Plex runs smoothly right out of the box, but with these pro tips, you can set up your media server for future success. As your library grows, it’s important that Plex works for you—not the other way around.
5
Don’t Stop at One Plex Server
Whenever I don’t feel like sitting at my desk to work, I like using my laptop. However, my laptop is one of my Plex servers, as is my main PC. I’ll run my server on my unoccupied device so my wife and kids can still access my library without taxing my CPU while I work.
By running Plex Media Server on multiple devices and having multiple copies of my library, both my laptop and my PC can stream. I’m even considering separating my music library into its own server, just because the rest of my family listens to music on YouTube and Spotify, while I tend to stick with my CDs.
4
Plugins Can Streamline Hours of Work
Plex, without a doubt, is the easiest to set up compared to other media servers like Jellyfin and Emby. If you’re just running a small-scale operation, Plex’s default settings are fine, but once you start using it more often or it gets bigger, you want plugins.
Plugins help address Plex’s minor irritations. For example, its ability to scrape metadata automatically is pretty good but could be improved. I recently uploaded Clash of the Titans (1981) to my server, only for Plex to pull the metadata on Clash of the Titans (2010), the remake (and the inferior version, in my opinion). That meant I had to manually fix it myself.
More importantly, plugins are for expanding Plex’s capabilities. Why not set up a request system? You can do that with the Overseerr plugin! Want a better way to organize your libraries? Go with FileBot! How about a Plex doctor? Tdarr will comb through and double-check for transcoding issues and corrupting files. Those three are a great start, but if you want more, here are several Plex plugins I swear by.
Download: Tdarr for Windows | Linux | MacOS | ARM | Docker | unRaid (Free)
Download: FileBot (Free trial; Subscription & Life-Time license available)
Download: Overseerr for Windows (Free)
3
DLNA Can Make Plex Accessible to Older Devices
One of my favorite features of Plex is that I can get it working on old devices. At one point, I had an old Panasonic smart TV running Plex, despite being unable to download the app natively. To get around that, you enable DLNA.
- Open Settings.
- Look under Settings along the sidebar and choose DLNA.
- Check the box next to Enable the DLNA server, and you’re good to go.
Important note on enabling DLNA, though: It will make your library discoverable by everyone on your network. If your children can access your Plex server, they can bypass any parental controls you’ve set.
2
There’s No Such Thing as Too Many Folders
My ethos is that you can never have too many folders. Arguably, the biggest mistake I made when I started my Plex server was not respecting organization. I treated it like I do my desk—organized chaos. Once I reorganized things, it became infinitely easier to find content.
Beyond basic directories like /Movies, /Music, and /TV Shows. Create folders within, like /1080p and /4K. In the case of music, go by genre, then create folders inside each that relate to each music artist. Also, keep in mind that Plex will scan metadata better if you stick with Plex’s preferred naming scheme. If you have a massive library to sift through, it may be more expedient to let apps organize your Plex library.
1
Encode Files Ahead of Time
Plex’s built-in transcoder is super handy for automatically converting your favorite movie into a format your device can work with. However, it relies on your host device’s CPU. The more people accessing that limited bandwidth, the more likely artifacts appear.
Short of upgrading your hardware, the second-best solution is to simply encode your video file into multiple formats. This will alleviate some of the strain on your device’s CPU but at the cost of storage. I like using Handbrake to convert my video files.
Additionally, you’ll want to consider enabling hardware acceleration, assuming your host device has a dedicated GPU (Nvidia or AMD). For compatibility reasons, Plex recommends your CPU be, at minimum, 2nd-Generation Intel Core, with support for Intel Quick Sync Video, and you’ll need to subscribe to Plex Pass.
- In Settings > Server > Transcoder, enable Use hardware acceleration when available.
When your library grows beyond the few dozen movies and TV shows you may have started with, it’s not enough to let Plex handle it all. Simple, effective changes can really turn Plex from a competent media server to a well-oiled machine.
