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ASS SSA
File conversion

Convert ASS to SSA

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 12, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert ASS to SSA?
Yes - ASS converts to SSA.

Open the .ass in Aegisub and choose File > Save Subtitles As > SubStation Alpha (*.ssa); the conversion takes seconds. SSA uses the older V4 style header, so ASS-exclusive features such as outline color, karaoke tags, and positioning overrides are lost or simplified.

5 programs
Also to SSA: SBV · SMI

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert ASS to SSA?

SSA (SubStation Alpha) is the predecessor format and some older players or editors accept only SSA's V4 style header while refusing the V4+ header that .ass uses. Keeping the file as .ass is the better choice in virtually every other situation.

How to convert ASS to SSA

Aegisub OPEN-SOURCE

Open the .ass file, go to File > Save Subtitles As, and choose SubStation Alpha (*.ssa) from the file type dropdown.

Subtitle Workshop FREE

Open the .ass file and use File > Save As, selecting the SSA (SubStation Alpha V4) format.

Programs that convert ASS

Subtitle Workshop
Jubler subtitle editor
Aegisub
URUworks Subtitle Workshop
SubtitleConverter.Net

About these formats

.ASS Advanced SubStation Alpha Subtitle

An ASS file is an Advanced SubStation Alpha subtitle file - plain text that holds timed subtitle lines plus fonts, colors, positioning, and effects. To watch it, place the .ass next to your…

Open .ASS details →
.SSA SubStation Alpha subtitle file

A .SSA file is associated with SubStation Alpha subtitle, a text file.

Open .SSA details →

Quality & what to watch

  • SSA uses V4 styles; ASS uses V4+. Extra style fields unique to ASS - outline color, shadow color, separate border and shadow widths - have no SSA equivalent and are dropped or approximated on export.
  • ASS-specific inline override tags such as {\pos(x,y)}, {\fad(...)}, and karaoke tags ({\k}, {\kf}) have no SSA counterpart and may appear as literal text or be silently ignored by the player.
  • Dialogue text and timing carry over intact; only visual styling that exceeds SSA's capabilities is affected.

Frequently asked questions

Is converting SSA back to ASS also lossy?
No - ASS is a superset of SSA, so SSA to ASS is lossless; ASS to SSA is the lossy direction.
Why are there almost no online converters for this?
ASS and SSA require format-aware subtitle parsing; generic file converters typically misread the format or skip it entirely.
When should I keep the file as `.ass` instead of converting?
In virtually every case - keep .ass unless a specific player or tool explicitly requires SSA V4 style headers.