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How to convert PGS subtitles to SRT (Blu-ray .sup to text)

If you have pulled the subtitles out of a Blu-ray and ended up with a PGS track (or a .sup file), you have probably noticed you can’t open it in a text editor. That’s because PGS subtitles are images, not text — each line is a tiny bitmap, so converting PGS to SRT takes OCR, not a simple format swap.

This guide walks through exactly how to do it.

Why PGS isn’t already text

PGS stands for Presentation Graphic Stream — the subtitle format Blu-ray discs use. Instead of storing the words, the disc stores a picture of each subtitle line and displays it over the video. When you rip the disc, that picture stream comes across as a PGS track inside your MKV, or as a standalone .sup file. A text editor, a translator, or a re-timing tool all need actual text, so the images have to be read first. That reading step is OCR (optical character recognition). For how PGS compares to the other subtitle formats, see image-based vs text-based subtitles explained.

Convert PGS to SRT in three steps

PGSExtract runs the whole thing in your browser — no install, no account needed to try it.

  1. Open your MKV and pick the PGS track. The file is read locally in your browser and the subtitle stream is separated out. Your video never leaves your device — only the small subtitle stream is ever uploaded.
  2. Choose the language and run OCR. Each subtitle image is recognised in the language you select, from over a hundred. Start with the free 100-frame preview to check the quality before spending anything.
  3. Download your SRT. The recognised lines are written to a standard SubRip .srt file with the original cue timings preserved, ready to edit anywhere.

That’s it — an image-based Blu-ray track becomes editable SRT text you can translate, re-time, or clean up in any subtitle editor.

Already have a .sup file?

If your subtitles are already a standalone .sup bitstream (for example from a previous rip), the path is the same: it’s still image data that needs OCR to become SRT. Drop it in and run the preview.

What you get

Working with a DVD instead of a Blu-ray? DVD subtitles use VOBSUB, which is also image-based — see Convert DVD (VOBSUB) subtitles to SRT. Not sure which track you have? Start with how to extract subtitles from an MKV file, or read the docs for the full pipeline and FAQ.

Convert your PGS subtitles now — free preview, no account needed.

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