Customizing subtitles in Emby

This documentation guides you step by step in configuring and customizing subtitles in Emby. You'll learn how to access dedicated settings, what each option means, and how you can adjust text appearance, colors, size, background or on-screen position.

Accessing subtitle settings

Step 1 — Enter Emby and click the settings button

• On phone:
  

• On desktop:
  

Step 2 — Select App Settings

Step 3 — Go to the Subtitles section

• Phone:
  

• Desktop:
  

Subtitle settings

1. Preferred subtitle language

• What it is: The language that Emby loads by default for subtitles
• Why it matters: If there are subtitles in multiple languages, Emby chooses the one set here
• How to customize: Choose the desired language from the dropdown list (ex. Romanian)
• Recommendation: Set Romanian if you want subtitles always in Romanian

2. Subtitle mode

• What it is: The rule by which Emby decides when to load subtitles
• Available options:
  • Default - Subtitles load based on "default" and "forced" from metadata
  • Smart - Subtitles in the preferred language load only when audio is in a foreign language
  • Only forced subtitles - Load only subtitles marked as "forced"
  • Hearing Impaired - Prefer subtitles marked SDH (for people with hearing impairments)
  • Always play subtitles - Always load preferred subtitles, regardless of audio language
  • No subtitles - No subtitles load automatically (only manually during playback)
• How to customize: Choose the desired mode from the list
• Recommendation: For regular use - Smart

3. Remember subtitle track selections

• What it is: Remembers subtitle selection for each video
• Why it matters: If you return to the same movie, Emby remembers your choice
• How to customize: Toggle on/off
• Recommendation: Keep enabled if you watch series and want consistency

4. Subtitle text size

• What it is: Font size for subtitles
• Options: Smaller, Small, Normal, Large, Larger, Extra large
• How to customize: Choose the desired size from the list
• Recommendation: Large for comfortable visibility

5. Text color

• What it is: Color of subtitle text
• Options: Black, Blue, Cyan, Dark Gray, Dim Gray, Gray, Green, Light Gray, Lime, Magenta, Orange, Pink, Red, Silver, Yellow, White
• How to customize: Select color from the list
• Recommendation: White for good contrast

6. Text shadow

• What it is: Style of shadow applied to subtitles
• Options: None, Raised, Depressed, Uniform, Drop shadow
• How to customize: Choose preferred variant from list
• Recommendation: Drop shadow for better readability on bright backgrounds

7. Text background color

• What it is: Background on which subtitle text appears
• Options: Black, Blue, Cyan, Dark Gray, Dim Gray, Gray, Green, Light Gray, Lime, Magenta, Orange, Pink, Red, Silver, Transparent, Yellow, White
• How to customize: Choose preferred color
• Recommendation: Transparent if you don't want a background box. Black for maximum clarity

8. Subtitle position

• What it is: Controls vertical position of subtitles
• Options:
  • Bottom Edge Position: between 0% and 100% (position relative to bottom)
  • Top Edge Position: between 0% and 100% (maximum limit relative to top)
• How to customize: Adjust desired percentage for top and bottom
• Recommendation: 10% bottom and 5% top for balance

Quick recommendations

• Try Smart mode - subtitles only when needed
• Large text + shadow - most readable settings
• Transparent background - looks cleaner, but on bright movies may be hard to read