Build subtitles from text, one step at a time
Use this TXT to SRT converter when you already have the words and need an editable subtitle draft. Keep the tool above open while you follow the steps. Text timing is estimated from your settings; it is not matched to speech.
1. How do I choose between plain text and existing timestamps?
Open one UTF-8 TXT, SRT or VTT file with Open TXT / SRT / VTT, or paste its text. Use Plain text timing for words without timecodes. Use Existing timestamps for SRT or VTT time ranges. Opening an SRT or VTT file selects that mode automatically; when pasting, choose it yourself.
Plain text mode removes common leading numbers such as 1. or 2). It does not recognize an audio track. Keep an original copy before editing an existing subtitle file.
Check: The text box contains your words and the intended mode is selected.
Back to the tool2. Which timing settings should I change first?
Start with Start time, Default duration (s) and Gap between entries (s). With the practice text, the defaults place cue 1 at 00:00:00,000 → 00:00:03,000 and cue 2 at 00:00:03,100 → 00:00:06,100. A gap adds silence between successive draft cues.
The reading-speed setting can lengthen a cue, but duration is still bounded by Shortest duration and Longest duration. A maximum can cap a long cue before it reaches the requested reading time. Split mode chooses lines or sentences; Max characters per line splits longer text into separate cues, including long unbroken words. These are draft rules, not an accessibility or synchronization guarantee.
Check: Use positive duration values and compare the resulting cues with the recording.
Back to the tool3. How do I generate the timeline and check the result?
Choose Generate timeline. The editor opens below the settings, with one row per generated cue. For the practice TXT at default settings, expect three rows. Check the words, cue count and first and last timecodes before making edits.
Changing a setting alone does not rebuild the rows. Choosing Generate timeline again rebuilds them from the source box and replaces row edits. For example, changing the default duration from 3 to 4 makes the second practice cue start at 00:00:04,100 after regeneration. Save useful edits before rebuilding.
Check: The expected rows appear; your changed settings affect a newly generated timeline.
Back to the tool4. How do I fix words or timing before downloading?
Edit a row’s Caption, Start or End. For this example, change “Open the garden gate.” to “Open the blue garden gate.” Text edits do not automatically lengthen that row. Set End later than Start and check whether the words fit.
Add entry appends a row; fill in its words and review its times. Remove deletes its row. This converter does not provide the stricter invalid-cue export blocking used by Subtitle Editor: malformed time input can become zero, and empty or reversed cues need manual checking. Download a draft and open it in Subtitle Editor for stricter validation and optional local recording playback.
Check: No blank captions, reversed times or accidental zero-length cues remain.
Back to the tool5. How do I save SRT or VTT and check what was downloaded?
Choose Download SRT or Download VTT for your destination player. Copy SRT copies subtitle syntax including timecodes. The downloads contain the current row edits. Reopen your saved file, use Existing timestamps, and generate its rows to verify the wording and boundaries.
SRT numbers each cue and uses comma-separated milliseconds. VTT starts with WEBVTT and uses periods. This tool rewrites cue text and timing; it is not a lossless preservation tool for VTT styling or positioning. Keep a separate original. Download before closing the tab; there is no project history or cloud save.
Check: Your downloaded file contains the latest edit and the expected timecodes.
Back to the toolMore questions and common problems
Why do my subtitles not match the speech?
TXT contains no speech timing. The generated timeline is an estimate. Open the SRT with your recording in Subtitle Editor, compare the beginning, middle and end, and adjust cues. This page does not listen or perform forced alignment.
Why did my edits disappear after changing settings?
Generate timeline rebuilds rows from the source text. Save the current draft first; change the source box too if you want a wording correction to survive regeneration.
Why are there no rows after I paste an SRT?
Select Existing timestamps and confirm that the source contains recognizable time ranges with --> and caption text. A file extension alone does not make plain text into timed subtitles.
Does existing-timestamps mode preserve every time exactly?
It reads usable SRT/VTT ranges, but invalid or non-positive end ranges can receive a default-duration fallback, and malformed times can become zero. Review imported times. Use Subtitle Editor if you need invalid source timings rejected before editing.
Are my files uploaded, and can I use another language?
Parsing, editing and export stay in this browser, without an account or saved history. You supply the words; the converter does not translate or run language detection. For English speech without text, use Video to Text first.