Glossary
What Are Soft Subtitles? Definition Explained
Soft subtitles are caption text stored as a separate file or track, viewers can toggle them, change their style, or replace them with a different language.
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Definition
Soft subtitles are caption text stored separately from the video file (as SRT, VTT, or a multiplexed track) that the player overlays at viewing time and the viewer can toggle or customize.
Also known as: softsubs
Full Explanation
Soft subtitles, also called softsubs, are caption text stored as a separate sidecar file or as a parallel track inside a video container (like MP4 or MKV). The player composites them on top of the video at playback time. This contrasts with hardsubs (burned-in captions), which are permanently rendered into the video pixels. Soft subtitles are the standard for streaming services and Blu-ray, because they allow the viewer to: turn captions on or off, switch between multiple languages, adjust font size and color, and even replace the subtitle file with a fan-translated version. The most common soft-subtitle file formats are SRT (universal but plain text) and VTT (web standard, supports styling).
Examples
- -An SRT file uploaded alongside a YouTube video.
- -A Netflix video with a subtitles dropdown showing 20 languages.
- -An MKV file with embedded subtitle tracks selectable in VLC.
Related Terms
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