TXT to SRT converter
Use this free TXT to SRT converter to turn a script or transcript into a ready-to-use .srt subtitle file. Timings come from reading speed, or from timestamps already in your text.
- Free, no signup
- Uses your timestamps if you have them
- Works for YouTube, Premiere and VLC
Loading the TXT to SRT converter…
How to convert TXT to SRT
Three steps, and the SRT downloads straight to your device.
- 1
Add your text
Drop one or more .txt files, or paste the text. Put each subtitle on its own line, or separate them with blank lines and choose "Paragraph".
- 2
Check the timing
With no timestamps, each subtitle stays on screen long enough to read at 15 characters per second. Lines starting with a time such as [00:01:05] are used as start times.
- 3
Convert and download
Click Convert to SRT. Copy the result or download the .srt file and load it into your video editor or upload it to YouTube.
Why use this free TXT to SRT converter
Built for speed and privacy. It works on any modern browser, on desktop or phone.
Files never leave your device
It runs inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded to LeadCanal or stored anywhere.
Only the right files open
It accepts .txt, .text and .md and checks each file's first bytes, so renamed programs or scripts are refused.
Free with no limits we impose
No signup, no watermark and no daily cap. Big files depend only on your device memory.
Several files at once
Where it makes sense, drop many files and download them together as a ZIP.
What an SRT file looks like
SRT (SubRip) is the most widely supported subtitle format. Each subtitle has a number, a start and end time, and one or two lines of text, followed by a blank line.
A plain .txt file has the words but no timings, which is why players and YouTube need it converted first. This converter writes the numbering and time codes for you in the exact format players expect: hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds.
- Numbered cues starting at 1
- Time codes like 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,500
- Long lines wrapped at 42 characters
- Up to 2 lines per subtitle by default
Which TXT to SRT setting to use
| Your text looks like | Setting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| One sentence or phrase per line | Make a subtitle from each: Line | One subtitle per line |
| Paragraphs with blank lines between them | Paragraph | Each paragraph split into readable subtitles |
| A long block of prose | Sentence | One subtitle per sentence, wrapped to fit |
| [00:01:05] Hello, or 0:05 - Hello | Timestamps: detect automatically | Your times become the start of each subtitle |
| A transcript you must match to video exactly | Fixed length, then adjust in your editor | Even timing you can nudge in Premiere or Subtitle Edit |
Tips for subtitles people can actually read
Keep lines short
Many subtitle style guides use about 42 characters per line and no more than two lines. The defaults here follow that.
Do not rush the reader
Around 15 to 17 characters per second suits most viewers. Raise it for fast talkers, lower it for children or learners.
Split at natural pauses
Put a line break after a comma or full stop, not in the middle of a phrase.
Check sync once
Play the first minute with the SRT loaded. If every line is early or late, change the start time and convert again.
Step-by-step guides
Step-by-step help from our blog, written for the questions people ask most.
Your files stay on your device
This converter runs inside your browser, using your own computer or phone to do the work. The file is never uploaded to LeadCanal or anyone else, and nothing is saved on our servers. Close the tab and it is gone.
Each tool only opens the file types it is built for. We check the file extension and the first bytes of the file, so a renamed program or script is refused before it is opened.
Drop the .txt file into the converter above, or paste the text, then click Convert to SRT. The .srt file downloads to your device. There is no signup, watermark or file limit beyond your browser memory.
Only if the text is already in SRT format, with numbers and time codes. A plain transcript renamed to .srt will not load in players or YouTube because it has no timings.
By reading speed. Each subtitle stays on screen for its length divided by the characters-per-second setting, between a minimum of 1.2 and a maximum of 7 seconds. You can also choose a fixed length per subtitle.
Yes. Lines that start with a time such as 00:01:05, [01:05] or 1:05 - are detected, and each time becomes the start of a subtitle. Each subtitle ends just before the next one starts.
Yes. The file uses standard SubRip formatting in UTF-8, which YouTube Studio, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut (via import), VLC and most players accept.
Yes. Drop multiple files and you get one SRT for each, plus a single ZIP download.
Further reading
- SubRip format notes (Matroska) Reference for SRT structure and time codes.
- YouTube: add subtitles and captions How to upload an SRT file to a video.
- Netflix English timed text style guide Line length and reading speed rules many subtitlers follow.
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