Plex’s interface is easy enough to navigate, but there are numerous ways to adjust it to your liking. You may focus on specific libraries, hide categories altogether, or even change the way Plex looks client-side.
Personally, I like seeing live TV and free movies from Plex on my homepage, but I totally understand if you just use your library. Admittedly, it can get in the way when it’s the first thing you see rather than your own content. Additionally, if you’re setting up multiple users and parental controls, you may disable Plex’s free content entirely.
Brady Meyers / How-To Geek
- Open “Settings” (the wrench in the top-right corner).
- On the left-hand side, choose “Online Media Sources” just below your name.
- Under “General,” you may remove Plex’s live TV, shows, and movies by selecting “Edit” and setting each one to “Disabled.”
You can also disable content that appears on your Discovery page under the “Discover” section.
Pin Your Content to the Home Screen
To make your content much easier to see, or if you just want specific libraries up front and center, you should pin them. This is super helpful if you’re like me and create numerous libraries. I’ve also separated HD movies from Blu-rays I’ve ripped for my Plex server.
- In Plex, select “More >” on the left-hand side. It’s just below the “Downloads” tab.
- Hover over a library you want to pin. You’ll see three dots appear to the right of it. Click on them.
- From the drop-down menu, choose “Pin.”
- Leave the “More >” menu and hover over the libraries you’ve pinned to see three dots again. Click on them.
- Choose “Reorder” from the drop-down menu, then rearrange the libraries to your liking.
Now, your content will appear in the order you prefer, from top to bottom. This is particularly useful if you still want to keep Plex’s free content but want it to come after your own libraries.
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5 Overlooked Plex Features Everybody Misses
Plex is best known as the streaming platform that lets you host your own video content and then stream it to devices on your local network. However, Plex has so much more to it, and chances are there’s at least one of these five features you weren’t aware of.
Create a Collection Library
There are 10 Spider-Man movies—eight live-action and two animated films. Wouldn’t it be easier to have them all in one place rather than scattered across your library? Plex lets you create collections using a tag system. You can fine-tune your collections to include a specific actor, director, writer, or even region.
- You’re welcome to do it manually by visiting each movie and TV show, clicking “Edit” (the pencil icon), going into “Tag,” and typing in a name for your collection in the “Collections” text field.
- Another way is Plex’s Smart Collection feature. Pick a library on the left, then select “Library” > “Add to…” (the plus symbol with three dashes) > “Create Smart Collection.” Using the drop-down menus, you have a list of tags to focus your search. When you’re ready, click “Save As…” and then “Save as Smart Collection.”
- The last option is letting Plex automatically sort your library into collections. Hover over a library and click the three dots. Go to “Manage Library” > “Edit” > “Advanced.” Scroll down to “Minimum automatic collection size” and set it to “2”. That means at least two movies have to share some characteristics for Plex to create a collection.
Personally, I use Plex’s Smart Collection feature most often. I’d rather filter, then create a collection, and add any stragglers later on once the collection has been made. However, it’s best to organize your Plex library beforehand.
Change the Content Layout
Brady Meyers / How-To Geek
Whenever you use a Plex client app, you’re welcome to adjust the way it looks. Want less metadata, like Max? Go with the “Classic” layout. Want to emulate Netflix’s interface? The “Modern” layout is perfect. To do that, go into “Settings” > “Experience” > “Content Layout.”
Additionally, you may alter how libraries appear on your homepage by adjusting their order on the left. Highlight a library to reveal a triple-dot icon, and when selected, pick “Reorder” to change its position on your homepage or unpin it completely to hide it for good.
As easy as it is to get Plex set up and ready to go, it does take some tweaking to get it just right, especially with navigation. The option to hide content altogether is definitely helpful, seeing as Plex’s free content is enabled automatically. It’s also nice that you can prioritize libraries and create collections for a cleaner UI.
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The last thing you want is for your Plex media to be loading at a snail’s pace. Here’s how to fix common streaming issues on your Plex server or client.
