Extract SRT, ASS, and WebVTT subtitles from MKV — free, in your browser
Not every subtitle track needs OCR. Plenty of MKVs already carry text subtitles, and those you can extract from an MKV free — right in your browser, with no account and nothing to install. If your track is SRT, ASS/SSA, or WebVTT, this is the fast path.
Text tracks vs image tracks
- Text tracks store the actual words: SRT (SubRip), ASS/SSA (SubStation Alpha), and WebVTT. Nothing to recognise — they come straight out.
- Image tracks store pictures of each line: PGS (Blu-ray) and VOBSUB (DVD). Those need OCR to become text.
This post is about the first kind. If you have an image track, see how to convert PGS subtitles to SRT or VOBSUB to SRT instead — or read image-based vs text-based subtitles explained if you’re not sure which you have.
Extract text subtitles in your browser
- Open your MKV. It’s parsed locally — your file never leaves your device.
- Pick the text track. SRT, ASS/SSA, and WebVTT are all detected automatically.
- Download it. The track is handed back to you as a file, instantly. No OCR, no account, no credits.
Because there’s no recognition step and nothing gets uploaded, this is completely free and completely private.
Converting ASS or WebVTT to SRT
If your track is ASS/SSA or WebVTT and you want plain SRT, extract the text track and save it as SubRip in any subtitle editor — the timing and lines carry straight over, since it’s all text already. (The styling in ASS is the one thing SRT doesn’t keep, because SRT is a plainer format by design.)
When you’ll still need OCR
If the MKV only has a Blu-ray or DVD subtitle track, that track is images, and you’ll need OCR to get text — that’s the paid path, with a free preview to check quality first. Not sure which kind you have? Start with how to extract subtitles from an MKV, or see the docs.
Extract your text subtitles free — no account needed.