Windows Installation

Installing Plex on Windows

This guide walks you through installing Plex Media Server on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure you have:

• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• Administrator access
• A free Plex account
• Media files ready to add

Download Plex

1. Visit the Plex Downloads page
2. Select Windows from the platform dropdown
3. Click Download to get the latest installer

Installation Methods

GUI Installer

The easiest method for most users:

1. Run the downloaded .exe installer
2. Click Install when prompted
3. Wait for installation to complete
4. Plex launches automatically and opens in your browser
5. Sign in with your Plex account

Silent Install

For automated or headless installation:

# Download latest installer
$url = "https://plex.tv/api/downloads/5.json"
$json = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $url
$windowsUrl = $json.computer.Windows.releases | Where-Object { $_.build -eq "windows-x86_64" } | Select-Object -First 1 -ExpandProperty url
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $windowsUrl -OutFile "PlexSetup.exe"

# Silent install
Start-Process -FilePath "PlexSetup.exe" -ArgumentList "/install /quiet" -Wait

Chocolatey

Using the Chocolatey package manager:

# Install Chocolatey if not present
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072
iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

# Install Plex
choco install plexmediaserver -y

Initial Configuration

After installation, complete the setup wizard:

1. Sign in to your Plex account
2. Name your server (e.g., “Home Server”, “Living Room PC”)
3. Skip library setup for now (we’ll configure properly later)
4. Complete wizard and access the dashboard

Tip

Don’t rush through adding libraries. Take time to organize your media first for the best experience.

Configure Windows Firewall

Plex should automatically configure firewall rules. Verify they exist:

1. Open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection
2. Click Allow an app through firewall
3. Verify Plex Media Server is listed and checked for both Private and Public

If not present, add manually:

# Run as Administrator
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Plex Media Server" -Direction Inbound -Program "C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server.exe" -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Plex DLNA" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 32469 -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Plex Discovery" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 32410-32414 -Action Allow

Run as Windows Service

By default, Plex runs as a desktop application. For always-on operation, configure it as a service:

Option 1: Built-in Service Mode

1. Open Plex Settings → General
2. Check “Run Plex Media Server as a Windows Service”
3. Restart Plex when prompted

Caution

Running as a service changes the data directory. Consider backing up first.

Option 2: Using NSSM

For more control, use NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager):

# Install NSSM
choco install nssm -y

# Create service
nssm install PlexMediaServer "C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server.exe"
nssm set PlexMediaServer AppDirectory "C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server"
nssm set PlexMediaServer Start SERVICE_AUTO_START

# Start service
nssm start PlexMediaServer

Auto-Start Configuration

Task Scheduler Method

If not running as a service:

1. Open Task Scheduler
2. Click Create Task
3. General tab: Name it “Start Plex”, check “Run with highest privileges”
4. Triggers tab: Add trigger “At startup”
5. Actions tab: Add action:
   • Program: "C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server.exe"
6. Conditions tab: Uncheck power conditions
7. Click OK to save

Verify Installation

Check that everything is working:

# Check if Plex is running
Get-Process "Plex Media Server" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Check if port is listening
Test-NetConnection -ComputerName localhost -Port 32400

# Open Plex in browser
Start-Process "http://localhost:32400/web"

Update Plex

Plex can update automatically, or manually:

Automatic Updates

• Settings → General → Enable “Update my Plex Media Server automatically”

Manual Update

# Check current version
$plexPath = "C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server.exe"
(Get-Item $plexPath).VersionInfo.ProductVersion

# Download and install latest
# (Same process as initial installation)

Uninstallation

To completely remove Plex:

1. Stop Plex Media Server
2. Settings → Apps → Plex Media Server → Uninstall
3. Delete data folder (optional): %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server

Next Steps

Continue to Configuration to set up your server properly.