Can I Convert a Plain Text Transcript into Properly Timed Subtitles?
Yes. CaptionIt takes a plain text transcript and adds timing information, turning it into a properly timed subtitle file (SRT or WebVTT) that you can use right away. The whole process runs in your own browser, so the transcript never leaves your device.
How the conversion works
You paste or upload your plain text transcript, and CaptionIt analyzes the audio or video alongside it to assign start and end times to each line. The result is a standard subtitle file with synced timing, ready to download.
What if I don't have a transcript yet
If you only have the audio or video file, CaptionIt can generate a transcript first and then add timing in the same pass. This is billed per minute of audio, with the first 30 seconds free so you can check the output before committing.
Fixing timing that's already off
If you already have a subtitle file but the timing has drifted — a common issue after re-encoding or trimming a video — CaptionIt can also pull out-of-sync captions back into alignment, separate from the plain-text-to-subtitle conversion.
Format support
Once your transcript is timed, CaptionIt can export it as SRT or WebVTT, and convert between the two if your platform needs a specific format.
Privacy while converting
CaptionIt processes the transcript and timing entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server, which matters if the transcript contains confidential or personal content. If you operate under specific data-handling rules for your organization or country, check those rules against how your browser and device handle local processing, since that responsibility sits with you, not with CaptionIt.
When this approach won't work
CaptionIt times a transcript against actual audio or video — it does not guess timing from text alone. If you don't have the matching audio file, there is nothing for it to sync the transcript against, so accurate timed subtitles aren't possible that way.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert a plain text transcript into properly timed subtitles?
Yes, as long as you also have the matching audio or video file. CaptionIt uses that audio to calculate when each line of the transcript should appear and exports a timed SRT or WebVTT file.
Do I need the original audio file to time a transcript?
Yes. Timing requires matching the text against the actual audio, so CaptionIt needs the audio or video file alongside the transcript to generate accurate timestamps.
What subtitle formats does CaptionIt produce?
CaptionIt outputs SRT or WebVTT, and can convert between the two formats as needed.
Is my transcript uploaded anywhere during conversion?
No. The conversion and timing process happens in your browser, so the transcript and audio stay on your device.
How much does it cost to generate a transcript if I don't have one?
Generating a transcript from audio is charged per minute, with the first 30 seconds free so you can review the result first.
Can CaptionIt fix subtitles that are already out of sync?
Yes, separate from plain-text conversion, CaptionIt can also realign existing subtitle files whose timing has drifted out of sync.