Convert Text to an SRT Subtitle File
This tool takes a script, a transcript, or any block of text and turns it into a formatted SRT subtitle file. Paste the text in or upload a file, and an AI splits it into subtitle-sized lines and estimates a timestamp for each one.
It is not a speech-to-text tool: it works from text you already have, not from audio. If you have a video or audio recording instead and want subtitles generated from the actual speech, use the video upload option on this page, which sends the file to ScreenApp’s audio to SRT transcription tool instead.
What you get:
- A downloadable
.srtfile with numbered entries and timestamps - Timing split at sentence boundaries where possible, so lines don’t cut off mid-word
- Support for TXT, DOCX, XML, TTML, MKS, LRC, VTT and SBV as input
- No signup required to convert
How to Convert Text to SRT
- Add your text: Paste it into the box, or upload a file in TXT, DOCX, XML, TTML, MKS, LRC, VTT and SBV format. Text files are read directly and a DOCX is unpacked to get at its text, so styling and layout are dropped either way.
- Let the AI time it: an AI estimates timing from sentence length and reading pace, at about 4 words per second. It also splits long sentences across lines so entries stay short enough to read on screen.
- Download the SRT file: Get a standard
.srtfile that works with YouTube, Vimeo, VLC, and video editing software.
Because the timing is estimated from the text rather than measured against real speech, it works best for a script you’re preparing ahead of recording, or existing subtitles you’re reformatting. For subtitles that match speech precisely, upload the audio or video itself and see how we measure accuracy. Estimated timing is worth a second look before you publish either way, because a line that reads fine on the page can still go past too fast on screen. The subtitle quality checker measures reading speed cue by cue and flags the ones that overrun.
Converting a TXT File to SRT
Most people looking for a txt to srt converter have exactly this: a file sitting in a folder, not a clipboard full of prose. Upload it rather than opening it and copying the contents. The result is the same, it is just fewer steps.
Worth knowing before you do: the line breaks in your file are not preserved. A .txt exported from a transcription tool often arrives with one line per phrase, or as a single unbroken paragraph, and neither shape survives. The text is re-split at sentence boundaries into subtitle-sized lines, capped at 42 characters a line and two lines a subtitle, which are the limits most players and style guides expect. So a file with awkward line breaks is not a problem, and a file with careful line breaks will not keep them.
Text files are read as UTF-8. That covers almost everything you will run into, but a .txt saved in an older regional encoding can turn accented characters into stray symbols. If names or accents come back looking wrong, re-save the file as UTF-8 in any text editor and upload it again.
There is a ceiling of about 32,000 characters per conversion, which is roughly 5,000 words, or a little over half an hour of speech at normal pace. A feature-length script needs splitting into a couple of passes.
Word Documents and the Other File Types
A .docx file works. A word to srt conversion is the same job as a plain text one with the unpacking handled for you: the document is opened, the text is pulled out, and you go straight from a Word script to a subtitle file without copying anything into a text editor first.
Only the text survives, which is the point. Bold, headings, colors, tables and comments are all dropped, because none of them mean anything in an SRT file. If your script keeps speaker names or stage directions as ordinary text, those come through as text and will end up in the subtitles, so strip them first if you do not want them on screen.
The older .doc format is a different thing despite the similar name. It is a binary format that browsers cannot read, so the tool tells you rather than loading it. Open it in Word and save it as .docx, or paste the text in directly.
Beyond those, TXT, DOCX, XML, TTML, MKS, LRC, VTT and SBV are accepted. The subtitle formats in that list are useful when you have captions in the wrong container and want them re-timed and re-wrapped as SRT rather than converted line for line.
Text to SRT Converter vs Other Tools
| Feature | ScreenApp | GoTranscript | subtitletools.com | MConverter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no signup | Free, no signup | Free | Free up to 15 files/day, paid tiers not stated |
| Input formats | TXT, DOCX, XML, TTML, MKS, LRC, VTT and SBV | TXT | ASS, SSA, SMI, SUB, VTT | TXT and others |
| Batch conversion | Not stated | Not stated | Up to 50 files at once | Up to 15 files/day, 200 MB/file on the free tier |
| Timestamp method | an AI estimates timing from sentence length and reading pace, at about 4 words per second | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources, checked 2026-09-12: ScreenApp pricing, gotranscript.com/convert/txt-to-srt, mconverter.eu/convert/txt/srt/, subtitletools.com/convert-to-srt-online
- vs GoTranscript: GoTranscript’s converter is Free, no signup and handles a single TXT file at a time. ScreenApp’s converter also accepts DOCX, XML, TTML, MKS, LRC, VTT and SBV files.
- vs subtitletools.com: subtitletools.com converts ASS, SSA, SMI, SUB, VTT into SRT and can batch up to 50 files at once, but it converts between existing subtitle formats rather than generating timing from plain text.
- vs MConverter: MConverter’s free tier allows 15 files a day up to 200 MB each, with paid tiers raising the file size cap; its page does not describe how it generates timing for plain text input.
Who Uses a Text to SRT Converter
Content creators turn a video script into subtitle timing before they film, so the captions are ready to drop in during editing instead of retimed afterward.
Video editors reformat existing subtitle text, translated scripts, or notes from a client into a standard SRT file that imports cleanly into editing software.
Localization teams convert a translated transcript into SRT once the wording is finalized, then fine-tune the exact timing by hand or against the source audio.
Streaming platforms and publishers generate a baseline SRT file for accessibility and searchability, then review it against the video before publishing.
Educators convert lecture notes or a prepared script into subtitle format for recorded lessons shared with students who need the material in another form.
