Remove SDH From Subtitles (SRT Cleaner)
Remove SDH from subtitles in one pass: sound descriptions like [MUSIC] and (laughs), lyric lines, speaker names such as JOHN:, and leftover formatting tags all go, leaving clean dialogue. The same SRT cleaner fixes overlapping lines, renumbers the file and can turn ALL-CAPS lines into normal sentences. It works on SRT, VTT and ASS, and nothing is uploaded.
- Runs on your device
- Browser APIs
- Works offline
Updated
Drop your subtitle files here
How to remove SDH from SRT files
Step 1: Drop one or more subtitle files on the box above.
Step 2: Leave the defaults on to strip sound tags, speaker names and markup, fix overlaps and renumber. Switch on Fix ALL-CAPS lines if the file shouts.
Step 3: Press Clean. Each file is saved in its original format, with a summary of what was removed.
Good to know
Settings explained
- Remove [sound descriptions]
- e.g. [MUSIC], (laughs), ♪ lyrics ♪
- Remove speaker labels
- e.g. “JOHN:” at the start of a line.
- Remove formatting tags
- <i>, <font>, {\an8} and other markup.
- Merge short two-line subtitles
- Joins a two-line subtitle into one line when it fits the line length.
- Max characters per line
- Re-wraps longer lines into balanced ones. 42 is the Netflix standard.
Formats
Batch-friendly: add many files and they are processed one after another — if one fails, the rest still finish.
How it runs
- Built-in browser features
- Uses standard browser features only — nothing extra to download.
What the SRT cleaner changes: before and after
Each switch handles one kind of clutter. These examples show the default settings, plus the ALL-CAPS fix, on typical SDH lines.
| Before | After | Option |
|---|---|---|
[DOOR SLAMS] | Line removed | Remove [sound descriptions] |
(laughing) You’re late. | You’re late. | Remove [sound descriptions] |
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ | Line removed | Remove [sound descriptions] |
JOHN: Where were you? | Where were you? | Remove speaker labels |
- [GASPS] / - What was that? | What was that? (lone dash dropped) | Sound descriptions + tidy-up |
<i>Previously…</i> or {\an8}Text | Previously… / Text | Remove formatting tags |
WHERE ARE YOU GOING? | Where are you going? | Fix ALL-CAPS lines (off by default) |
What are SDH subtitles?
SDH subtitles (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of hearing) contain the dialogue plus the sounds a hearing viewer would notice: [phone buzzing], (sighs), ♪ music ♪ and who is speaking when it is not obvious. “English SDH” on a Blu-ray or streaming menu simply means the English track written that way.
For viewers who can hear the audio, those extra lines get in the way. A file named with .sdh. or .hi., or one full of bracketed sounds, is usually the SDH version, and cleaning it here is the quickest way to remove hearing impaired subtitles without hunting for another file.
SDH vs closed captions vs regular subtitles
| Regular subtitles | SDH subtitles | Closed captions (CC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialogue | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sound effects and music cues | No | Yes | Yes |
| Speaker names | Rarely | When needed | When needed |
| Where they live | Subtitle file or track | Subtitle file or track | Inside the TV or video signal |
| Typical look | Player’s subtitle style | Player’s subtitle style | White text on a black box |
Fix overlaps, long lines and ALL CAPS
Fix overlapping lines (on by default) shortens a line that runs into the next one; two lines that start at the same moment become one. A line with no duration gets a sensible reading time.
Under Advanced settings, Max characters per line re-wraps long lines into balanced rows (42 is the Netflix standard), and Merge short two-line subtitles joins a two-line subtitle into one line when it fits, leaving dialogue with dashes alone.
Tips & troubleshooting
Want the italics kept? Switch off Remove formatting tags: speaker names and sound tags still go.
Cleaning subtitles you will read as text? After cleaning, SRT to TXT turns them into paragraphs.
Converting formats at the same time? Clean first, then use the subtitle converter.
Lines out of sync? Cleaning only trims overlapping lines and never shifts the file; fix the delay with subtitle sync.
SRT Cleaner FAQ
How do I remove SDH from SRT files?
Drop the SRT files here and press Clean with the default options. Bracketed and parenthesised sound descriptions, lyric lines and upper-case speaker labels are removed, empty lines are deleted and the file is renumbered.
What is English SDH?
It is an English subtitle track written for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Besides the dialogue it describes sounds and music and names off-screen speakers. Remove those extras here to turn it into a normal English subtitle file.
Will it remove song lyrics?
Yes, when Remove [sound descriptions] is on. Text between ♪ or ♫ notes, lines that start with a note and lyric lines wrapped in spaced # signs are treated as music and removed.
Does it remove names that are not in capitals?
No. Speaker labels are recognised when they are written in capitals before a colon, such as ANNA:, MAN #2: or DR. SMITH (V.O.):. Normal words followed by a colon in dialogue are left alone.
Is your subtitle file uploaded anywhere?
No. Your subtitle file is processed by your own browser on your own device. There is no server that receives files, so nothing is uploaded, stored or shared. You can even switch to airplane mode once the page has loaded.