Video Subtitle Extractor — Extract or Generate SRT / VTT Subtitles
Pull the subtitle tracks out of an MKV or MP4, or generate subtitles from speech with Whisper, as SRT or VTT. Runs on our server (free Google sign-in); edit SRT/VTT files in your browser.
About Video Subtitle Extractor
A video subtitle extractor pulls subtitle tracks embedded in container formats like MKV and MP4 out into standalone subtitle files, so you can edit, translate, re-time, or import them into other video tools. The ZTools Video Subtitle Extractor works with a video in two ways, both on our own processing server: it extracts every text subtitle track already inside the video (MKV, MP4, MOV or WebM, up to 100 MB) as SRT or WebVTT, or it generates subtitles from what is said, using the Whisper speech model on up to 15 minutes of audio. The video mode needs a free Google sign-in, and the server deletes your video right after processing. Its "Edit a subtitle file" mode opens an existing .srt or .vtt file in your browser, with no upload.
Use cases
- Editing subtitles. Found a typo or want to fix a translation. Extract the subtitle track, edit it here or in any text editor (it's plain text), then re-import it into the video.
- Subtitles for a video that has none. A talk, lesson or interview with no captions. Generate subtitles from the speech, review them, and upload the SRT alongside the video.
- Subtitle translation. Translate the subtitle file into another language (manually, or via a translation tool). A single text file is far easier to translate than handling video inline.
- Standalone subtitle archive. Some media servers (Plex, Jellyfin) prefer standalone .srt files alongside videos. Extract once, store separately for cleaner library structure.
How it works
- Choose "From a video" and sign in. The video modes run on our server and need a free Google sign-in. To fix an existing .srt or .vtt file instead, choose "Edit a subtitle file".
- Pick how to get the subtitles. "Extract tracks inside the video" reads the subtitle tracks already in the file. "Generate from speech" transcribes what is said with Whisper.
- Add the video. MKV, MP4, MOV or WebM up to 100 MB for extraction; audio or video up to 15 minutes for generated subtitles.
- Choose the format. SRT: universal, plain text. WebVTT: the web standard for HTML5 video, similar to SRT with optional styling.
- Download. Each text track (or the generated subtitles) downloads as its own file, named with the language when the video records one.
Examples
Input: MKV with 3 subtitle tracks (English, Spanish, Japanese)
Output: Three downloads: video.eng.srt, video.spa.srt and video.jpn.srt.
Input: MP4 with an embedded text subtitle track
Output: One .srt or .vtt file, ready to edit.
Input: Recorded lecture with no subtitle track
Output: Generate from speech: timed SRT subtitles of what the speaker says.
Frequently asked questions
What if my video has no embedded subtitles?
Use "Generate from speech", which transcribes the audio with the Whisper model and returns timed subtitles you can download as SRT or VTT.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?
SRT: text-only, universal across players. VTT: web standard, supports CSS styling, used by HTML5 <track>. Functionally similar for most content.
Why can some tracks not be extracted?
DVD and Blu-ray subtitles are pictures of text, not text. The tool lists them but cannot turn them into SRT; that would need OCR on every frame. Styled ASS subtitles are converted to SRT or VTT, which drops their positioning and styling.
How do I re-embed edited subtitles?
Use a tool like MKVToolNix (desktop) to remux the video with the new subtitle file, or upload the .srt alongside the video on platforms that accept one.
Is the video uploaded?
In the "From a video" modes, yes: it goes over HTTPS to our own processing server, which deletes the video and the subtitles right after processing. Editing a subtitle file happens in your browser and uploads nothing.
Can I extract burned-in subtitles?
No — burned-in subtitles are part of the video frames, not a separate track. "Generate from speech" can create new subtitles from the audio instead.
Pro tips
- Check the language tags on the downloads — they tell multiple tracks apart.
- SRT is the safest target format for editing; convert to VTT only when serving HTML5 video.
- Generated subtitles need a proofread: names, jargon and overlapping speakers are the usual errors.
- After editing, validate the timing in a subtitle editor — most editors flag overlap, gap, or out-of-bound timestamps.
- For batch extraction across many files, scripted FFmpeg on desktop is faster than one upload at a time.
Reviewed by Ahsan Mahmood · Last updated 2026-09-11 · Part of ZTools.
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