# Automatic standard subtitle for users watching via shared libraries **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Suggestions\ **Created:** [August 5, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838 "2013-08-05T20:29:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jaegaern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@Jaegaern](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Jaegaern)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/1 "2013-08-05T20:29:36Z")
I would very much like that users to whom I have shared my libraries could use the same "auto subtitle" from my server as I do. On my server I choose "prefer subtitles in english" and "subtitles always on". This would be awesome, because now I have to set up multiple virtual servers running PMS for it to work.    Attaching the problem from my recent topic so that we're on the same page:   _"The problem is not for me (owner of server), but for everyone I have shared my librarys to. When someone watches something via shared content (each shared library pointing to my "movies" section), they don't get subtitles working. Even if it's set to auto. Subtitles are available, sometimes internal but also external (as movie.mkv, movie.srt). BUT when they log in to my server via web browser (using their own account), they can choose the movie and then pick a subtitle via drop down menu (showing this in attached pic), after this the subtitle works both via web player and in iOS player for that specific movie. And i can do the same for any movie and it works. But I still have to to it manually for every other movie." _   Thanks for the wonderful work with Plex btw! You guys rock!!! :D   ---
**Author:** ![rickatnight11](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rickatnight11/32/90955_2.png) [@rickatnight11](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rickatnight11)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/2 "2013-08-09T18:11:44Z")
I think I have an idea on how this works.  When PMS indexes the file, it reads the default/forces flags from the file (if any) to determine what subtitle, video, and audio tracks to stream by default.  You could change those flags (using something like mkvpropedit for mkvs) prior to indexing to get what you want. Prior to multi-user support, the server admin was the only one able to also change the default audio/subtitle tracks from the Plex Web UI.  That would impact all clients, as well.  Now that we have multi-user support, I believe setting those defaults prior to indexing (as I mentioned above) still works, but changing it in the UI doesn't, since each user has his/her own settings. What the user can do is log into the Web Client, change the settings as they prefer, and then try again. What really needs to happen is better subtitle/audio track control from all clients (Desktop, Roku, etc).  The iOS/Android/Web clients already give good control.  The Desktop client doesn't, unless you're direct streaming. ---
**Author:** ![Orionshock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/orionshock/32/84068_2.png) [@Orionshock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Orionshock)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/3 "2013-08-09T18:21:58Z")
Yeah, the problem is that Plex isn't handling the Multi-User profile correctly.  As rickatnight11 indicates, the profiles are all messed up. As the server admin, you have the option in settings to indicate what your prefered language is and how subtitles are handled, but as a guest user you don't get to set these kind of defaults. However I'd be interested in seein how to 2 plex server owners interact on each other's servers. ---
**Author:** ![rickatnight11](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rickatnight11/32/90955_2.png) [@rickatnight11](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rickatnight11)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/4 "2013-08-09T18:25:15Z")
Actually, multi-user support quite well, at least for me.  Before, other users couldn't change the settings at all.  Now they can, but MY changes don't affect their's anymore.  To sum it up, the admin doesn't have control over the defaults anymore.  You can only set them prior to indexing the file (or you'd need to re-analyze the file after changing the flags.)  Perhaps the admin Web GUI should have two sets of drop-downs....one for the admin user's  preferences, and one for the server-wide defaults (with a checkbox to enable/disable "override user changes" to reset what the other users already changed to.) ---
**Author:** ![Orionshock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/orionshock/32/84068_2.png) [@Orionshock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Orionshock)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/5 "2013-08-09T18:28:36Z")
Or move these kind of settings into myplex and not have it server based. That way regardless what server you are guest on it works. ---
**Author:** ![rickatnight11](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rickatnight11/32/90955_2.png) [@rickatnight11](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rickatnight11)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/6 "2013-08-09T18:33:33Z")
myPlex IS server based.  The UI is served by your server, and the settings are stored on your server.  myPlex is only these things: - DNS entry - Manages the user accounts and their relationships - Facilitates the auto-login from the myPlex site (which isn't necessary, since you can still use your IP/hostname to log in) Even if you're using myPlex, you're still using YOUR server. EDIT: Actually, I'm guessing you mean setting the "user preferred subtitle/audio language" for any file, not on a per-file basis.  That would make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Orionshock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/orionshock/32/84068_2.png) [@Orionshock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Orionshock)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/7 "2013-08-09T19:45:24Z")
no.. i mean that the default viewing settings for a given user (subtitles/audio language) be set and stored on the myPlex service ( like where the dns entry and user account relationships are) instead of them being dependent on the Plex Media Server settings locally. This way when you are a guest on a server it loads your profile defaults from the myPlex service instead of using something else. ---
**Author:** ![rickatnight11](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rickatnight11/32/90955_2.png) [@rickatnight11](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rickatnight11)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/8 "2013-08-09T19:48:31Z")
True that.  For that global setting, it would make sense to store it in the myPlex user profile.  I have a lot of anime that I prefer to watch with Japanese audio and English subtitles, though, so for those files it's important that the global defaults don't take priority, and instead I specify per-file what I want. ---
**Author:** ![Mediaconoclast](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/mediaconoclast/32/126024_2.png) [@Mediaconoclast](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Mediaconoclast)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/9 "2013-08-09T19:54:13Z")
It should always honor the forced tag in the video container's track, as should the transcoder. Then, the MyPlex user should be able to have personal preferences maintained. Lastly, from MyPlex the user should be able to select an option to select which preferences -- server or MyPlex -- overrule when there is a conflict between the two. PMS can't possibly be configured for all the possible players out there, particularly those where there are no options for changing subtitle mode on the fly. ---
**Author:** ![FreakNL](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/freaknl/32/106953_2.png) [@FreakNL](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FreakNL)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/10 "2013-11-03T08:59:48Z")
Any news on this? I have external subs and my shared users have to enable them every single time. That sucks.... ---
**Author:** ![Michiel\_1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/michiel_1/32/2124_2.png) [@Michiel\_1](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Michiel_1)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/11 "2013-11-03T10:49:22Z")
It is something that is known with the Plex team (I myself have been pushing for it a lot :P) and the back end things are already there it just needs to be implemented in the GUI. ---
**Author:** ![FreakNL](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/freaknl/32/106953_2.png) [@FreakNL](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FreakNL)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/12 "2013-11-03T14:03:05Z")
Thanks. I’ll just hold on 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FreakNL](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/freaknl/32/106953_2.png) [@FreakNL](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FreakNL)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 12:20pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/13 "2013-12-02T12:20:34Z")
Any news on this? ---
**Author:** ![Michiel\_1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/michiel_1/32/2124_2.png) [@Michiel\_1](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Michiel_1)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/14 "2013-12-02T12:27:02Z")
Unfortunately nothing yet so far :) But let's keep our hopes up ;) In the meantime what you could do is to change it manually in the database file of plex just once per user. The database should be in: /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Plug-in\ Support/Databases/ or whatever path you have. After locating it, - shut down plex server - use a sqlite database editor to open the plex database (.db) - Like Base for OSX. - click the TABLE accounts and show data - edit the rows manually for default\_audio\_language and default\_subttitle\_language to en, nl or other languages for each user - also change the auto\_select\_subtitle (1 = shown with foreign audio only, choose 2 for always enabled) and auto\_select\_audio (1 = on, 0 = off) rows as in the screenshot - when done click save and restart plex Subtitles will stay enabled by default to whatever you set it for each user as of now. **Note:** Always make a backup file of the .db file you are editting first! This is on your own risk so dont come back to me when it fails :P ---
**Author:** ![FreakNL](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/freaknl/32/106953_2.png) [@FreakNL](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FreakNL)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/15 "2013-12-02T13:55:58Z")
Wow, nice find! Just made the changes, and reflected my guest account (which my parents use) to the Administrator account (which I believe is mine). Default\_subtitle\_language was set to xx at the Administrator account, but I believe that is correct, as I use external subtitles (srt) and Plex has no way of knowing what language that is. It says Other in Plex/Web, so I think that's XX :) Gonna check with my parents tonight if it works :) Saves them the trouble of manually selecting the subtitle every time :) I saw it already worked in PlexWEB (logged in with their credentials), but they use PlexConnect, so you never know :) Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![phunkysai](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/phunkysai/32/82952_2.png) [@phunkysai](https://forums.plex.tv/u/phunkysai)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/16 "2013-12-02T14:25:26Z")
Definitely need this now...I need to be able to set my desktop client to subtitles "Always on" even when the client is logged in with a different account.... ---
**Author:** ![phunkysai](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/phunkysai/32/82952_2.png) [@phunkysai](https://forums.plex.tv/u/phunkysai)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/17 "2013-12-03T02:42:41Z")
> Unfortunately nothing yet so far :) But let's keep our hopes up ;) > > In the meantime what you could do is to change it manually in the database file of plex just once per user. > > The database should be in: /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Plug-in\ Support/Databases/ or whatever path you have. > > After locating it, > > - shut down plex server > > - use a sqlite database editor to open the plex database (.db) - Like Base for OSX. > > - click the TABLE accounts and show data > > - edit the rows manually for default\_audio\_language and default\_subttitle\_language to en, nl or other languages for each user > > - also change the auto\_select\_subtitle (1 = shown with foreign audio only, choose 2 for always enabled) and auto\_select\_audio (1 = on, 0 = off) rows as in the screenshot > > - when done click save and restart plex > > Subtitles will stay enabled by default to whatever you set it for each user as of now. > > **Note:** Always make a backup file of the .db file you are editting first! > > This is on your own risk so dont come back to me when it fails :P Thank you so much for this! You saved my life with my wife!  Now, do you know of any setting like this that would make channels appear if your server is logged in with one account (the paid account), and the desktop client is logged in with a different (unpaid) account? The same thing seems to be happening - since a different account is logged in the server, it's like the client (running on the same machine) can't figure out how to see already installed channels or even install its own channels. The channel directory is empty..... ---
**Author:** ![phunkysai](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/phunkysai/32/82952_2.png) [@phunkysai](https://forums.plex.tv/u/phunkysai)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/18 "2014-03-31T18:57:34Z")
Any news on this? I just recently moved my library to a new pc and had to hack the database again! ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/19 "2021-01-14T00:39:41Z")
Early 2021 clean-up: implemented (language settings on account level applied to all libraries) ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/automatic-standard-subtitle-for-users-watching-via-shared-libraries/39838/20 "2021-06-10T01:01:11Z")