How to make subtitles (SRT) from your script when you record on your phone
Many people watch videos with the sound off, so subtitles matter. If you recorded from a script, you already have the words — what you are missing is timing: when each line starts and ends.
What an SRT file is
An SRT file is a plain text file that video platforms and editors understand. Each subtitle has a number, a start and end time, and the text:
1
00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:03,200
Hi, today I want to show you something simple.
2
00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,900
It takes less than a minute.You upload it next to your video, and the platform shows the lines at the right time.
Why timing is the hard part
Typing the words is easy when you have a script. Matching every line to the exact second you said it is slow: play, pause, note the time, repeat.
Auto-captions avoid that work, but they guess the words from the audio. Names, product terms and quiet speech often come out wrong, and you have to fix them by hand.
When you read from a script, the best of both is possible: the exact words from your script, timed by when you actually reached each line.
Getting subtitles for every take
Teleprompter: Talk & Scroll records the time you reach each line of your script while you film. After each take:
- Subtitles are made from your script for that take.
- Preview them over the video.
- Share the .srt file to upload with your video or open in an editor.
There is no watermark on the video, even on the free plan.
Tips for clean subtitles
- Keep script lines short. One line on screen is easier to read than two. Around 40 characters per line works well.
- Break lines where you pause. The subtitles will follow your natural rhythm.
- Use the script for what you say, notes for what you don't. Stage directions in the script would end up in the subtitles; keep them as notes.
- Check names and numbers once before you publish.