How to export CapCut captions and subtitles as SRT

To export subtitles from CapCut, use its caption export and pick SRT (or TXT). That works only for auto captions: CapCut's own help says captions you typed in yourself aren't exported. For those, or when the export option is missing, convert the project's draft file (CapCut's JSON) with the CapCut to SRT converter, which reads every text track, typed text included.

Export SRT from CapCut itself

CapCut's caption export help gives the same rules on every version: the captions must come from Auto captions, and the file is SRT or TXT.

• Desktop (Windows and Mac): choose caption export rather than video export, then SRT. Save to a folder whose path has only plain English letters; CapCut's help names non-ASCII paths as a cause of failed exports.
• CapCut online: the same caption export, SRT or TXT.
• Mobile (iPhone and Android): in the export screen, turn off video export, select caption export, and choose SRT or TXT.

If the SRT opens with garbled characters, re-save it as UTF-8 without a BOM in a text editor, as CapCut's help suggests.

When CapCut's export leaves captions out

Typed text and text templates live in the project draft, not in the auto-caption list CapCut exports. The draft is a JSON file in the project folder; the CapCut to SRT converter reads every text track with its timing, including text templates and captions inside compound clips. This is the "CapCut JSON to SRT" route.

Step 1: Find your project's readable draft

For CapCut desktop (Windows and Mac) and JianYing, look for draft_info.json or draft_content.json in the project folder. Conversion requires readable JSON:

• Windows: C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\CapCut\User Data\Projects\com.lveditor.draft\
• Mac: ~/Movies/CapCut/User Data/Projects/com.lveditor.draft/

Inside that location you'll see one folder per project, usually with generated names rather than your project title. Sort the folders by date modified. The top one is almost certainly the project you just worked on. Look inside for draft_info.json or draft_content.json.

Two tips: if you can't see the AppData folder on Windows, enable hidden items in Explorer's View menu. And it's fine to copy the file to your desktop first. The converter only reads it, but working from a copy feels safer and makes it easier to find in the upload dialog.

Step 2: Convert it

Drop the readable draft JSON on the CapCut to SRT converter. The converter finds the text tracks in the draft, joins every caption to its timing, unwraps the styled text to its plain words, and writes a clean numbered SRT. CapCut stores timing in microseconds and SRT wants milliseconds; the converter does that math for you. Auto-captions and manually typed text both come through. The converter ignores everything else in the draft: video, audio, effects, stickers.

Prefer a different output? The same draft converts to WebVTT for web players or a Word document for review and translation.

If your draft is locked

Newer CapCut versions, on Mac and Windows, save some projects locked: the draft is a long run of letters and digits instead of readable JSON, and no converter can read it. Drop the whole project folder on the converter instead of the single file. CapCut keeps copies of the draft beside it (template-2.tmp, draft_info.json.bak), and CutConvert uses one that isn't locked. If every copy is locked, use CapCut's own caption export above.

What to expect with file sizes

A CapCut draft describes your entire project, not just the captions, so the file can be surprisingly large. A short edit is usually a few hundred KB; a long or effect-heavy project can run to several MB even though the captions inside are tiny. Drafts up to 500 KB convert free; a $3 one-time conversion or Pro covers up to 50 MB; Studio converts drafts up to 500 MB. If your draft is unexpectedly huge, finishing or duplicating the project with unused clips removed in CapCut usually shrinks it substantially.

Moving the whole edit, not just the captions

The same draft_info.json holds every clip, trim and title, not only the text. CapCut can't export it as XML (here's why), but it converts. Drop it on CapCut to Premiere Pro, CapCut to DaVinci Resolve or CapCut to Final Cut Pro, and the other editor opens the edit with your clips in place. If you can't find the file, where CapCut saves your projects has every path.

The mobile-app catch

CapCut mobile exports auto captions as SRT itself (see above), but keeps its drafts on the phone or in CapCut's cloud, where you can't reach the JSON. For captions you typed on mobile: open the same project in CapCut desktop, signed in with the same account and using cloud sync, then take the draft from the desktop project folder and convert it.

FAQ

Can CapCut export SRT subtitles directly? Yes, for auto captions. Choose caption export in CapCut's export options and pick SRT or TXT; on mobile, turn off video export first. Captions you typed yourself aren't included, so convert the project's draft for those.

Why is my exported SRT missing captions? CapCut's caption export includes only auto captions, so typed text and text templates stay out. Convert the project's draft instead: the CapCut to SRT converter reads every text track with its timing.

Where is draft_info.json (or draft_content.json)? In your project's folder under CapCut's data directory: on Windows, AppData\Local\CapCut\User Data\Projects\com.lveditor.draft; on Mac, ~/Movies/CapCut/User Data/Projects/com.lveditor.draft. One folder per project; sort by date modified to find yours.

Do auto-captions convert, or only typed text? Both. Auto-generated captions and manual text live in the same text tracks in the draft, and both convert with exact timing.

Does the styling (fonts, colors, animations) come through? No. SRT is a plain-text subtitle format, so the styling stays in CapCut. Text and timing convert exactly; the look is CapCut's to keep.

Does this work for JianYing (剪映)? Yes, when the draft is readable JSON: JianYing uses the same draft format. JianYing 6 and later lock their drafts, and a locked draft doesn't convert; export the captions from JianYing instead.

My draft_content.json is over the size limit. Why is it so big? Because it describes your whole edit, not just captions. Long projects, many clips, and heavy effects all grow the file. A $3 one-time conversion or Pro covers up to 50 MB, and Studio goes to 500 MB; on CapCut's side, removing unused media from the project before grabbing the draft usually shrinks it a lot.

Can I convert captions from CapCut mobile? Yes. CapCut mobile's caption export writes SRT or TXT for auto captions: turn off video export and select caption export. For captions you typed, open the project in CapCut desktop through cloud sync and convert its draft.