What makes a VTT file different?
The first line is WEBVTT, the timecode uses a dot instead of a comma, the hours may be left out and the encoding is UTF-8 by definition.
Video to VTT
Turn a video into WebVTT subtitles
Turn a video into WebVTT subtitles: upload the file, get a track that starts with WEBVTT and holds every line of speech with its start and end time.
3 files a day up to 30 minutes, free99+ languagesSpeaker separation and timestamps
In short
Upload a video and get a WebVTT track: a file that starts with WEBVTT and lists every piece of speech with the time it starts and ends. A browser reads it through the track element of HTML5. The free plan is $0, three files a day.
How to make a VTT track from a video
- 1
Send the video to the widget
Any of the accepted video files will do. One file is up to 30 minutes; the free plan allows three files a day, 30 minutes each.
- 2
Wait for the segments
The engine returns one line per segment with the second it begins and the second it ends, and the names of the speakers when you ask for them.
- 3
Download the .vtt file
The file begins with WEBVTT, then the cues: a start time, a dot before the milliseconds, an end time and the text.
- 4
Point the player at it
In HTML5 the file is named in a track element with the kind set to subtitles. A video editor will take the same file without trouble.
What you get
- TXT
Plain text for an email, a note or a chat
- SRT
Subtitles for video editors and platforms
- VTT
Subtitles for a browser and a website
- CSV
A table: time, speaker, text
- DOCX
A Word document with speakers and times
- Markdown
Text with headings for notes
What a WebVTT track holds
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| The first line | WEBVTT — a player stops reading a track that does not start with it |
| The timecode | 00:02.000 — a dot before the milliseconds, and the hours are optional |
| The character encoding | UTF-8 — the format is defined as UTF-8 |
| Speaker names | voice spans that name the person talking |
| One file | up to 30 minutes on the free plan, no minute limit on Pro; on the free plan 30 minutes and 3 files a day |
The case
Why the web asks for a different file
A page with a video on it asks for one particular subtitle file, and that file is WebVTT. It is a W3C specification, it is defined as UTF-8, and the first line of every track reads WEBVTT. Give a browser the file it expects — a track element with the kind set to subtitles — and the captions appear on the picture.
Tips
Keep the WEBVTT line at the top of the file, exactly as it is.
A dot in the timecode means VTT; a comma means SRT.
Test the track in the browser you actually use.
UTF-8 is not a choice here; the format requires it.
Questions this page answers
Can the track name the speakers?
Yes. A voice span carries the name of the person talking, so two voices in one video stay apart in the captions.
Which file should I export for a web page?
The VTT. A browser reads it through the track element; the SRT is for editors, video software and the platforms that ask for it.
Is there a charge for the VTT export?
No. VTT is on every plan: TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT and CSV, with DOCX on Pro. The free plan is $0, three files a day and 30 minutes per file.
Sources
- WW3C — WebVTT: The Web Video Text Tracks Format (candidate recommendation draft, 20 May 2026)w3.org · checked 22 October 2026
Reading: 6 minutesUpdated 
Transcribsi editorial team
Drop a recording — the text arrives in a minute
Speakers by name, a time on every line, export to TXT, SRT, VTT, CSV and Markdown.
3 files a day up to 30 minutes, free99+ languagesSpeaker separation and timestamps