Convert SRT to WebVTT for YouTube and HTML5 Video

What actually changes between SRT and WebVTT

First, a WebVTT file starts with the header line WEBVTT, followed by a blank line. An SRT file has no header. Second, WebVTT timestamps use a dot instead of a comma: 00:00:01.000 rather than 00:00:01,000. The numbers mean the same thing, but a player that expects WebVTT will reject comma timestamps. Third, WebVTT cues work without the numeric cue numbers that SRT puts before each timestamp. Clean WebVTT output drops those numbers.

Everything else stays the same. The cue text, the start and end times, and the order of the cues are untouched by conversion. If a converted file goes out of sync, the problem was already in the original file, because conversion never moves a timestamp.

When you need WebVTT, and when SRT is fine

For video on a web page, you need WebVTT. The HTML track element only accepts WebVTT, so an SRT file linked as a track will simply not show. If your subtitles do not appear on a web page at all, a missing WEBVTT header or comma timestamps are the first things to check.

For uploading to a video platform, check what that platform accepts before converting. Many platforms accept SRT directly, and converting a file that would have worked as SRT gains nothing. Convert when the destination asks for WebVTT, or when the file is rejected, and keep the original SRT so you can go back if a platform turns out to prefer it.

How to convert SRT to WebVTT

1. Open the SRT to WebVTT Converter and paste the SRT text into the input box.
2. Click Convert to WebVTT. The tool adds the WEBVTT header, changes commas to dots in timestamps, and removes cue numbers.
3. Check that the first lines read WEBVTT, a blank line, then a dot timestamp, and that no cue numbers remain.
4. Copy the result and save it as a .vtt file, or upload it directly to your video platform.

To go the other way, paste WebVTT text and click Convert to SRT. The tool restores cue numbers and comma timestamps, so the result is a standard SRT file again.

Conversion mistakes that break playback

The most common mistake is converting only half the file: a WEBVTT header added to comma timestamps, or dot timestamps in a file with no header. Players check the format as a whole, so a half-converted file fails just like an unconverted one. Always check the header, the timestamp separator, and the cue numbers together.

A second mistake is re-saving the converted text with the wrong file extension. A WebVTT file saved as .srt may be read as SRT and rejected, and the other way round. Match the extension to the format: .vtt for WebVTT, .srt for SRT.

A third mistake is editing timestamps by hand during conversion. There is no reason to touch them, and a single typo will throw one cue out of sync while the rest of the file looks fine. Convert first, then fix timing separately if the file is genuinely out of sync.

Common questions

Do I need WebVTT for YouTube? Not necessarily. Many platforms accept SRT directly, so check what your destination accepts before converting. Convert when the destination asks for WebVTT, or when the file is rejected, and keep the original SRT so you can go back.

Will converting change the timing? No. Conversion only changes the header, the timestamp separator, and the cue numbers. The cue text, the start and end times, and the order of the cues stay exactly as they were.