Identify how the subtitle was obtained
A subtitle selected through Plex’s on-demand search is different from an external subtitle file deliberately placed beside a video by the server administrator. If another household member cannot see your search result, first identify that source. A missing shared selection does not by itself mean the server lost a file from the media folder.
Use the documented search lifecycle
Plex says search selections are saved separately for each user and can follow that user to other supported apps. Choosing None or another existing subtitle deletes the subtitle obtained through search. Search preferences can prioritise or restrict SDH and forced results, and a star indicates a file-hash match. These are selection and matching clues, not a guarantee that every translation or timing choice will suit the viewer.
Compare the intended person and edition
For example, one viewer may need sound-description captions while another wants dialogue-only text. Each should inspect their own search and language preferences for the same authorised media edition. Do not repeatedly switch to None expecting a search subtitle to remain as a permanent shared asset. If a file is meant to be maintained for the whole library, consult the administrator’s supported local-subtitle workflow instead. Record the exact release and selected result when reporting mismatched timing; do not assume that a similarly named subtitle was made for the same cut or frame rate.
Questions, answered
Does a friend automatically inherit my searched subtitle?
Plex says on-demand subtitle searches are saved for each user separately.