Why subtitle something with no image?

Because the file retains the timings. As soon as that audio becomes a video — a clip, an audiogram, an edit — the subtitle track is already made and synchronised.

Do the timings stay valid if I add an image later?

Yes, as long as you don't trim the audio. They're calculated from the recording, not inferred from the text.

Can I get plain text instead of subtitles?

Yes, from the same transcript. DOCX, PDF, CSV or JSON, with or without timestamps.

How long does the process take?

About three minutes per hour of recording. An hour-long podcast will be ready in a few minutes.

Can I include the speaker's name in the subtitle?

Yes, as long as you request speaker identification: each segment is labelled, and you can add the real name before downloading. Common with two-host podcasts.

Does it work with a multi-hour recording?

Yes. It's worth reviewing proper nouns before downloading, since several tend to appear over three hours of content.

No account required

Generate an SRT file from an audio recording

Subtitles for content with no image: podcasts, interviews, radio. With timings calculated and ready to sync with video later.

Drag your file in here

MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, MOV… and any other audio or video, whatever the size

Compatible with MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG and FLAC
Timings calculated from the audio, not estimated
Plain text also available, if you prefer

MP3
WAV
M4A
AAC
OGG
FLAC

About this tool

Subtitling doesn't depend on having an image. An audio recording with its SRT is a more accessible podcast, a searchable interview, and, if combined with video later, an already synchronised subtitle track.

The timings are calculated from the audio itself, so they remain valid when that recording is later combined with an image. Since no video is uploaded, the file is a tenth of the size and the process finishes in minutes.

Features

Timings calculated from the audio to the millisecond: they remain valid once video is added.
Speaker identification on each line, key to making an interview legible.
Lines adjusted to a readable length, not one block per paragraph.
The same process also includes the summary and the plain text.

How it works

1
Upload the audio
Any common format, up to 50 GB per file.
2
Review the text
Play the audio with the synchronised lines and adjust names and terminology.
3
Download the .srt file
Or the VTT, or the plain text. One transcript, the format you need.

Use cases

Podcasts

The SRT works as an accessible version, improves search ranking and serves as episode notes.

Audiograms

Clips shared on social media need subtitles, already calculated in advance.

Radio and interviews

Quote with the exact timestamp, with no need to rewind.

In detail

Why subtitle an audio file

It may seem unusual until the need arises: a podcast that will also be published as video, a radio interview someone will edit with images, a talk recorded in audio only that will later get a still image. In all three cases, you have an audio file and need an SRT.

The result is equivalent to what you'd get with video, since timings are calculated against the sound rather than the picture. When combined with an image later, subtitles synchronise automatically, as long as the audio hasn't been trimmed in between.

What to do with the SRT once generated

Publish it, to start: a podcast with a transcript improves its search ranking, and an SRT is the fastest way to get that transcript with timings included. Several podcast platforms accept it directly.

Then, add it to an edit. As a text track, an SRT works in any editor, so if that audio ends up inside a video — even one with a single still image — the subtitles are already done. If you'd rather have running text, the same screen lets you download it as a document.

Frequently asked questions

Need to transcribe a video?

Upload it and get the text with timestamps, each voice identified and a summary. No account needed to start.

Transcribe my recording See pricing