as that!

How to Create and Download SRT Files- In-Depth Comparison of 4 Top-Notch Software

#1 Kapwing

To generate SRT files in Kapwing, follow the below steps-

Step 1- Upload Your Video

Begin with uploading your video to Kapwing from your desktop or Google Drive. Then, use the controls to create and download a SRT file for your video. 

Step 2- Generate Automatic Subtitles

Now, click “Automatic Subtitles” to let Kapwing automatically generate subtitles for your videos in your preferred language. 

Step 3- Download The Subtitles as an SRT file

At last, download the automatically generated subtitles in the SRT format. However, Kapwing allows you to download them in VTT and TXT format, too. 

Kapwing Pricing Plans

Kapwing does come with a free plan but with limited monthly credit. However, you can upgrade the plan based on the number of seats. The plan costs $16 per month, billed annually, or $24 per month, billed monthly for 1 user seat. 

While they do a bang-up job with subtitles, a few extra goodies would be a cherry on top. Think of recording with a teleprompter or seamless social media sharing. At $16 per month, these extras are the missing puzzle pieces.

Our Verdict

Kapwing does a pretty good job of generating SRT subtitles. They make the process straightforward. 

If you want to make professional-looking videos for your audience, try Kapwing’s free plan first. It lets you caption your videos, style them, and download them as an SRT. However, as said earlier, the absence of a teleprompter and a few other bells and whistles might make you second guess, given the pricing.

#2 Clideo

Next on our list is Clideo- a dynamic platform that packs a punch with various video editing tools. The best part is it allows you to create and download subtitle files for free but with few limitations.

Here’s how you can get your SRT captions-

Step 1- Upload The Video

Upload your video to Clideo directly from your PC, Google Drive, Google Photos, or Dropbox. 

Step 2- Create Automatic Subtitles

In the second step, you can allow Clideo to generate subtitles for your videos automatically, or you can add them manually. Then, select the language you want your subtitles to appear.

Step 3- Download Subtitles File

Almost there… download your files as .SRT file extension. 

Clideo Pricing Plan

Clideo provides up to 30 minutes of free subtitle generation per month but with limited cloud storage and a watermark. 

For unlimited storage and videos without a watermark, you can upgrade your plan to $6 per month, billed annually, or $9 per month, billed monthly. 

Our Verdict

So what’s our take?

If you’re a beginner in video creation or just starting to test a platform, you can try Clideo. It’s a platform with a few essential video editing tools that also allow you to add subtitles. 

For the low price, it’s worth trying. However, try out other software from our list for a more polished professional video. 

#3 Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a leading professional video editing tool that helps you create sleek, polished videos for your social media. Plus, it lets you create and download subtitle SRT files, which you can upload to YouTube or Facebook for more engagement. 

Follow the below steps to download the SRT files- 

Step 1- Import Your Video File

Import the file to Adobe Premiere Pro.

Step 2- Move to ‘Captions and Graphics’ Settings

Now, click ‘Window’ → ‘Workspaces’ → ‘Captions and Graphics’ to auto-generate transcriptions of your video.

Step 3- Transcribe Your Video

Click ‘Transcribe’ to allow Premiere Pro to auto-transcribe your video. Once the transcription is done, you can check spelling and grammar and create captions. 

Step 4- Create Captions from Transcription

Select ‘Captions’ and click ‘Create captions from transcript’ to generate automatic captions for your video. Select the caption preset as ‘subtitle default.’ Click ‘Create captions.’

Step 5- Export Your Captions as SRT File

After creating captions, click on three dots (...) → ‘Export’ → ‘Export to SRT file’ to download your captions as an SRT file. 

Adobe Premiere Pro Pricing Plans

The cost of Adobe Premiere Pro's individual plan is $20.99/month, billed annually or $239.88/year, which may be too expensive for newbie video content creators or small brands. However, it does come with a 7-day free trial.

Our Verdict

Our first impression of using Adobe Premiere Pro is it’s not for beginners. There are two reasons for this: the monthly or annual subscription is costly. And second, the user interface is too complex, and it is time-consuming to learn to use it.  

But professionals or brands with a team can surely try it. Remember that there is no web or mobile version; you’ll need to download it on your PC to use it.

#4 BIGVU

BIGVU is an end-to-end video editing suite with many mind-blowing features that also let you create and download SRT files. Even with a zero-tech background, you can effortlessly create professional-quality videos for various marketing purposes. 

So, how exactly do you create SRT files in BIGVU? It’s a simple, 3-step process that allows you to automatically generate captions for your videos and download them as SRT files. 

Here’s how it works:

Step 1- Import Video to BIGVU

Start by importing your video to BIGVU and select your preferred language for the captions to appear.

Step 2- Style and Edit Your Captions

Once BIGVU generates the captions for you, you can style them to make them look more elegant. You can also edit grammar or spelling mistakes and add your brand logo to personalize your video. You can also choose to translate your captions into any of the 70 offered languages. 

Step 3- Download SRT Files

Finally, with just a click of a button, you can download your SRT files- in all languages!  But that’s not all! BIGVU offers many exceptional features to elevate the quality of your videos. You can replace your background, change video thumbnails, and so much more.

BIGVU Pricing Plans

Now, let’s talk about the pricing plans offered by BIGVU. They have three options to kickstart your video marketing journey:

• Basic- This plan is FREE forever, but it comes with a watermark on your videos. However, you can still record with a teleprompter and download videos in HD quality.
• HD Starter- For just $8 per month, billed annually, you can enjoy groundbreaking features such as automatic subtitles with elegant themes and videos without a watermark.
• AI Pro- If you’re looking for the ultimate video editing experience, the AI Pro plan is for you. It costs $13 per month, billed annually, and offers an impactful video analytics dashboard, an AI scriptwriter, the ability to download videos in 4K quality and live streaming across various social media platforms.

Our Verdict

Why BIGVU, you can ask?

We think the most significant advantage of BIGVU over others is you don’t need to spend a ton of time and money and juggle a million apps. Uploading SRT files to your videos is just the tip of the iceberg when creating engaging and interactive videos. 

BIGVU believes in a 4-step secret recipe: script, shoot, style, and share.

Let’s understand it deeply…

• Script- You provide quick thoughts, and BIGVU AI Magic Writer will craft tailored video scripts using OpenAI GPT and video marketing AI algorithms. The result? You’ll get flawless scripts that resonate with your brand and target audience.
• Shoot- With BIGVU, you can find your on-camera mojo using our teleprompter. No more awkward paper placements, fumbling for words, or trying to remember lines. Customize font, scroll, and speed for a confident recording. You can even live stream while effortlessly reading your script from the teleprompter. How cool is that?
• Style- BIGVU offers a wide range of editing features, including trimming, transitions, overlays, branding, text, music, and graphics. Impressive, right?
• Share- Connect up to 20 social media channels to your account and upload your video. Our AI will create text for the post and resize the video for each platform. You can schedule or share it instantly on social channels such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Alternatively, create a video landing page in BIGVU and send it over email for an unforgettable impression.

With BIGVU, you can finally say goodbye to boring videos forever! It’s available as an iOS and Android mobile app and a web platform. They each sync seamlessly with each other. 

Try BIGVU for FREE now.

Final Thoughts

SRT files are video’s silent yet impactful partners, enhancing viewer’s engagement. Creating them isn’t effortful. 

With the diverse tools we’ve explored, you can now perfectly create and download SRT files seamlessly blending with your content, amplifying its reach and resonance. Remember, these little transcripts hold the power to bridge gaps and spark connections, making your videos more accessible and relatable. 

So, choose the tool that matches your preference, and elevate your marketing journey by uploading SRT files to your videos.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍