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.

[MOONDL]

@Francis-Crossman The link you shared doesn't mention anything about the status of support for exporting VTT files, and your post was nearly a year ago. Any update on this? Thanks.

[Joop Overhand]

Very strange that this takes forever, since the only essential difference is the word 'WEBVTT' in the first line of a file, plus the fact that all the time codes in VTT need to have a . instead of a , (in other words: a full stop instead of a comma).

VERY VERY VERY easy to build, many free online converters do this already.

Shame on you, Adobe!

[Alberto22732067dum6]

The current best solution for me is to export SRT file into open source Subtitle Edit, make any adjustments and export VRT file. SE will also allow quick burning of open caption to video file.

[Chris Spiegl]

Hello everyone and @Francis-Crossman , I am wondering what the current status is. I am aware that wheels at a corporation like Adobe turn slowly. But it's been a year since this has been marked as something that's beeing worked on. The Captions workflow in this is pretty good so far but the VTT export appears to still be missing.

Any chance to get an update on this?

Warm Regards,

Chris

[Purpose&Peace Solutions]

I'm creating subtitles in multiple languages for a client.  The original video sometimes has English text or graphics on-screen, so my subtitles need to have a dark background to keep them legible on top of other writing/graphics in the original video.  SRT files do not allow us to control font formatting or shading options.  I need to export with VTT or these subtitles don't work.  My only option would be to hard-burn the formatted subtitles into the video and create a different video for each language, which is not a workable solution.  I need to know a date on when I can export VTT files, or need to change to a new video editing platform, since this will be an ongoing need for this global client.

[bernief48541811]

it's 2024, I'm on version 24.1 and it still seems impossible to export subtitles to .vtt

Also, I don't see the date people posted, it all shows the same date for me, so it's hard to follow the discussion. Has this been a thing since version 14??

[Stan Jones]

Bernie, make sure you go to the extra pages of this thread. Its long.

This Idea was ported from the old UserVoice system. All those posts have the same date when they were transferred. Newer posts have the correct date.

Stan

[Angelic_member5FBE]

Still no webvtt, even on the beta? Meanwhile our hole online video output vor DRV (nearly 40.000 employees!) needs to be WEBVTT and all video editors work on adobe premiere but have to use some extra work around to deliver correct cc.
I would hate it, if they would switch to another editing software, just because of this!

[Todd_Morgan]

Looking to export to VTT and wondering if this has been added yet?

[Stan Jones]

@Todd_Morgan,

No VTT yet in the newest Release 24.3.0 nor the latest Beta I have - 24.4.0.30.

Here's a summary of this feature request that was submitted in 2018 and was ported from the old UserVoice system. As of today, it has 116 upvotes. The porting date (1/24/23) appears for all of the earlier entries. Dates after then are the actual date of a post.

The status as of today is "started," and there are 2 staff responses from right after the new captions workflow was introduced in PR 2021. @Francis-Crossman's reply is pinned to the top of this thread.

@TeresaDemel's reply still has an active link to a survey on .vtt support. It was updated at some point, so I think it is worth completing. It is IMPORTANT regarding feedback on styling and position. Some of you advocate for vtt export in its simplest form. Others want some option for exporting styling and position and vtt is one of the best options.

Teresa's post and the survey link are here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-ideas/export-captions-as-vtt-webvtt-files/idc-p/13523195...

My previous comments, including the issue that there is no subtitle format export with positioning etc, are here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-ideas/export-captions-as-vtt-webvtt-files/idc-p/13542214...

and, regarding "plain" vtt vs with styling and position, here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-ideas/export-captions-as-vtt-webvtt-files/idc-p/14162179....

Stan

[Alberto22732067dum6]

While we all wait, as Adobe continues to ignore us, my go to solution is to export an SRT file. I then use Subtitle Edit (open source) which can create a VTT output. It is better then holding my breath.

[TheMediaPerson]

You can export to VTT in DaVinci Resolve just fine. Just sayin'.

https://editingtools.io/guides/convert-resolve-subtitle-to-vtt 

[Jill Woodward]

Also, importing VTT files is important. What's happening here? Anyone have workarounds? Last time I tried to convert to SRT it was not accurate.

[Alberto22732067dum6]

Try Subtitle Edit, it is free and open sourced program. Comes in very handy when captioning and working around Adobe slow response to our captioning needs.

[Jill Woodward]

I don't actually need Premiere Pro, as the edit is finished. VTT captions were done externally for DCP and now a burn in mp4 copy is needed. Does anyone know of another NLE that could marry the two?

[GreyGerber]

It is June 19th, 2024, and there is still no VTT support. What happened?

[Alberto22732067dum6]

I discovered that in OneDrive, CoPilot will create a transcript and VTT file from a video which can be exported.

Time to wake up Adobe!

[Alberto22732067dum6]

Have you taken a look at SubTitle Edit. It is open source. It may work with your file format.

[RCGV5FBF]

Has there been any follow up to this issue? My client's Wordpress video player only accepts .vtt files and my old work around using YouTube captioning is starting to get unreliable. Adobe Premiere Community, any suggestions for work arounds for generating .vtt caption files for your web videos?

[defaultoth6kprkxgn4]

Are you STILL working on this?

[Jesse38120601fxce]

or were they ever?

[GoviChan]

I’ve been using SubEasy free subtitle formatting tools for conversions, including formats like SRT, VTT. https://www.subeasy.ai/convert-vtt-to-srt .

[wesley.smith]

Any update? Please move this up in the list of priorities please. Thanks!

[wesley.smith]

Using converts is a work around. But sharing with 3rd parties is a no go for sensetive work projects.

[Matt3265090327qy]

To hopefully save other frustrated users some time, as of January 2025, despite the misleading pinned reply, the captioning workflow STILL does not have any support for .VTT (import, editing, or export) on Premiere Pro on PC.

Nationally, states are requiring captions for WCAG compliance and there is still no support for this on Premiere Pro.

Microsoft PowerPoint only accepts VTT format files for captions. Some CART captioners only provide VTT format files.

Saved transcripts from Zoom export in VTT format and preserve Speaker Names.

Even if you mark the speaker names in the transcipt panel in Premiere Pro, upon creating a SRT caption file, the resulting file excludes any speaker names. 

Any attempt to convert a file to SRT format strips away the speaker names because unlike VTT, SRT is more rudimentary and does not have a field for Speaker Names in the caption file itself. Not to mention the privacy and security issues with uploading unpublished content to conversion websites and downloading whatever comes out.

We really need this feature or to give up on this product and find a better alternative that does support VTT.