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Whisper Web

VTT Generator

Create a WebVTT .vtt file from speech in a video or audio recording. The shared caption workflow is generate subtitles.

For longer files and cloud historyExplore Pro
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What a VTT file is

VTT, or WebVTT, is the caption format built for the web. The file starts with the line WEBVTT. Cue times use a period before the milliseconds, as in 00:00:01.200. Cues are not numbered. A cue can carry a setting after the time range, such as align:middle.

An HTML5 video element loads this file with a track tag. Some web players and course sites ask for .vtt specifically. Like SRT, the file is text. It does not include the picture or the audio.

When to use VTT instead of SRT

Use VTT when the caption will play in a browser. The header, the period in the timestamp, and optional cue settings are the parts a web player reads. Use SRT when the file is going to YouTube Studio or a video editor. Those tools expect numbered cues and a comma in the timestamp.

Cue settings do not survive a conversion to SRT. If alignment matters for the web player, keep the VTT. If you only need the words and the times in an editor, SRT is the simpler handoff. Converting an existing file is a different job from generating cues out of a recording.

How to generate VTT from audio or video

Upload a recording you are allowed to caption, or paste a public link to the media file. MP4, MOV, WebM, MP3, and M4A are typical inputs when the browser can play them. Choose the spoken language from 99 languages, or use automatic detection.

Review every cue. WebVTT will show whatever text you leave in the cue, including a name that was heard wrong. Adjust the in and out times, then download the .vtt file and attach it to the web player. You can download SRT from the same transcript when an editor needs SubRip instead.

Both formats are also covered on generate subtitles. Come here when the deliverable is specifically WebVTT.

Free and Pro limits

Free transcription runs in your browser for a file up to 200 MB and 20 minutes. It does not require an account. Pro is the published Whisper Web Unlimited plan: US$20 per month, or US$120 per year (shown as US$10 per month when billed yearly). Each Pro file can be up to 10 hours or 5 GB, and a Pro batch can include 50 files. Choosing Pro uploads the file for cloud transcription.

Generate a VTT file in 3 steps

  1. Step 1

    Add audio or video

    Upload the recording or paste a public direct media link. The speech in that file becomes the cues.

  2. Step 2

    Create the cues

    Select the spoken language. A free file up to 200 MB and 20 minutes is processed in the browser.

  3. Step 3

    Download WebVTT

    Edit the cue text and times, then download the .vtt file for the HTML5 player or site that asked for WebVTT.

What the VTT file looks like

The same standup lines look like this in WebVTT. The second cue includes an alignment setting that SRT cannot store.

WEBVTT

00:00:01.200 --> 00:00:04.000
Thanks for joining the Tuesday standup.

00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:07.800 align:middle
The recording is a browser screen capture.

The file opens with WEBVTT. Times use a period, cues have no index number, and align:middle is a WebVTT cue setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a VTT file?

VTT is a WebVTT caption file. It starts with WEBVTT, uses period timestamps, and can store cue settings. It does not contain the video.

How do I generate VTT from audio or video?

Upload the recording, choose the spoken language, review the timed cues, and download the .vtt file.

When should I choose VTT over SRT?

Choose VTT for an HTML5 video player or any site that asks for WebVTT. Choose SRT for YouTube Studio and most video editors.

What happens to cue settings if I switch to SRT?

SRT keeps the words and the times. It does not keep WebVTT settings such as align:middle. Keep the VTT if the player needs those settings.

Can I edit the WebVTT cues first?

Yes. Change text and timing on this page before you download. The file uses the cues you leave in the editor.

Is the VTT generator free?

Files up to 200 MB and 20 minutes are free in the browser. Pro is Whisper Web Unlimited at US$20 per month or US$120 per year, for cloud files up to 10 hours or 5 GB.

Does this translate captions into another language?

No. Cues stay in the spoken language. Whisper Web supports 99 languages for that transcription. Translation into a second subtitle language is not part of this page.

Does free VTT generation upload the media?

No. Free processing runs in the browser. Pro uploads the recording when you choose cloud transcription.