Which format should I use for subtitles?

VTT for anything played in a browser or an HTML5 video element, because that is the format those players expect. SRT for desktop editors and older software, which accept it almost universally.

What is TXT for, then?

Reading. It is the subtitle text with the timecodes and cue numbers stripped out, which makes it the right choice for notes, quoting, or feeding into another tool.

Why does my editor reject the file?

Two common causes: the file is not UTF-8 encoded, or it is the wrong format for that editor. Re-save as UTF-8, and check whether the editor wants SRT or VTT.

Can I translate the subtitles afterwards?

Yes — the files are plain text, so any subtitle editor or translation tool can work on them. Translating the text yourself is what preserves the timings; re-generating subtitles from translated audio would not.

Will the subtitles match the video exactly?

They are the video's own captions, so yes — including any errors the original captions had. Auto-generated captions in particular will carry their misheard words through.

Do I need permission to reuse the subtitles?

The subtitles are a transcription of someone else's video, so republishing them wholesale is a rights question rather than a technical one. Quoting from them is ordinary; re-uploading them as your own is not.

How to Download YouTube Subtitles in TXT, SRT, or VTT

A short, practical walkthrough.

TXT, SRT and VTT — which one?

TXT is plain text: one line per cue, no timecodes. Best for reading, notes and search.

SRT is the format most editors and players expect. Cue numbers, timecodes with a comma before the milliseconds, then the text.

VTT is the web format. Same idea as SRT, but with a period before the milliseconds and a WEBVTT header — what an HTML5 <track> element needs.

Getting them

Generate the transcript, then use the download buttons. If you already have an SRT and need a VTT, the SRT to VTT converter in the footer does it in the browser.

Subtitles and transcripts are the same text in different containers, and picking the right container is most of the work. TXT is for reading; SRT and VTT are for putting the text back onto a video. Choosing wrong is why a file sometimes refuses to load in an editor or shows up as a wall of timecodes.

The timings come from the video itself, so whatever format you take, the cues land where they did on YouTube. Nothing is re-timed or re-transcribed in the process.

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

Which format should I use for subtitles?: VTT for anything played in a browser or an HTML5 video element, because that is the format those players expect. SRT for desktop editors and older software, which accept it almost universally.
What is TXT for, then?: Reading. It is the subtitle text with the timecodes and cue numbers stripped out, which makes it the right choice for notes, quoting, or feeding into another tool.
Why does my editor reject the file?: Two common causes: the file is not UTF-8 encoded, or it is the wrong format for that editor. Re-save as UTF-8, and check whether the editor wants SRT or VTT.
Can I translate the subtitles afterwards?: Yes — the files are plain text, so any subtitle editor or translation tool can work on them. Translating the text yourself is what preserves the timings; re-generating subtitles from translated audio would not.
Will the subtitles match the video exactly?: They are the video's own captions, so yes — including any errors the original captions had. Auto-generated captions in particular will carry their misheard words through.
Do I need permission to reuse the subtitles?: The subtitles are a transcription of someone else's video, so republishing them wholesale is a rights question rather than a technical one. Quoting from them is ordinary; re-uploading them as your own is not.