Subtitle Time Shifter — Delay or Advance All Subtitle Timestamps

Fix out-of-sync subtitles by shifting every timestamp forward or backward by any number of seconds. Works with SRT and VTT files. Free, browser-based, instant.

Out of sync?

Fix this file in one click

A uniform shift helps constant offset. Overlaps, CPS, or mixed drift → use Fix Subtitles.

Fix this file in one click →Translate Burn

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Click to upload SRT or VTT file

or paste subtitle content below

Offset (seconds)

Direction

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Out of sync, overlapping, or CPS fail? Use Fix. Need another language or hardcoded captions? Those are one click away.

Fix this file in one click →Translate Burn Video to Subtitles

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Why are subtitles out of sync?

Subtitle sync issues happen when the subtitle file was created for a different version of the video. Common causes include: the video file has a longer intro or credits than the version the subtitle was made for; the video was re-encoded at a different frame rate (e.g., 24fps to 25fps shifts timing by ~4%); the video was trimmed or extended after subtitles were generated; or the subtitle was downloaded for a theatrical version of a film when you have the extended cut. In all these cases, every subtitle cue is offset by a consistent amount — which is exactly what this tool corrects.

Forward vs backward — which do I choose?

Choose "Forward" if your subtitles appear too early — the text shows up before the person speaks. Choose "Backward" if your subtitles appear too late — the text appears after the person has already spoken. A simple test: if the first subtitle appears 2 seconds before the first word is spoken, shift backward by 2 seconds. If it appears 2 seconds after, shift forward by 2 seconds.

What if only part of the video is out of sync?

This tool applies a uniform shift to all cues, which only fixes sync issues caused by a constant offset. If your video has multiple sync breaks at different points (common in subtitles for multi-episode compilations or videos with variable frame rates), you will need a subtitle editing tool like Subtitle Edit (desktop, free) or our AI-powered Fix Subtitles tool which can analyze and correct per-segment timing.

1
Upload your SRT or VTT file
Click "Choose file" or paste your subtitle content. The tool auto-detects SRT and VTT formats from the file content.
2
Enter the offset in seconds
Type how many seconds to shift. Decimals are supported (e.g., 1.5 seconds). Select Forward if subtitles are early, Backward if they are late.
3
Download the adjusted file
Click "Shift timing" and download the corrected subtitle file in the same format (SRT or VTT) as the original.

My subtitles are 2 seconds behind the audio — what do I do?▼

Upload your file, enter 2 in the offset box, and select "Forward". This shifts all timestamps 2 seconds earlier, bringing subtitles in sync with the audio.

Can I shift by fractions of a second?▼

Yes. The offset field accepts decimal values. Enter 0.5 for half a second, 1.5 for one and a half seconds, etc.

Can I shift subtitles backward past zero?▼

The tool clamps any timestamp that would go negative to 00:00:00,000. If the first cue starts at 0:00:01 and you shift backward 5 seconds, it becomes 0:00:00,000 rather than negative.

What file formats are supported?▼

SRT (.srt) and WebVTT (.vtt) are fully supported. The tool auto-detects the format. The output file preserves the same format as the input.

Will the cue index numbers change?▼

No. Index numbers are preserved from the original file. Only the timestamp values are modified.

What causes frame rate sync issues?▼

A video encoded at 25fps will run slightly faster than the same video at 24fps. Over a 90-minute movie, this creates a drift of about 3.6 minutes. The sync error grows over time, which is why a constant offset shift won't fully fix it. This is called "frame rate mismatch" and requires a stretch/compress operation rather than a shift.

Why are my subtitles 2 hours ahead?▼

This often means the subtitle was created with a different time base. For example, a subtitle starting at 01:00:00,000 for content that starts at 00:00:00 — common in broadcast timecode workflows. Shift backward by 3600 seconds (1 hour) to fix it.

Does this work for ASS/SSA subtitle formats?▼

No. This tool supports SRT and VTT only. For ASS/SSA formats, use Aegisub or Subtitle Edit on desktop.

Subtitle Time Shifter — Delay or Advance All Subtitle Timestamps

Part of VideoText’s free subtitle tool cluster

Next: fix, translate, burn, or generate from video

Turn any video into a transcript, chapters & summary — automatically

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