# Set default Subtitles

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Tags:** server-windows, server-synology, apple-tv, library-management, subtitles\
**Created:** [February 19, 2023, 12:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525 "2023-02-19T12:32:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MrWaxWeazle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/mrwaxweazle/32/122854_2.png) [@MrWaxWeazle](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MrWaxWeazle)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525/1 "2023-02-19T12:32:18Z")

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I was wondering if there was a way for me to set my Plex to automatically use the English [SDH] subtitles on my files (if they are in cluded). I currently automatically have it selecting English, which is great, but I prefer SDH on top of it. Is this an option?

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**Author:** ![Divideby0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@Divideby0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Divideby0)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525/2 "2023-02-19T15:48:38Z")

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If you set your account to use subs, then I think Plex will simply use the first non-forced subtitle that matches the language of the audio track. If you want SDH to be first (for internal embedded subs), then (I think) you must make it be the first subtitle track in the file, or use the “default” flag for the track.

For external/sidecar subtitle files… I do not know how Plex chooses the first. In their [article on subtitles](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200471133-adding-local-subtitles-to-your-media/#toc-3), it lists how to label external subs, including how to name SDH or CC subs, but if you include regular subs I don’t see any way to force Plex to pick those first over a regular sub.

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**Author:** ![MrWaxWeazle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/mrwaxweazle/32/122854_2.png) [@MrWaxWeazle](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MrWaxWeazle)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525/3 "2023-02-19T16:00:54Z")

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I had a similar hunch… but I’d have to go through thousands of files to change that option one by one… Which isn’t worth it 😛 I was hoping that there was an option in Plex that allowed me to set it to use SDH if available.

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**Author:** ![Divideby0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@Divideby0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Divideby0)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525/4 "2023-02-19T18:05:46Z")

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Sadly, no. Aside from “default”, I think the only flag Plex even looks at in a file is the “forced” flag, and it only uses that on subtitles. I had a long discussion a few weeks back with someone to get “forced” (non-english-only parts) subs working automatically in Plex.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/set-default-subtitles/831525/5 "2023-05-20T18:05:54Z")

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