(Help) Adding a .srt to a .mp4

[RuckusMcGuckus]

Anyone know a SAFE, easy, and preferably free way to add a .srt to a .mp4 file
If you don't know, .srt files are just subtitles/captions

 

[Potapota]

Something something ffmpeg I don't remember the syntax anymore. Can't really go "safer" than that since that is what literally every tool would be built on anyway.
Handbrake is also a pretty powerful gui tool that probably allows you to just embed the subs.

 

[Sumea]

Anyone know a SAFE, easy, and preferably free way to add a .srt to a .mp4 file
If you don't know, .srt files are just subtitles/captions

I looked into this best I can myself and MP4 container has no official support for subtitles, the best way to do it is to either "burn" the subtitles to the video or trust your player to be able to read external subtitles, usually with same name, maybe with a language tag as the video file. For example "Final_Fantasy_Interview.mp4" having "Final_Fantasy_Interview.srt" in the same folder. Of course, if you are asking for PS3, Vita or PSP, you are out of luck. MKV is the container format that lets you store number of different format subtitles with other parts of a video like the audio and video. If that is usable for you, MP4's can be built into MKV's with tools like MKVtoolNix rather simply. Silly enough, MP4 does support multiple audio tracks though, something I got use of storing stereo and surround soundtracks to music videos and such to be stored and played back on my PS3.

 

[jankusanagi jankusanagi]

I'm not sure the MP4 container can have subtitles embedded, but if you don't mind using the MKV container, you can very easily do that and sooooo much more with the jewel that is MKVToolnix.

 

[Spike's iconSpike]

Needs to be re-encoded.
I use a program called Handbrake, It's free and open source.
Open the video, go to subtitles, import subtitle and start encode.

Releases · HandBrake/HandBrake

HandBrake's development repository . Contribute to HandBrake/HandBrake development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

https://support.rev.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035584052-How-Do-I-Add-a-Subtitle-File-to-My-Video#h_01J0PEJ32YDC5C4Y7W3WAP8J7H

 

[RuckusMcGuckus]

Of course, if you are asking for PS3, Vita or PSP, you are out of luck. MKV is the container format that lets you store number of different format subtitles with other parts of a video like the audio and video. If that is usable for you, MP4's can be built into MKV's with tools like MKVtoolNix rather simply. Silly enough, MP4 does support multiple audio tracks though, something I got use of storing stereo and surround soundtracks to music videos and such to be stored and played back on my PS3.

Yeah... it actually would be for my PS3 cause its the simplest way to get some stuff on a CRT.
Would something like MKVtoolNix work in this case? I did see people suggesting it online, but then the next question would be the best/safest place to download it.

I'm not sure the MP4 container can have subtitles embedded, but if you don't mind using the MKV container, you can very easily do that and sooooo much more with the jewel that is MKVToolnix.

 

[RageBurner]

Needs to be re-encoded.
I use a program called Handbrake, It's free and open source.
Open the video, go to subtitles, import subtitle and start encode.

Releases · HandBrake/HandBrake

HandBrake's development repository . Contribute to HandBrake/HandBrake development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

https://support.rev.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035584052-How-Do-I-Add-a-Subtitle-File-to-My-Video#h_01J0PEJ32YDC5C4Y7W3WAP8J7H

Yeah I was foi foi going to recommend handbrake.

 

[RuckusMcGuckus]

Or i guess i could try Handbrake lol

Yeah I was foi foi going to recommend handbrake.

Needs to be re-encoded.
I use a program called Handbrake, It's free and open source.

Handbrake is also a pretty powerful gui tool that probably allows you to just embed the subs.

Post automatically merged: Apr 21, 2025

Thank you everyone. Handbrake worked for me!

 

[Sumea]

Or i guess i could try Handbrake lol

Yeah. Only if your PS3 is modded you can use MKV files on it, unmodded PS3's do not parse MKV format. Handbrake is one of the only ways if your PS3 is unmodded, but it is a time consuming re-render of the video. You can use MKV but still need to use video and audio formats that PS3 is friendlier with, H264 video, AAC or AC3 audio and srt subtitles. M7 formerly Movian MOD is currently best homebrew media player app for PS3.

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

A bit late for that, but I did that for hevc mkvs with Lossless Cut without re-encoding. It's a GUI for ffmpeg.