What is an SRT file? How to create and upload SRT files
4/3/2023
Subtitles have now become a core element of videos. They allow viewers to best visually connect with your content, no matter what the subject matter. Since everyone has different preferences for watching videos, for example, watching videos without sound or reading captions, you need to satisfy all tastes.
And, fortunately, the SRT file can do that. But what is an SRT file? Do you know how to create an SRT file? This article will help you better learn SRT files, as well as create and upload SRT files.
1. What is an SRT file?
An SRT file, also known as the SubRip Subtitle file, is a plain text file that allows you to edit and control exactly what is displayed on the viewer’s screen.
The SRT file contains important information regarding your video’s subtitles, such as the start and end timestamps of the text, or the number of consecutive subtitles.
If you’ve ever wondered why the on-screen subtitles always match the audio in the video, then the SRT file is the answer.
An SRT file looks like this:
1, 2 indicate the exact order of the text displayed on the screen.
Right below that is the start and end timestamps of that section (00:00:01,00 –> 00:00:09,00). That’s how the computer will know when the text should show up.
The last line is the text that will appear on the screen, and exactly matches the start and end timestamp above (“it’s whatever makes you feel best in your own skin and whatever makes you feel good is being that girl,”).
2. How to create an SRT file
Creating an SRT file is quite effortless. You can refer to the following 3 ways to make an SRT file.
2.1. Create SRT files manually
Not everyone can afford a video editor, but you can create SRT files right on your computer. If you’re on a Mac, you can use TextEdit to create SRT files, and Windows users can use Notepad to create SRT files.
The only downside of this method is that it takes time to type. For a 1-2 hour video, the task will be very tedious!
Create SRT files with MacBook:
1. Open TextEdit on your MacBook.
2. Type 1 to mark the start of the first subtitle sentence, then press Enter.
3. Enter the start and end timecode for this section using the following format: hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds – -> hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds, then press Enter.
4. Next, type your captions. Subtitles should be limited to 32 characters, divided into two lines to avoid overwhelming viewers
5. After entering the first line of text in the string, press Enter twice to create a blank before starting a second caption.
6. Next, you enter number 2 after the blank line to start the second subtitle sequence.
Repeat steps 1-6 above until all subtitles are completed.
7. Then, you need to choose to save the newly created file as .srt. Click Format, click Make Plain Text and then click OK.
8. Select File and then Save. Under the Save as option, type the file name before changing the file extension from .txt to .srt. Uncheck the box “If no extension is provided, use “.txt”. Finally, you choose Save.
You can now upload Closed captions to your video.
Create SRT files with Windows:
Creating SRT files in Windows is similar to Mac, except you use Notepad instead of TextEdit.
An SRT file on TextEdit or NotePad follows this format:
[Section of subtitles number]
[hours]: [minutes]: [seconds], [milliseconds] –> [hours]: [minutes]: [seconds], [milliseconds]
[Subtitle]
2. 2. Create SRT files with Motionbear automatic subtitles generator
Creating an SRT file with Mac or Windows is quite easy. However, with videos up to hours long, you have to spend much time typing captions, which is really inconvenient and time-consuming.
Instead of using such manual methods, you can rely on automatic tools, such as Motionbear. Creating an SRT file with Motionbear is very simple. You only need to follow these steps:
1. Sign up for a Motionbear account.
3. Click to upload, or drag and drop a file and wait some minutes.
4. Select the video language to start generating captions.
5. Correct spelling and grammar errors in captions.
6. Select “Download Text” and then select “Download SRT”, upgrade your account to the Motionbear Pro package to quickly download SRT files.
Besides creating SRT files, Motionbear can translate your videos to 31 different languages. You are also free to edit subtitles at your discretion to create videos with your own style.
How to upload SRT files to Youtube
Uploading an SRT file to YouTube videos is paramount. Not only will it help your content be explicit and reach a wider audience, but your videos may also have a higher SEO rank.
Google loves clear and accurate subtitled videos as well, so adding subtitles will help your videos reach Google’s top searches.
To upload an SRT file to Youtube, do the following:
1. Open your YouTube Creator Studio.
2. Click on Subtitles on your left side and select the video you want to add subtitles.
3. Select the blue Add Language button and select the subtitle language you want to add.
4. Click Add under the Subtitles section when the new language line pops up on your screen.
5. You will be redirected to YouTube’s subtitle editor. Here, click on Upload a file and select the SRT file you want to upload. It’s all done now!
How to upload SRT files to LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a well-known and popular platform for the B2B market. To raise brand awareness, connect with quality partners, customers, or public groups, you should regularly upload posts, or professional videos to LinkedIn.
To upload an SRT file to a video on LinkedIn, do the following:
1. Upload video here.
2. After uploading the video, select “Select Caption”, download the created SRT file, and press “Done” to finish. Note, LinkedIn only accepts SRT files.
How to upload SRT files to Facebook
Facebook has more than 2.8 billion users. Such a huge number! Of course, if you want to promote your personal brand and reach more viewers, you can’t forget to add subtitles to your videos by uploading the SRT file to Facebook.
How to do:
1. Upload the video and select “Edit”
2. In the “Add captions” section, select “Upload” to upload the SRT file.
3. After the download is complete, you can edit the other parts in the video, and you’re done.
SRT files are the best tool to expose your video content to broader viewers, thereby improving your video rankings on search engines. To create an SRT file, we have suggested the above three ways.
Although you can create an SRT file manually on Mac or Windows, to save time for other important tasks, it’s best to create an SRT file using an automatic subtitles generator tool Motionbear.
Explore Motionbear now to perfect your translating and subtitling project!
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