Hardcoded subtitles to SRT
Extract hardcoded subtitles from a video and save them as SRT
When the subtitles are printed into the picture, there is no subtitle file to copy. Upload the video and this tool reads the subtitle area twice a second, turns every line into a timed cue and gives you an SRT and a VTT. Keep the subtitles as they are, have them translated into one of 81 languages, or get both lines together. A video of up to 5 minutes is free in full. A longer one costs $5, paid once, for up to 3 hours.
- One video file up to 2 GB and 3 hours for one payment (6 hours on Unlimited)
- Reads the bottom of the picture, or the top if your subtitles sit there
- Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Russian and other scripts kept exactly as shown
- Two-line subtitles, such as Chinese above English, kept as two lines
- Output as shown, translated into 81 languages, or bilingual
- A translated job also gives you an SRT in the original language
- Up to 5 minutes free in full, first part of longer videos free · whole video $5, one payment
What you get back
A numbered, timed subtitle file built from the text in the picture, ready for a player, an editor or a translator.
- SRT and VTT files with one cue per subtitle, starting and ending when the line appears and disappears.
- The text written in its own script, letter for letter as shown, with the subtitle's own line breaks.
- An extra SRT in the original language whenever you chose a translation, so one job gives you two files.
- Channel logos and watermarks that stay on screen the whole time left out.
- UTF-8 files with a byte-order mark, which older players and TVs need for non-Latin scripts.
- Lines you correct on screen are used in the files you download.
Doing it in a chatbot, and with this tool
A chat assistant can read the subtitle in one screenshot you paste in. A whole episode is hundreds of subtitles, each with a start and end time that only the video knows.
| What you need | A chatbot | This tool |
|---|---|---|
| The words in one frame | Usually fine from a screenshot | Also fine, and free in full up to 5 minutes |
| Every subtitle in a 45-minute episode | Hundreds of screenshots, pasted one by one | The whole video read in one job, frame by frame |
| When each line starts and ends | Not possible from still images | Timed from the video, twice a second |
| Chinese or Korean kept exactly as shown | Often fine on one image | Read in its own script and kept as written |
| An English version of the subtitles | Lines get merged or dropped on long lists | Each cue translated on its own timing |
| A file a player or editor accepts | Text in a chat window to copy out | SRT and VTT downloads |
How to extract hardcoded subtitles to an SRT file
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1
Add the video
Drop one video file of up to 2 GB (MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI and more), or paste a public Google Drive, Dropbox or direct file link. YouTube links are not taken here.
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2
Say where the subtitles are
Most videos show subtitles at the bottom; choose the top if yours sit there. Pick the output: as shown, translated, or bilingual. Naming the subtitle language is optional and helps with short or stylized lines.
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3
Check the first part, then download
The first part appears on screen as timed cues. If it reads correctly, pay $5 for the whole video and download the SRT and VTT.
Why burned-in subtitles trip up a chat assistant
Hardcoded subtitles are pixels, not text. A chat assistant can read them from a single screenshot, but an episode changes subtitle every few seconds, and the time each line appears is information that only exists in the video. Pasting hundreds of frames into a chat is slow, the replies get shorter as the list grows, and there is no way to get start and end times back from still images.
This tool works through the video itself. It takes the subtitle area of the picture twice a second and skips frames that look the same as the one before. The frames it keeps are numbered and read by an AI vision model in batches, so a film needs a few hundred reads rather than thousands. Lines that stay the same across frames become one cue, which starts at the first frame that shows it and ends when the text changes or disappears.
What people use it for
- Chinese and Korean dramas with hardsubs, turned into an SRT that can be translated or corrected
- Old DVD rips and TV recordings where the subtitles were burned in and the subtitle file is lost
- Short films and festival screeners delivered with burned-in subtitles only
- Social media clips and lectures with captions printed on screen, to get the text and timing back
- Language learners who want the on-screen lines as a file next to the video
Hardcoded or soft subtitles: check first
If your player has a subtitles menu where you can switch the text on and off, the file holds a soft subtitle track, and that track can be saved directly with a free media tool; nothing needs to be read from the picture. This tool is for subtitles you cannot turn off because they are part of the image.
Some videos have both: a soft track in one language and burned-in subtitles in another. Choose the area of the picture where the burned-in lines appear, and the soft track is ignored.
Accuracy and limits
The picture is sampled twice a second, so a start or end time can be off by up to about half a second. That is close enough for watching and translating; for broadcast delivery, open the SRT in a subtitle editor and adjust the cues that matter. Very small, blurry or low-resolution text, subtitles that move around the frame, karaoke effects and text over a busy background are harder to read and may be skipped or misread.
Only subtitles are kept. Signs, credits, on-screen titles and channel logos are left out on purpose, so a sign that a viewer needs to read will not appear in the file. Translations are made by an AI model; treat them as a draft to review. Check the free first part of your own video before paying.
Hardsub pages by language and use
Pages for common jobs, each opening the tool with the right options already selected.
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Read more →What it costs
Short videos, first part
Free
A video of up to 5 minutes is read in full for free, downloads included, no account. For a longer video, the subtitles of the first part are shown on screen; a free account shows more of it.
Whole video
$5
One payment for one video of up to 3 hours. SRT and VTT in your chosen output, plus the original-language SRT when translated. No subscription.
Unlimited
$19 / week
Every tool on the site, videos up to 6 hours per job. Renews weekly, cancel any time.
Questions and answers
How do I extract hardcoded subtitles from a video?
Upload the video here, choose whether the subtitles are at the bottom or the top of the picture, and check the free first part on screen. Unlock the whole video for $5 and download the SRT.
Can ChatGPT extract burned-in subtitles from my video?
It can read the subtitle in a screenshot you paste in. For a whole episode it would need hundreds of screenshots and still could not tell when each line starts and ends. This tool reads the video itself, twice a second, and times every cue.
Can it translate the subtitles too?
Yes. Choose Translated or Bilingual and a language from the list of 81. Each cue is translated on its own timing, and you also get an SRT in the original language.
Does it work with Chinese, Korean or Arabic subtitles?
Yes. The text is read in its own script and written exactly as shown, including two-line subtitles with two languages. Check the free first part of your own video, because small or stylized fonts are harder to read.
How exact are the timings?
The picture is sampled twice a second, so a cue can start or end up to about half a second away from the frame where it really changes. Cues are kept in order and never overlap.
What video files can I upload?
One file of up to 2 GB: MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI, M4V, 3GP, MPEG, TS, WMV or FLV, or a public Google Drive, Dropbox or direct file link. YouTube links are not taken.
How much does it cost?
A video of up to 5 minutes is free in full. A longer one is $5, paid once, for up to 3 hours. Unlimited costs $19 a week, renews weekly and covers videos up to 6 hours per job.
Is my video private?
Only you can open your job. Frames from the video are sent to an AI model provider only to be read and are not used to train models. Jobs started without an account are deleted after 7 days, and you can delete a job yourself at any time.
Updated October 25, 2026 · APPFACT STUDIO LTD