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SRT MKV
File conversion

Convert SRT to MKV

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 2, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert SRT to MKV?
Yes - SRT converts to MKV.

Use MKVToolNix GUI to add your video and the .srt as source files and click Start multiplexing; the result is a single .mkv with the subtitle embedded as a toggleable track. No video or audio is re-encoded, so quality is identical to the source and the process finishes in seconds.

Also to MKV: USM · TP · MPEG4

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert SRT to MKV?

MKV is a multimedia container that can hold video, audio, and multiple subtitle tracks in a single .mkv file. Embedding the .srt means you move one file instead of two, and players like VLC automatically detect the track. Because no re-encoding happens, the operation is lossless regardless of the source file size.

How to convert SRT to MKV

MKVToolNix FREE

Open the Multiplexer tab, add your video and the .srt as source files, optionally set the subtitle language tag, then click Start multiplexing.

FFmpeg OPEN-SOURCE

Run ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i subtitles.srt -c copy -c:s srt output.mkv to copy all streams and add the subtitle track without re-encoding.

About these formats

.SRT SubRip Subtitle File

An SRT file (SubRip Subtitle) stores subtitles as plain text with timecodes. You don't open it alone - rename it to match your video file, keep both in the same folder, and VLC or MPV loads…

Open .SRT details →
.MKV Matroska Video

An MKV file is a Matroska multimedia container that holds video, multiple audio tracks, subtitles and chapters in one file. Open it for free with VLC media player, or on Windows 11 with the…

Open .MKV details →

Quality & what to watch

  • No re-encoding happens - all video and audio streams are copied as-is, so quality is identical to the source.
  • The embedded subtitle is a soft track: viewers can toggle it on or off, switch between languages if multiple tracks exist, and extract it back to a plain .srt later.
  • You can embed multiple subtitle languages in one pass by adding several .srt source files in MKVToolNix and setting a language tag for each track.

Frequently asked questions

Does muxing change the video or audio quality?
No. Muxing copies the existing streams unchanged into a new container - nothing is re-encoded.
Can I add a subtitle to an existing `.mkv` file?
Yes. Add both the original .mkv and the .srt as source files in MKVToolNix, then mux to a new output file.
Can viewers turn off the embedded subtitles?
Yes - subtitles added this way are soft tracks the player can enable or disable. Burn-in (hardsub) is a separate operation requiring a full re-encode.
What if the source video is already an MKV?
The workflow is identical: add the existing .mkv and the .srt in MKVToolNix and mux to a new output file.