HTML <track> Tag

The <track> element is used to specify timed text tracks for media elements like <video> and <audio>. Timed text tracks are primarily used for subtitles, captions, descriptions, or other types of text that are synchronized with the media playback. The <track> element itself is empty, meaning it does not have closing content - it acts purely as a reference to an external text track file, typically in the WebVTT format (.vtt).

When a <track> element is included inside a media element, the browser can display its text content at the appropriate times during playback. This allows creators to provide accessibility features such as closed captions for the hearing impaired, translated subtitles for different languages, or additional metadata like chapter titles or descriptions for visually impaired users.

Multiple <track> elements can be added to a single media element to provide different languages or types of text tracks. Users can often select which track they want to display, depending on the browser or media player interface. The element itself does not directly render anything visible on the page; it simply provides the source and type information that the media player uses.