WebVTT (.vtt subtitles)
Also known as: .vtt file, WebVTT, web video text tracks, vtt subtitles
A VTT (WebVTT) file is a plain-text caption and subtitle format built for web video, used by the HTML5 video player. Like SRT it stores timecoded text, but it adds styling, positioning, and metadata. It is a small text file, typically only a few kilobytes.
- Plain-text caption format for web video (HTML5)
- Adds styling and positioning over SRT
- Small text file — only a few kilobytes
WebVTT vs SRT
WebVTT (.vtt) is the captioning format for the web — it is what the HTML5 `<track>` element expects. A file starts with the line `WEBVTT`, then cues with timecodes like `00:01.000 --> 00:04.000` and the text to display.
It is close to SRT but more capable: WebVTT supports cue positioning, basic styling, and metadata, where SRT carries only plain text and timing. Both are human-readable plain text and both are tiny on disk.
Where you meet VTT files
You see WebVTT behind subtitles on websites and streaming players, and as sidecar files downloaded alongside video. Like any subtitle file it can sit next to the video or be referenced by a streaming playlist.
For storage, VTT files are negligible — they are text, not media. The space goes to the video itself, so VTT files are worth deleting only for tidiness.