<p>There are two aspects to your query - 1)setting one of the subtitle streams as the default and 2)automatically displaying it during playback.I'm not aware of a method to force a player to display subtitles if that facility has been turned off in its settings.</p>

<p>For the first facility, try mkvpropedit from <a href="https://mkvtoolnix.download/index.html" rel="nofollow">MKVToolNix</a> to set the default flag for a subtitle stream. See 2nd <a href="https://mkvtoolnix.download/doc/mkvpropedit.html#mkvpropedit.examples" rel="nofollow">example</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-03T17:18:13.520Z
Your solution worked wonderfully.  What do you recommend as a GUI for MKVToolNix?
ltcomdata
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-03T17:49:37.063Z
The [standard installer](http://www.videohelp.com/software/MKVtoolnix) does come with a GUI. It's what I use. [Here](http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=163753)'s a GUI for mkvpropedit, but I haven't used it personally.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-03T06:14:07.437Z
2015-12-03T06:14:07.437Z
Gyan
<p>I have an MKV file with multiple subtitles.  I would like to mark one set of those subtitles as default, so that it is turned on by default when the video starts playing.  NOTE: I do not want to "burn" this subtitles set into the video (I want to be able to turn these subtitles off at any point in time if I so choose).</p>

<p>Is there an MKV editing tool that would allow me to do this?</p>

<subtitles><mkv>
How to display subtitles as default in an MKV file
ltcomdata
# How to display subtitles as default in an MKV file

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-03)

I have an MKV file with multiple subtitles. I would like to mark one set of those subtitles as default, so that it is turned on by default when the video starts playing. NOTE: I do not want to "burn" this subtitles set into the video (I want to be able to turn these subtitles off at any point in time if I so choose).

Is there an MKV editing tool that would allow me to do this?

**Tags:** subtitles, mkv


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-12-03. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

There are two aspects to your query - 1)setting one of the subtitle streams as the default and 2)automatically displaying it during playback.I'm not aware of a method to force a player to display subtitles if that facility has been turned off in its settings.

For the first facility, try mkvpropedit from [MKVToolNix](https://mkvtoolnix.download/index.html) to set the default flag for a subtitle stream. See 2nd [example](https://mkvtoolnix.download/doc/mkvpropedit.html#mkvpropedit.examples).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Your solution worked wonderfully.  What do you recommend as a GUI for MKVToolNix?  
> **username_1**: The [standard installer](http://www.videohelp.com/software/MKVtoolnix) does come with a GUI. It's what I use. [Here](http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=163753)'s a GUI for mkvpropedit, but I haven't used it personally.  

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