What Is a VTT File? WebVTT Format Explained
A VTT file, also called WebVTT, is the web standard subtitle file format used by HTML5 video, it supports styling, positioning, and metadata.
Definition
A VTT (Web Video Text Tracks) file is the W3C web standard subtitle file format used by HTML5 video, supporting timed captions plus styling, positioning, and metadata.
Also known as: WebVTT, .vtt
Full Explanation
A VTT file, formally WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks), is a subtitle and caption file format standardized by the W3C for use with HTML5 video. It extends the older SRT format with support for inline CSS styling, screen positioning, alignment, and metadata. A VTT file begins with the header 'WEBVTT' on its own line, then a sequence of cue blocks, each containing a timecode range and the caption text. VTT is the default format for HTML5 <track> elements and is widely supported by modern browsers. It is preferred over SRT when you need styling control directly in the subtitle file, for example, coloring different speakers differently or positioning captions in specific corners of the video. Most video tools can convert between SRT and VTT in a single step.
Examples
- -WEBVTT\n\n00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.500\nWelcome to the show.\n\n00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:06.000\n<c.speaker1>Let's get started.</c>
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