How to create an SRT file from a transcript: structure and timing checks

A regular transcript isn’t a subtitle file yet

A transcript may have one timestamp for a long paragraph. Subtitles need more detail: each cue should appear and disappear at the right time and give viewers time to read. You can’t reliably infer the end time from sentence length alone.

SRT is a text format with sequential blocks. Formatting support varies by application, so plain text is the most portable basic option. Check the platform’s requirements before uploading: YouTube, for example, supports basic SRT and requires UTF-8 text.

Prepare the text and timing

1. Check the transcript

   Correct names, terms, numbers and missing negatives against the original recording. Remove only what your subtitle format allows. Preserve the meaning of each cue. Important sounds and speaker labels may be needed for accessibility.

2. Split speech into cues

   Choose short, meaningful passages that are easy to read on screen. Avoid breaking up closely related words without a reason. Follow the platform or project requirements for length and reading speed instead of treating one limit as universal.

3. Set the start and end

   Mark when each cue appears and disappears in a subtitle editor or by watching the video. Basic timestamps use hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds, with a comma before milliseconds. The start must precede the end. Fix accidental overlaps and long delays.

4. Save and test the file

   Use plain text rather than a formatted document. Check the extension, encoding, numbering and blank lines between blocks. Load the file in the intended environment. Watch the beginning, middle, end and tricky passages, then review the whole video if necessary.

Two cues from a short instruction

This is a fictional training example. The names, circumstances and outcomes are included solely to explain the method.

In this example the first cue begins at 1.2 seconds and ends at 3.6. The second appears at 4 seconds. These times illustrate the format. Work out the right times for your own recording.

The block number gives the order and the timing line gives the display interval. A blank line separates the next block. A paragraph timestamp can serve as a guide, but you still need to check the exact boundaries.

Minimal SRT example

Copy this example into a plain text editor to study the format. Replace the cues and times with those for your video before using it.

1
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,600
First, select a recording.

2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,500
Then check that you can hear the speech.

Check the subtitles in the intended environment

• The file is saved as plain text with the correct extension.
• Every block has a start time, an end time and text.
• Cues appear at the right points in the recording.
• The text is readable and retains the essential meaning.