# How to make an SRT file

> Make an SRT file by hand or export one from Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Descript or Marxx. See the exact format, a sample file and Meta's file-name rule.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-05
- **Category**: Captions
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-make-an-srt-file

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An SRT file is a plain text file that holds numbered captions with a start time and an end time. Write one by hand in any text editor and save it with the .srt ending, or export one from the editor where you made your captions.

## The format

Each caption is a block of three parts, then a blank line:

1. A number, counting up from 1.
2. The start time, then ` --> `, then the end time. Times read hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds, with a comma before the milliseconds.
3. One or two short lines of text.

## A worked example

Say your video is 20 seconds and you show a new caption every 2.5 seconds. That gives 8 blocks (20 divided by 2.5). Block 1 runs from 00:00:00,000 to 00:00:02,500. Block 8 runs from 00:00:17,500 to 00:00:20,000. The first two look like this:

```
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,500
Chai thandi ho gayi?

2
00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:05,000
Is Diwali, INR 999 mein dekhiye hamari steel flask.
```

Save it as `diwali_offer.srt`. Make sure the ending is .srt and not .txt.

## Export one from an editor

Paths checked 3 Nov 2026. To generate the captions first, see [best auto caption generators](/best/best-auto-caption-generators).

| Tool | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere Pro | Export, then the Captions section: Export Options "Create Sidecar File", File Format "SubRip Subtitle Format (.srt)" | One stream per file. The section is greyed out if the sequence has no caption track |
| Final Cut Pro | File > Export Closed Captions, then tick each language in Roles | Apple advises leaving Include Formatting off, because SRT has no text-style standard |
| Descript | Action bar (Command+K on Mac, Ctrl+K on Windows) > Export subtitles | Choose .srt or .vtt, speakers, characters per line and lines per card |
| DaVinci Resolve | Transcription window > Option menu > Export Subtitles | From Blackmagic's Resolve 19 guide, where the window is marked Studio |
| ZapCap | Web app | Downloads an MP4, plus SRT, VTT and TXT files |

Premiere Pro is now called Adobe Premiere.

[Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) imports SRT, VTT and ASS files and exports SRT or VTT. We make Marxx.

## Where to upload it

- **Meta ads.** The file name must follow `filename.languagecode_countrycode.srt`, for example `.hi_IN.srt` for Hindi. The clicks are in [how to add captions to video ads](/guides/how-to-add-captions-to-video-ads). Meta's automatic captions are English only.
- **LinkedIn ads.** LinkedIn's help page says captions must be an SRT file in plain text, with no font colours (checked 3 Nov 2026).
- **Premiere Pro.** Import the file like any media, then drag it into the sequence. Premiere makes a caption track.

## Mistakes to avoid

- A dot instead of a comma before the milliseconds
- Overlapping times, where one block starts before the last one ends
- Three or four lines in one block
- A wrong Meta file name, which stops the upload

## FAQ

### Can I style an SRT file?

Not in a standard way. Apple notes SRT has no text-style standard. For colours, fonts and animation, [burn the captions into the video](/guides/how-to-burn-subtitles-into-a-video).

### What is the difference between SRT and VTT?

Both are plain text caption files, and Descript and Marxx export both. Use the one your platform asks for. Meta and LinkedIn both ask for SRT.

### Can I edit an SRT file in a text editor?

Yes. It is plain text, so any text editor opens it. Change the words or the times, then save it with the .srt ending.

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- [More Captions articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/captions)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides)