Choose the right subtitle export.
Use MP4 when the caption design must travel with the picture. Use SRT or VTT when a platform should control the caption track, and TXT when you only need the spoken words.
Last updated August 26, 2026
Captioned MP4 for permanent on-screen text
A captioned MP4 burns the selected style directly into every video frame. The font, color, emphasis, animation, and placement remain visible wherever the file is posted, and the viewer cannot switch them off. This is usually the clearest handoff for social clips and other destinations where consistent visual presentation matters more than a selectable caption track.
SRT for broad subtitle compatibility
SubRip, or SRT, stores numbered cues with start times, end times, and caption text. It is a practical interchange format for many video editors and publishing systems. SRT does not carry the full visual design from the editor, so the receiving platform decides how closed captions look. Check that the destination explicitly accepts .srt before uploading.
WebVTT for browser-based video players
WebVTT, or VTT, is a timed-text format designed for the web. A file starts with a WEBVTT header and uses period-based milliseconds in its timestamps. Choose it when an HTML video player, learning platform, or web publishing workflow requests .vtt. The exported file contains timed text rather than the animated burned-in style used in an MP4 render.
TXT for a plain transcript
TXT removes cue timing and keeps the transcript words in a plain-text document. It works well for notes, article drafts, review, search, or moving copy into another writing workflow. It is not a subtitle track: a video player cannot synchronize untimed TXT to the audio without timings being created again.
Open captions versus closed captions
Burned-in MP4 captions are open captions because they are always part of the image. A separate SRT or VTT is commonly used as a closed-caption track that a compatible player can show or hide. If your distribution channel supports separate captions, providing the text track can give viewers control while an MP4 preview preserves the intended visual version.
Choose the format from the destination
Start with the place the file is going. For a social post that must look identical, download MP4. For an editor or upload form that asks for SubRip, choose SRT. For an HTML player that asks for WebVTT, choose VTT. For words without timing, choose TXT. When the destination documentation names a format, follow that requirement rather than converting by habit.
Review every export before publishing
Play the final MP4 from beginning to end and check synchronization, spelling, line breaks, contrast, safe placement, and audio. For SRT or VTT, import the text track with the exact final cut of the video and inspect the first, middle, and last cues. A structurally valid file can still be wrong if the source video was trimmed after transcription.
How downloads affect the Free plan
The Free plan includes 3 watermark-free MP4 exports per calendar month at up to 1080P. SRT, VTT, and TXT downloads do not use an MP4 export credit. That means you can download timed captions for another platform even when you do not need a rendered video from this editor.
Frequently asked questions
Which subtitle format should I use for social media?+
Use a captioned MP4 when the text style and placement must be visible in the feed without depending on player settings. If the platform accepts a separate caption file, you can also provide SRT or VTT for viewer-controlled captions.
Do SRT and VTT keep my caption styling?+
No. Separate subtitle files primarily carry timing and text. The destination player controls their appearance. Export an MP4 when the exact font, color, emphasis, animation, and position need to remain fixed.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?+
SRT normally uses numbered cues and commas before milliseconds. VTT begins with a WEBVTT header, uses periods before milliseconds, and can support additional web-player cue settings. Use the format requested by the destination.
Does downloading subtitles use a video export credit?+
No. SRT, VTT, and TXT downloads do not consume an MP4 export credit. The monthly quota applies to rendered captioned video exports.
Can a TXT transcript be uploaded as captions?+
Not as a synchronized track. TXT has no cue start and end times. Use SRT or VTT for timed captions, or generate timing again from the matching source video.