Export captions as .vtt (WebVTT) files

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I'd like the option to export closed captions as .vtt files. Some of my clients only accept this format, and doing it manually or with different software is either very time consuming or costly.

[VideoHound]

I've been using the Happyscribe free online converter:
https://www.happyscribe.com/subtitle-tools/convert-srt-to-vtt

[S D Mol]

Again, .srt does not support the formatting features of .vtt, so it's only a workaround.

[Paul.M300]

Yes, was only mentioning it as a workaround as AW was asking for a converter.

It's just how I've been getting round the current issue, basic captions were fine for me.

Hopefully it gets resolved soon.

[Paul.M300]

I think you may struggle to get people to click on an unsolicited link.

If you asked your questions within the forum, you'd likely have more success.

[David Stack]

I'm following up to see if we can get an update on PP's ability to export to VTT files. This is would save me a lot of time in my workflow.

[TeresaDemel]

Hey all, I'm the product manager for this feature. I have a quick VTT survey so you can give us a little more detail. Please fill out the survey so we can make sure to serve your needs well. https://forms.microsoft.com/r/wZCG6KVFBK

[Francis-Crossman]

We are working on this.

We have completely redesigned the captioning workflow in Premiere Pro version 15.0. You will see many dramatic workflow improvements. Please update to the latest version.

Learn all about the new captions workflow here: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/user-guide.html/premiere-pro/using/working-with-captions.ug.htm...

[Finbarr5FA0]

The lack of a VTT export is quite the problem for us. 

[Stacks Urban Harvest]

It sure is! I'm really hoping this is resolved soon!

[Stan Jones]

@TeresaDemel,

Thanks for working on this. I don't know how I missed this feature request in UserVoice. I suppose it was a) because it was old when the new caption workflow came along, and b) we still had .stl for export from what are now Subtitles. It took me a bit to realize .stl was gone for that purpose, since it was still listed in the reference guide as an option. That left no workaround for getting styling out of PR.

In any event, there is no longer a convenient way to get anything but font color out of PR in a sidecar from a Subtitle track.

I do not see in this thread so far the fact that Vimeo recommends VTT as its top choice:

https://vimeo.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/224968828-Captions-and-subtitles

"Vimeo supports the following captions and subtitles file formats: SRT, WebVTT, DFXP/TTML, SCC, and SAMI files, but we recommend using WebVTT whenever possible....

If you have captions or subtitles enabled as a viewer, you can access the Customize menu within CC settings to edit font size, font color, font edge styling, background color, and background opacity. Creators can also access this functionality by leveraging WebVTT standards in caption or subtitle files during upload."

I have not tested this recently, but Youtube's implementation of VTT is more limited than Vimeo (they most prefer .scc), but they export a VTT option that includes word specific timing.

I see references on many sites now to setting color and opacity for the "window" in addition to background.

I emphasize that sidecar export needs urgent attention, and it is not a simple choice. VTT is being used more.

The survey is a great idea, but the choices for what to include require adding too much under "other"!

Positioning (zone and more specific location)

Font family

Font size, font color, font edge styling, background color, and background opacity

In line font styles such as italics etc.

Stan

[Alberto22732067dum6]

While we wait on Adobe to get with the requirements of ADA, here are two free sites that will convert SRT to VTT which is not the full solution we want but might be useful until we get one.

100% Editing Tools is https://en.editingtools.io/subtitles

Free and Pay Subtitle Tool https://subtitletools.com/convert-to-vtt-online

[Stacks Urban Harvest]

While I don't underand why Adobe hasn't come through on this yet, Veed.io has been a great, free workaround for me, and it's easy to use. 

https://www.veed.io/tools/subtitle-converter/srt-to-vtt

[Olivia31152990ycv5]

We also need this feature. VTT is what our industry uses, not SRT. It is frustrating needing to use a third-party tool to convert the file after exporting it. 

[kylek43868987]

We're also needing software that can export .vtt while retaining positioning.

[Travis32834127m1hd]

Does anyone have suggestions for third party apps/plugins for VTT export while maintaing position?

[Paul.M300]

YouTube: Upload video - upload .SRT then download .VTT.
Or Articulate Storyline (if you have the software licence) - add video to slide, add .SRT - then manage captions and download .VTT. Both workarounds of course, would be far easier to just download from Premier if Adobe could get the functionality up and running.

[defaultuvxayfpaqgrb]

This doesn't appear possible in the 2024 release. I can't imagine this is very difficult to implement. Just format the timecode with the differences from .srt to .vtt. Instead of a comma, you make a period for the frame. Add WEBVTT to the top. Remove the line numbers. I'm not a coder, but I'd think an intern could develop this in an afternoon?  Just have it similar to the .srt export but with the above differences?

[Stan Jones]

@defaultuvxayfpaqgrb,

> I can't imagine this is very difficult to implement. 

It is not that simple. Can they do it? Yes. But it will take some effort, and that gets translated into priorities for limited programming time. Should they do it? Yes.

VTT is only useful if it includes the positioning and styling information that is missing from the current SRT export. It is more appropriate to compare EBU subtitles (which PR exports with some styling as XML or STL); those are more complex than SRT. A VTT downloaded from Youtube (some time ago) began like this:

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en
Style:
::cue(c.colorCCCCCC) { color: rgb(204,204,204);
 }
::cue(c.colorE5E5E5) { color: rgb(229,229,229);
 }
##

00:00:16.650 --> 00:00:19.230 align:start position:0%
 
<c.colorE5E5E5>Lords<00:00:17.650><c> anchor</c><00:00:17.980><c> was</c><00:00:18.130><c> started</c><00:00:18.520><c> by</c><00:00:18.670><c> people</c></c><c.colorCCCCCC><00:00:18.730><c> in</c></c>

00:00:19.230 --> 00:00:19.240 align:start position:0%
<c.colorE5E5E5>Lords anchor was started by people</c><c.colorCCCCCC> in
 </c>
......

Stan

[defaultuvxayfpaqgrb]

Sure, VTT can include all that formatting, but its not needed if you just want basic .vtt captions, that can then be controlled by the player.  This is what I'd like to see exported as a .vtt:

WEBVTT

00:00:04.212 --> 00:00:06.631
This is some text.

00:00:06.631 --> 00:00:08.049
This is more text.

[TheMediaPerson]

I also only need basic, plain text .vtt. Just need .vtt to import into the caption settings in 'Microsoft Stream on SharePoint' videos. If Adobe just released this basic functionality right away, couldn't the fancier stuff come in later releases? 

[virginiam30451105]

ikr?

[virginiam30451105]

Srsly. this is weird. Agree.

[Alberto22732067dum6]

I found a great open source program that can help with caption/subtitle/VTT and all various caption flavors. It will even do translations.

https://www.nikse.dk/subtitleedit

[Stacks Urban Harvest]

I've been using Veed.io for this lately, which normally works great, but today I can't get it to download the VTT files in any browser. So I turned to ChatGPT, and it worked beautifully! Of course we wouldn't have to do all these backflips if Adobe would simply make this a priority. 

[raymondocampo]

Bump. Premiere Pro 2024 and still no ability to export as VTT.