Create an SRT File on Mac and Check Its Timing

Create timed text from a local video or write cues from existing words and times. Save the result as plain-text UTF-8 with the .srt extension, then load it with the matching video and check two cues.

Generate timed text from a local video

Kyrifix Caption generates timed SRT text from a local video. Compare the generated words with the original sound before delivery. For existing words and times, use the manual branch below. Choose a separate SRT file when the receiving player needs a subtitle track; burned-in words are part of the video picture.

Sources: Library of Congress

Write the cues manually

Each cue has a number, a start and end time, text, and a separating blank line. Use HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm, with an end time later than the start. This authored two-cue example illustrates the structure; replace its words and times with your media.

1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,000
Hello.

2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,000
你好。

Sources: Library of Congress

Save plain text with the correct extension

On Mac, choose TextEdit → Format → Make Plain Text. In TextEdit → Settings → Open and Save, choose UTF-8 for saving plain text and clear the setting that always adds .txt. Save as example.srt and inspect the full name in Finder → Get Info → Name & Extension. On Windows, Notepad → File → Save As uses All files (*.*) and UTF-8 with the name example.srt. Reopen the file to check the Chinese text. A rich-text document must be converted to plain text before changing its extension.

Sources: Apple · Apple · Apple · Microsoft · Microsoft

Load and check the actual subtitle file

Open the matching video in a player that supports SRT. In Windows VLC 3 use Subtitle → Add Subtitle File, select the saved file and enable the track. Check cue 1 at 1–3 seconds and cue 2 at 4–6 seconds for this example, then check the beginning and end of your real subtitles against speech. Missing captions call for checking the selected track, full .srt filename and cue syntax; garbled text calls for reopening as UTF-8. For shifted timing, compare the same phrase near the beginning and end before changing cue times.

Sources: Library of Congress · VideoLAN

Open product: Caption