VTT (WebVTT - Web Video Text Tracks) is the native subtitle format for HTML5 video. If you're embedding videos on websites or need styled captions, VTT is the format you need.
VTT Structure
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.500
Welcome to this video about
YouTube transcripts.
2
00:00:03.500 --> 00:00:07.200
Today we'll cover everything
you need to know.
3
00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:11.000
Let's start with the basics
of transcript extraction.
Key VTT Features
| Feature | Description | Example |
|---|
| Header | Required first line | WEBVTT |
| Cue ID | Optional identifier | 1, intro, etc. |
| Timestamp | Uses periods | 00:00:00.000 |
| Styling | CSS-like classes | text |
| Positioning | Custom placement | line:0 position:50% |
VTT vs SRT Comparison
| Aspect | VTT | SRT |
|---|
| Header | Required (WEBVTT) | None |
| Timestamp separator | Period (.) | Comma (,) |
| Styling support | Yes | No |
| Positioning | Yes | No |
| HTML5 native | Yes | No |
| Compatibility | Web-focused | Universal |
Why Use VTT?
Best Use Cases
- 1.HTML5
- 2.Web-based video players - Optimal format
- 3.Styled captions - Colors, fonts, positioning
- 4.Accessibility compliance - WCAG support
- 5.YouTube embedding - Matches source format
Not Ideal For
- Desktop video editing software
- Universal compatibility needs
- Legacy systems
Method 1: yt-dlp (Best for VTT)
YouTube natively stores captions in VTT format, making yt-dlp ideal:
Installation
# pip
pip install yt-dlp
# Homebrew (Mac)
brew install yt-dlp
Download VTT
# Download auto-generated captions as VTT
yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-format vtt --skip-download "VIDEO_URL"
# Download manual captions
yt-dlp --write-sub --sub-format vtt --skip-download "VIDEO_URL"
# Specific language
yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-lang en --sub-format vtt --skip-download "VIDEO_URL"
Output
Creates: video_title.en.vtt
Steps
- 1.Open YouTube video in browser
- 2.Open Developer Tools (F12)
- 3.Go to Network tab
- 4.Filter by "vtt" or "timedtext"
- 5.Play video (triggers caption load)
- 6.Find VTT request in list
- 7.Right-click → Copy response
Finding the VTT URL
Look for URLs containing:
timedtextfmt=vttlang=en (or your language)
Method 3: SRT to VTT Conversion
If you have SRT, convert to VTT:
Using ffmpeg
ffmpeg -i subtitles.srt subtitles.vtt
Manual Conversion
- 1.Add "WEBVTT" header
- 2.Change commas to periods in timestamps
- 3.Optional: Add cue IDs
Python Conversion
def srt_to_vtt(srt_file, vtt_file):
with open(srt_file, 'r') as f:
content = f.read()
# Replace comma with period in timestamps
import re
content = re.sub(r'(\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}),(\d{3})', r'\1.\2', content)
# Add VTT header
vtt_content = "WEBVTT\n\n" + content
with open(vtt_file, 'w') as f:
f.write(vtt_content)
srt_to_vtt('subtitles.srt', 'subtitles.vtt')
Online Converters
- Rev.com converter
- GoTranscript converter
- Subtitle Edit online
VTT Styling Options
Basic Styling
WEBVTT
STYLE
::cue {
background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
color: white;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
Styled caption text
Text Colors
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
<c.yellow>Yellow text</c> and <c.cyan>cyan text</c>
Positioning
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 line:0
Caption at top of video
00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.000 line:100%
Caption at bottom (default)
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.000 position:0%
Caption aligned left
Bold, Italic, Underline
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
<b>Bold</b> and <i>italic</i> and <u>underline</u>
Using VTT with HTML5 Video
Basic Implementation
<video controls>
<source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
<track src="subtitles.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="en" label="English" default>
</video>
Multiple Languages
<video controls>
<source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
<track src="subtitles-en.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="en" label="English" default>
<track src="subtitles-es.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="es" label="Spanish">
<track src="subtitles-fr.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="fr" label="French">
</video>
Track Kinds
| Kind | Purpose |
|---|
subtitles | Translation/transcription |
captions | For deaf/HoH (includes sounds) |
descriptions | Audio descriptions |
chapters | Navigation markers |
metadata | Machine-readable |
VTT for Web Accessibility
WCAG Requirements
For video content accessibility:
- Provide synchronized captions
- Captions should be accurate
- Important sounds described
- Speaker identification when needed
Accessibility-Compliant VTT
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.000
JOHN: Welcome to the show.
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.000
JANE: Thanks for having me.
00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:12.000
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
VTT Cue Settings
Full Settings Reference
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 vertical:rl line:10% position:50% size:50% align:middle
Caption with all settings
Setting Explanations
| Setting | Values | Purpose |
|---|
vertical | rl, lr | Vertical text |
line | Number or % | Vertical position |
position | % | Horizontal position |
size | % | Cue box width |
align | start, middle, end | Text alignment |
Editing VTT Files
Text Editors
VTT files are plain text:
- VS Code (with VTT extension)
- Sublime Text
- Notepad++
- Any text editor
VS Code VTT Extension
- 1.Install "Subtitles Editor" extension
- 2.Open .vtt file
- 3.Syntax highlighting
- 4.Validation
- 5.Preview
| Tool | Platform | Features |
|---|
| Subtitle Edit | Windows | Full editing |
| Aegisub | Cross-platform | Professional |
| Jubler | Cross-platform | Free |
Common VTT Issues
File doesn't start with "WEBVTT"
Add WEBVTT as the first line, followed by blank line
Using commas instead of periods
WRONG: 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000
RIGHT: 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
Browser Not Displaying
Track not showing in video player
Solutions:
- Ensure
default attribute on track element - Check CORS headers for cross-origin files
- Verify file path is correct
- Check browser console for errors
Encoding Issues
Special characters display incorrectly
Save file as UTF-8 encoding
Q1Is VTT better than SRT for web use?
Yes, for web. VTT is the HTML5 standard for video captions, supports styling and positioning, and works natively with the
Q2Can I add styles to YouTube's VTT captions?
The extracted VTT file won't have styles from YouTube. You can add your own styling by editing the VTT file before using it in your web project.
Q3Why won't my VTT file load in HTML5 video?
Common issues: missing WEBVTT header, wrong file path, CORS restrictions (for cross-origin files), or browser caching old version. Check browser console for specific error.
Q4How do I extract VTT directly from YouTube?
Use yt-dlp with --sub-format vtt flag. YouTube stores captions in VTT format natively, so no conversion is needed with this method.
Q5Can I use VTT files in Adobe Premiere?
Adobe Premiere supports VTT import, but SRT is more commonly used in video editing. For web embedding, use VTT. For video editing, consider SRT.
VTT is the optimal format for web-based video subtitles. Use yt-dlp to extract YouTube captions in native VTT format, or convert from SRT if needed. VTT's styling and positioning capabilities make it ideal for custom web video players and accessibility-compliant implementations.
Quick extraction workflow:
- 1.Install yt-dlp
- 2.Run:
yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-format vtt --skip-download "URL" - 3.Use the .vtt file in your HTML5 video element
Start using VTT for your web video projects today.