Find an SRT timestamp error without losing a cue
Read a SubRip block, separate formatting from timing problems, and make the smallest safe correction.
Read one block before changing anything
An SRT file contains numbered subtitle blocks. A typical block has a cue number, a start and end time, subtitle text, and a blank line before the next block. SRT is widely used but not completely standardized, so players can be more or less permissive. Subtitle Workbench uses a stated compatibility format; it does not claim to predict every player. Save a copy before editing. The tool blocks export while a format error remains, which prevents an export of only readable blocks from looking clean after dialogue was lost.
1 00:01:02,500 --> 00:01:05,000 The next train leaves at noon.
Separate an SRT timestamp from a WebVTT timestamp
In the example, the cue starts 62.5 seconds into the video and ends at 65 seconds, so it lasts 2.5 seconds. The comma separates whole seconds from three digits of milliseconds. The arrow is two hyphens followed by a greater-than sign, with whitespace on either side.
A period instead of a comma may work in some software, but this tool reports it for review as incompatible syntax. Check that the file is actually SRT before changing it. WebVTT normally uses periods and has a different file header; renaming a .vtt file to .srt does not convert it.
| Part | Value in the example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 00:01:02,500 | 62.5 seconds |
| End | 00:01:05,000 | 65 seconds |
| Duration | 65 − 62.5 | 2.5 seconds |
Use the audio to choose the correction
A value such as 00:00:65,000 has an out-of-range seconds field. If 65 seconds was intended, write 00:01:05,000. If the source meant 6.5 seconds, write 00:00:06,500. The audio or source project is needed to choose between them.
- If the end equals or precedes the start, enter the intended time from the video. A formatter cannot infer the duration.
- If text is missing, recover it from the original captions or transcript. Do not add speech merely to remove an error.
Check the boundary before you export
Blank lines separate blocks. A blank line inside a subtitle can leave its remaining text looking like a new malformed block. Reconnect the intended text, then leave a blank line only at the block boundary.
After format errors are resolved, inspect the export preview. Subtitle Workbench numbers cues from one in their current order, writes consistent line endings, and preserves subtitle text. It does not sort cues or infer missing timestamps. Watch the export in the intended player before replacing a delivered version.