Host a Plex Media Server on Windows Server

Plex Media Server is an excellent piece of software. It can run on anything from Linux, Mac, and even Windows. Best of all, users can host their music, movies, photos, and TV shows with it. This guide will show you how to host a Plex server on your home Windows Server.

Before we begin

This guide focuses on Windows Server 2022. However, it is not required. You can use any Windows Server version to host Plex Media Server. The Plex server application supports various Windows versions — even Windows desktop OSes. 

Ensure you have Windows Server set up with a GUI. Using a GUI in Windows Server is key to this guide, and other configuration methods are not covered.  You’ll have issues setting up the Plex Media Server if you do not have one configured.

How to download Plex Media Server for Windows Server

Launch your web browser of choice to download Plex Media Server for Windows Server. Once it is open, head to the Plex website. Then, locate “Plex Media Server for Windows.” 

Select the “Choose Distribution” option, and select the version of Plex Media Server that is right for your version of Windows Server. For most users, this is the 64-bit version.

Once the EXE is downloaded to your Windows Server OS, open the Explorer app, and select the “Downloads” folder. After accessing the “Downloads” folder, move to the next section of the guide.

How to install the Plex Media Server app on Windows Server

Setting up Plex Media Server isn’t a complex process on Windows Server. To get it working on your system, follow the step-by-step instructions below. Soon, you’ll have Plex up and running on your home server.

1. Double-click on the Plex Media Server EXE file in the “Downloads” folder. When you double-click on this file, the first page of the “Plex Media Server Setup Wizard” will appear. Read the welcome message. After reading it, find the “Next” button and click on it to move to the next page of the Plex Media Server installation wizard.
2. Upon selecting the “Next” button in the Plex Media Server wizard, you will be asked to choose where to install Plex Media Server. The installer will default choose “Program Files” on the C:/ drive. However, you can choose to install the software wherever you wish. To change the installation location, select “Browse.”
3. After choosing an installation location, the Plex Media Server installation tool will ask you where it should place the program’s shortcuts. The shortcut location in the Start Menu is “Plex Media Server” by default. To customize it, click the “Browse” option. Choose “Next” to continue when you’ve configured the shortcuts.
4. Upon configuring the shortcuts, the installer will show you an overview of what it will do to Windows. Read the overview. Then, select the “Install” button when done to set up Plex Media Server on Windows Server.
5. After the installation is complete, you’ll see a window appear. This window says, “Completing the Plex Media Server Setup Wizard.” Click on the “Finish” button to start the Plex Media Server on Windows Server.

How to configure your Plex Media Server in Windows Server

After Plex Media Server is installed on your Windows Server, a web page will automatically open in the default web browser (likely Microsoft Edge). On the page, log into your Plex account to attach the server to your account. 

Note: Creating one is highly recommended if you do not have a Plex account. Having an account makes it much easier to access servers on various apps.

After you log in, follow the step-by-step instructions below to configure your Plex Media Server on Windows Server.

1. You must add media to your Plex Server. Click on the “add library” button. Then, select the type of media you wish to add to the server. Officially, Plex supports “Movies,” “TV Shows,” “Music,” “Photos,” and “Other videos.”Add your movies, TV shows, etc. Please note that you may need to add several different libraries, depending on how diverse your media collection is. 
2. After adding your libraries, find the “Done” button, and select it with the mouse. When you choose this button, you’ll finish the media setup portion of Plex.
3. With media added to your Plex Server, you will be brought to your user account’s “home screen.” You’ll see the movies and TV shows you’ve added appear.

Where can you use Plex?

Plex is everywhere. Once you’ve set up your Plex Media Server on Windows Server, you will be able to watch your content on everything from Smart TVs, to your Apple TV, to Google Chromecast, your iPad, Android smartphone, game console, and everything in between.

To get started with Plex, head over to their official website. Once there, look at the apps they make available for download, and download the Plex app that is right for you. Enjoy!

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