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ASS SUB
File conversion

Convert ASS to SUB

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 24, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert ASS to SUB?
Yes - ASS converts to SUB.

Open the .ass file in Subtitle Workshop, select MicroDVD as the output format, enter the video's frame rate, and save. Only dialogue text and timing survive; every ASS color, font, and positioning tag is stripped, and timing is recalculated to frame numbers.

3 programs
Also to SUB: SRT · SMI

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert ASS to SUB?

MicroDVD .sub is expected by some older DVD-authoring tools and legacy media players that do not accept .ass. Converting strips all visual styling and recalculates timestamps to frame numbers, which MicroDVD requires instead of clock-based timing. Outside of legacy compatibility, converting to .srt is usually the more practical choice.

How to convert ASS to SUB

Subtitle Workshop FREE

Open the .ass file, select MicroDVD as the output format, and enter the video frame rate when prompted before saving.

Gnome Subtitles FREE

Load the .ass file, choose File > Save As, and select MicroDVD format; enter the correct frame rate to ensure subtitle timing aligns with the video.

Programs that convert ASS

Microsoft Windows NotePad
Subtitle Workshop
Gnome Subtitles

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 →
.SUB MicroDVD / SubViewer Subtitle File (text-based movie subtitles)

A SUB file stores movie subtitles as plain text, either in MicroDVD format (frame numbers in braces) or SubViewer format (timecodes). To use it, give it the same name as the video and put…

Open .SUB details →

Quality & what to watch

  • All ASS styling - fonts, colors, screen coordinates, fades, and karaoke timing - is permanently lost; MicroDVD .sub stores plain dialogue text only.
  • You must supply the correct video frame rate (e.g., 23.976, 25, or 29.97 fps); an incorrect value shifts every subtitle consistently early or late.
  • The .sub extension is also used by VobSub (image-based, paired with .idx); MicroDVD .sub is a plain-text format and the two are not interchangeable.

Frequently asked questions

Why does MicroDVD `.sub` need a frame rate while `.ass` does not?
ASS stores timing as hours:minutes:seconds, but MicroDVD stores start and end as frame numbers, so the converter must know the frames-per-second to calculate correct positions.
Can I recover the ASS styling after converting to `.sub`?
No - styling data is discarded during conversion and cannot be reconstructed from the .sub file.
Is MicroDVD `.sub` still widely supported?
It is a legacy format from the early 2000s; for broader compatibility, converting .ass to .srt is usually the better choice.