Sample subtitle files
Free sample subtitle files in 12 formats for testing video players, editors, websites and converters. Every file holds the same four short captions, so you can compare the formats side by side.
| Format | Extension | Best for | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRT | .srt | Video players, TVs, video editors and most video sites | sample.srt |
| WebVTT | .vtt | Video on web pages and in browsers | sample.vtt |
| ASS | .ass | Styled subtitles, anime and MKV files | sample.ass |
| SBV | .sbv | YouTube captions | sample.sbv |
| TTML | .ttml | Broadcast, streaming and professional captioning | sample.ttml |
| DFXP | .dfxp | Broadcast, streaming and professional captioning | sample.dfxp |
| MicroDVD | .sub | Older films and DivX-era subtitles; timed in frames | sample.sub |
| SAMI | .smi | Windows Media and Korean subtitles | sample.smi |
| LRC | .lrc | Synced song lyrics for music players | sample.lrc |
| CSV | .csv | Spreadsheets, reviews and translation work | sample.csv |
| Spruce STL | .stl | DVD authoring in DVD Studio Pro; timed in frames | sample.stl |
| TXT | .txt | Transcripts, notes and quotes | sample.txt |
What the samples contain
The four captions are short on purpose but cover the cases that most often go wrong: captions with two lines, a sound description in brackets, a speaker name, an italic line, music notes and a caption that starts before the previous one ends.
Formats without formatting, such as SBV, LRC and CSV, show the italic line as plain text, and LRC joins each two-line caption into one line. The MicroDVD and Spruce STL samples are timed for 23.976 fps video.
How to use them
Load a sample in your video player, editor or website to check that it shows the captions, or open it on this site to see how it converts. To try the time shifter or the cleaner, open a sample there: the sound description, the speaker name and the overlapping captions are there to be fixed or removed.
Questions and answers
Can I use these files in my own project?
Yes. The sample files are free to use for testing, demos and documentation.
Why is there no SSA or SubViewer sample?
The site reads SSA and SubViewer files but saves them as ASS and SRT, so samples are only offered in the formats it can write.
Where do the files come from?
They are made by the same converter that runs on the home page, from one SRT file, so they show exactly what a conversion produces.