How to Export and Use SRT Subtitle Files in Video Editors

Extracting a transcript as plain text is great for reading, note-taking, or feeding into LLMs. However, if your goal is video repurposing—such as making clips, translating captions, or creating audiograms—you need an SRT (SubRip Subtitle) file.

This guide explains what an SRT file contains and how to import it seamlessly into major Non-Linear Editors (NLEs).

Anatomy of an SRT File

An .srt file is a universally accepted plain-text subtitle format. Each subtitle block contains three core components:

1
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,800
Here is the first line of spoken dialogue.

2
00:00:03,850 --> 00:00:06,400
Followed by the next synchronized sentence.

• Sequence Number: Integer indicating subtitle ordering.
• Timecode: HH:MM:SS,mmm (hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds) marking exact in and out points.
• Text Payload: The actual words to display on screen.

When you use Reel Transcript and click Download .srt, our parser calculates exact millisecond timecodes from the platform caption stream.

Importing SRT Files into Your Editing Software

1. Adobe Premiere Pro

1. Download your .srt file from Reel Transcript.
2. In Premiere Pro, choose File > Import (or drag the .srt file directly into your Project Panel).
3. Drag the imported subtitle asset onto your timeline above your video track.
4. Open the Text Panel > Captions Tab to customize font styling, background bounding boxes, or text positioning across all captions simultaneously.

2. DaVinci Resolve

1. In the Edit Page, drag the .srt file into the Media Pool.
2. Drag the subtitle clip from the Media Pool directly onto your timeline. Resolve will automatically create a dedicated Subtitle Track above your video tracks.
3. Select the Subtitle track and navigate to the Inspector Panel > Track Tab to adjust typography, kerning, outline strokes, and dropshadows globally.

3. Final Cut Pro

1. Choose File > Import > Captions.
2. Select your downloaded .srt file.
3. In the import settings dialog, select the CEA-608 or iTT format (or keep SubRip depending on your target delivery platform).
4. Captions attach directly to the top of your primary storyline.

Practical Tips for Subtitle Sync

• Frame Rate Drift: If captions appear slightly desynchronized over a long video, verify that your project sequence frame rate matches the source video frame rate (typically 24fps, 29.97fps, or 30fps).
• Line Wrapping: Keep subtitles under two lines of text per screen (around 32–37 characters per line) to maximize mobile viewer retention.