Batch remove subtitles from mkv files

[rumblylwc]

As the title says is there a way I can remove all subtitles in 1 goninstead of doing it one at a time. I'm not good at using command lines I don't really understand it to be honest. Thanks

[stax76]

StaxRip can probably do it but why not just keep the subtitles?

[rumblylwc]

Because I don't wanna mess a round turning them off everytime I want to watch an episode

[stax76]

Your player should have an option to disable subtitles by default, which player do you use?

[rumblylwc]

Yeah I'm using plex but I need subtitles to be enabled for foreign films and don't wanna mess around keep enabling and disabling them

[stax76]

staxrip is much likely able to do it but it is a very complex task and staxrip is a very powerful app with many advanced features.

It is not easy to find out which settings you need if you are new to staxrip.

Command line scripting would much likely be even more difficult.

I still believe it's always better to keep the subtitles, maybe plex has a usability problem or you don't know how to use it properly?

[rumblylwc]

Never mind I'll have to remove them individually.. Thanks

[johns0]

Mkvbatch will remove all the subtitles in one go.

[rumblylwc]

I did try that but I kept getting an error when trying to run the program

[stax76]

in staxrip you would set:

set video source filter to DSS2 in order to not waste time for indexing, requires DS filters to be present
set video track to mux/copy
set audio tracks to mux/copy
set first audio language in audio config to your primary language
set second audio language in audio config to your secondary language
in the project options clear preferred subtitle languages

that would hopefully work, a advanced and complex task requires advanced knowledge...

[johns0]

What error were you getting in mkvbatch?Might be in the settings or missing a file.

[sneaker]

MKVToolNix 19.0.0 is the last version compatible with MKVBatch.

Though batching "by hand" isn't that complicated:

for %%a in (*.mkv) do mkvmerge -o "output\%%~a" --no-subtitles "%%~a"

You could also try to disable the tracks instead of removing them. It is very fast (in-place) and you can re-enable them at a later time. I don't know if Plex obeys this flag, though. There's even a GUI (jmkvpropedit).

[Attachment 49352 - Click to enlarge]

[lordhutt]

This is something I've been wanting to know how to do for a long time.
I have MKVToolNix v42.
I have a directory of files that have about a dozen sub-titles for each. I want to remove all except the English subs.

I'm not even sure how to start on the adding or appending files popup
Do I select
'add as new source files to the current multiplex settings'

After this I'm even more lost

Can this even be done this was using the GUI?

[butterw]

With mkvtoolnixGUI: you just open the mkv (drag and drop one file at a time) and manually unselect the subs you don't want to keep and then remux (Start multiplexing).
You want to be make sure you've removed the right subs: check the output before deleting the source file.

It may be possible to do this with a batch script.

[lordhutt]

With mkvtoolnixGUI: you just open the mkv (drag and drop one file at a time) and manually unselect the subs you don't want to keep and then remux (Start multiplexing).
You want to be make sure you've removed the right subs: check the output before deleting the source file.

It may be possible to do this with a batch script.

Hey... sorry, I should have been more specific. I know how to do it manually... I do it with single files on a regular basic.
But for this particular situation I may have a couple hundred to do it with... each with about a dozen subs each.
I was hoping there was a more automatic way... keeping only the English ones.

[sneaker]

I'm not even sure how to start on the adding or appending files popup
Do I select
'add as new source files to the current multiplex settings'

No. That's the setting for combining files, e.g. you want to combine video from file 1 with audio from file 2.


Maybe you want something like this:
1. Preferences>Multiplexer>When dropping files>Create one new ... for each file
2. Preferences>Multiplexer>Destination file name. Set an output directory. (optional)
3. Preferences>Multiplexer>enabling items. Tick "only enable copying ...". Then in the bottom move English from the left to the right field.
4. Drag&Drop all your mkv files
5. Multiplexer>Actions for all tabs> Start multiplexing


Or with CLI:

for %%a in (*.mkv) do mkvmerge -o "output\%%~a" --subtitle-tracks eng "%%~a"

[lordhutt]

Maybe you want something like this:
1. Preferences>Multiplexer>When dropping files>Create one new ... for each file
2. Preferences>Multiplexer>Destination file name. Set an output directory. (optional)
3. Preferences>Multiplexer>enabling items. Tick "only enable copying ...". Then in the bottom move English from the left to the right field.
4. Drag&Drop all your mkv files
5. Multiplexer>Actions for all tabs> Start multiplexing

Definitely seemed like that would work but when dragging over a couple test files... everything is still selected.


[Attachment 56016 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 56017 - Click to enlarge]

[sneaker]

You ticked the wrong options. Should be e.g.:
[x] Video [ ] Audio [ ] Subtitles

An "[x]" means to ALWAYS copy, ingoring the language selection below.

[lordhutt]

You ticked the wrong options. Should be e.g.:
[x] Video [ ] Audio [ ] Subtitles

An "[x]" means to ALWAYS copy, ingoring the language selection below.

Haha, yep, that got her!!
A million thank yous. Like I said... I've wanted to know how to do this for a long time.

Take care, and thanks again!!

[Fejinwales]

No. That's the setting for combining files, e.g. you want to combine video from file 1 with audio from file 2.

Maybe you want something like this:
1. Preferences>Multiplexer>When dropping files>Create one new ... for each file
2. Preferences>Multiplexer>Destination file name. Set an output directory. (optional)
3. Preferences>Multiplexer>enabling items. Tick "only enable copying ...". Then in the bottom move English from the left to the right field.
4. Drag&Drop all your mkv files
5. Multiplexer>Actions for all tabs> Start multiplexing [/code]

I know it's four years too late but I want to thank you for this solution. I've been taking far too long to do this in the past.