# How does plex search work?

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-does-plex-search-work/353932>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-does-plex-search-work/353932 "2018-12-28T13:29:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-does-plex-search-work/353932/2 "2018-12-28T13:37:39Z")

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Your files need to use the mp4/m4v container. Plex cannot read embedded meta tags from other file formats.

You could embed the name of the person either as ‘actor’ (this needs to use the iTunes-compatible format in XML format - very few metadata editors can do that).  
Or you mention the name of the person in the ‘description’ meta tag.

The meta tags must be populated **before** you add the file into a Plex library. Otherwise you must perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-incorrectly-identifying-tv-episodes/100265/4 "Plex Dance").

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