New iOS Plex app not correctly displaying .ASS subtitle fonts and styling

Plex Players
1

After updating to the new mobile app on my iPhone, .ASS subtitles are no longer displaying correctly. Subtitle styles like shadow, outline, and font aren’t being properly applied and instead, a basic system font shows without all of the intended styling.

These same files play properly with full .ASS styling on the older/current Plex app on my iPad. I’ve attached screenshots comparing the old vs new behaviour:

Device: iPhone 16 Pro
iOS version: 18.4.1
Plex app version: 2025.14.0 (1037)

Device: iPad mini (A17 Pro)
iOS version: 18.4.1
Plex app version: 8.45

2

I have the same problem, in the meantime I have “Burn Subtitles” to always.

3

Same issue for me. I hope they are aware of it, certainly an odd issue! One that I fear could slip through.

4

I’ve manually downgraded with Apple Configurator to the last Plex version (8.45) before the redesign, and I won’t be installing the new app until they fix this.

5

same problem here too, another really annoying thing about the new app

6

Same exact problem, has any plex developer acknowledged the problem and working on a fix?

7

I’m running 8.44 on one iPhone - ASS subtitles are displayed in plain text.

On another iPhone I’m running the latest 2025.20.0 (1153) and ASS subs don’t appear at all.

8

Same issue here. Quite a Lot .ass sub files are not working properly are my ios devices with the newest client.

9

They just don’t show up for me on the latest version. It’s extremely frustrating.

10

The latest update seems to have fixed it for me. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t break again.

11

The latest update (2025.24.0) doesn’t fix the issue for me.

12

Still not fixed. Maybe someone should remake this thread to bring it back up. Disappointing they haven’t found out about this yet.

13

Still nothing! Anything? please fix this!

15

Still no fix for this even 8 months later. The android version of the app doesn’t have this issue either.

16

Actually crazy they are ignoring this, enshitification at its finest. ASS subs that work on over other device crash iOS, and have been all this time…

17

I was hoping the newest patch would fix this as it had a relevant fix…

-[iOS][tvOS] Player: Some subtitle fonts would not render correctly.

BUT! I can confirm this did nothing! Same exact issue. But I did see a post and it appears that the developers are aware of it now? It will hopefully come with this bigger refractor mentioned? One can hope!

Link to the Reddit comment

18

Crazy they still haven’t fixed something so basic

20

Well, it’s now been ONE YEAR and still nothing on this… not even an attempt to fix it. Crazy! I really hope they take a proper look at this issue soon, because it’s very annoying. I’m starting to get sick of Infuse’s UI.

If any devs are actually looking here, my best guess is that the app isn’t properly reading the embedded font attachments in the MKV, which is why .ass subtitles aren’t rendering with the correct fonts. Or a default font is being forced, which isn’t correct behavior for ASS subtitles.

And as I mentioned above, there was a refactor to the player at some point, and it doesn’t seem to have fixed this issue (assuming this is tied to the new player UI).