How to install the new Plex Desktop App on Linux
Plex has released two new official applications to watch content on Plex servers on Linux. These apps are Plex HTPC (for big media center PCs) and Plex Desktop. This guide will show you how to install both apps on Linux.
Plex HTPC
You’ll want to install the Plex HTPC app if you use your Linux PC as a media center. It features a “10-foot interface” and many improvements to work on your big screen TV, projector, etc.
Setting up the new Plex HTPC app on Linux can be done in a few ways. Flatpak, Snap package, and for those on Arch Linux: the AUR. You’ll want to open up a terminal window to start the setup process.
Unsure about how to open up a terminal window? Press Ctrl + Alt + T on the desktop. Alternatively, search for “Terminal” in the app menu and launch it that way. With the terminal window open,
Flatpak installation
While Flatpak isn’t the method of installation Plex promotes, it is possible. Also, Flatpak is supported on a wider variety of Linux OSes, so, arguably, users should install Flatpak over Snap for Plex HTPC.
To get the Flatpak version of Plex HTPC working on your Linux system, you’ll first need to set up the Flatpak runtime. You can set up the Flatpak runtime by installing the “flatpak” package on your computer.
Unsure about how to set up the Flatpak package on your Linux PC? We’ve got you covered. Follow along with our in-depth Flatpak installation guide.
When the runtime is set up, use the flatpak remote-add command to add the Flathub app store to your system.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
Finally, install the Plex HTPC application on your Linux system using the flatpak install command below.
flatpak install flathub tv.plex.PlexHTPC
Snap package installation
Plex has officially decided to distribute the Plex HTPC app to Linux users via the Ubuntu Snap store. You’ll need to first configure the Snap runtime before setting up the app on your system.
Not sure how to set up the Snap runtime on your computer? We can help! Follow along with our in-depth tutorial to set up the runtime. Then run the snap install command to set up Plex HTPC via Snap.
sudo snap install plex-htpc
Arch Linux AUR installation
If you’re on Arch Linux (or a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux), you’ll be able to set up the Plex HTPC app on your system using the AUR. To set this app up, start by setting up the Trizen AUR helper with the commands below.
sudo pacman -S git base-devel
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/trizen.git
cd trizen/
makepkg -sri
With the Trizen AUR helper set up on your Linux PC, you’ll be able to quickly set up Plex HTPC using the trizen -S command down below.
trizen -S plex-htpc
Plex Desktop
If you’re not using Plex as a media center app on your Linux system, you’ll want to install the Plex Desktop app instead. Like Plex HTPC, the Plex Desktop app supports Flatpak, Snap package, and the Arch Linux AUR.
To start installing the Plex Desktop application, open up a terminal window. Unsure about how to open up a terminal on the desktop? Press Ctrl + Alt + T on the keyboard. Alternatively, search for “Terminal” in the app menu and launch it that way.
With the terminal window open and ready to use, it is time to install the Plex Desktop app. Follow the installation instructions below that corresponds with the Linux method you prefer.
Flatpak installation
Plex didn’t release the Plex Desktop application on Flathub as a Flatpak. Instead, it released it as a Snap. However, the Plex Desktop app is now available as a Flatpak. You’ll need first to set up the Flatpak runtime to install it.
Setting up the Flatpak runtime is easy. To do it, install the “flatpak” package. From there, it should be working fine. If you’re having issues, however, don’t worry! Instead, follow our in-depth guide on setting up the Flatpak runtime on your computer.
Once the Flatpak runtime is configured on your computer, you’ll need to enable the Flathub app store. This app store has the Plex Desktop app, making it possible to watch content on your system. Enable it with flatpak remote-add.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
With the Flathub app repo enabled, you’ll be able to install the app using the flatpak install command.
flatpak install flathub tv.plex.PlexDesktop
Snap package installation
You’ll need to enable your computer’s runtime to set up Plex Desktop as a Snap package from the Snap package store. To configure the Snap runtime, install the “snapd” package. Alternatively, follow our guide to set it up.
Arch Linux AUR installation
The Plex Desktop application is available in the Arch Linux AUR. To install it, you’ll need to install an AUR helper. Set up the Trizen AUR helper on your computer using the commands below.
sudo pacman -S git base-devel
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/trizen.git
cd trizen/
makepkg -sri
With the Trizen AUR helper program up and running, you can quickly install the Plex Desktop application using the trizen -S command.
trizen -S plex-desktop
