The process of manually adding a movie to Plex involves ensuring your video file is correctly named and organized within a specific folder structure that Plex can easily recognize and index. This allows you to enjoy your personal video collection alongside streamed content within the Plex ecosystem.
Understanding Plex and Manual Movie Addition
Plex is a powerful media server software that allows you to organize and stream your personal collection of movies, TV shows, music, and photos to any device. While Plex excels at automatically identifying and organizing media files, sometimes manual intervention is required to ensure accuracy or when dealing with less common titles. Manually adding a movie essentially involves preparing your movie file and placing it in a location Plex can scan.
Preparing Your Movie File
Before Plex can recognize your movie, it needs to be in a compatible format and properly named.
Acceptable File Formats
Plex supports a wide range of video formats, but the most common and widely compatible include:
- MP4 (.mp4): Generally the most universally supported format.
- MKV (.mkv): Offers greater flexibility for multiple audio tracks and subtitles.
- AVI (.avi): An older format, but still sometimes encountered.
If your movie is in a less common format, consider using a video converter like Handbrake or MediaCoder to transcode it to MP4 or MKV.
Naming Conventions: The Key to Plex Recognition
Proper naming is crucial. Plex uses the filename to identify the movie, so adhering to its recommended naming convention will drastically improve your chances of automatic matching. The general format is:
Movie Title (Year).ext
- Movie Title: Use the exact title of the movie.
- Year: Include the year the movie was released in parentheses.
- ext: The file extension (e.g., .mp4, .mkv).
Example: The Matrix (1999).mkv
For movies with alternative titles, you can include both titles in the filename, separated by ” aka “. For example: Die Hard aka Glass Tower (1988).mkv.
Creating a Folder Structure
Plex expects your movie files to be organized within a specific folder structure. This allows it to efficiently scan and identify your media.
- Create a main “Movies” folder. This will be the top-level folder where all your movie files reside. The name is flexible, but “Movies” is a standard choice.
- Create a subfolder for each movie. This subfolder should have the exact same name as the movie file (without the extension).
Example:
Movies/
The Matrix (1999)/
The Matrix (1999).mkv
This is crucial! Placing the movie file directly inside the “Movies” folder might work, but it is best practice to use subfolders for better organization and to support additional files like subtitles and artwork.
Adding the Movie to Your Plex Library
Now that your movie is prepared, you need to tell Plex where to find it.
Setting up your Plex Media Server
Ensure your Plex Media Server is installed and running. If you haven’t already, download it from the Plex website (plex.tv) and follow the installation instructions.
Adding the “Movies” Library
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create a “Movies” library in Plex.
- Open the Plex Web App. Access it through your browser by navigating to
http://localhost:32400/web(if running on the same machine) orhttp://[Plex Media Server IP Address]:32400/webfrom another device on your network. - Click the “+” button on the left sidebar to add a library.
- Select “Movies” as the library type.
- Name your library (e.g., “My Movies”).
- Browse to the “Movies” folder you created earlier and select it.
- Click “Add Library”.
Plex will now scan the folder and attempt to automatically identify your movies.
Refreshing the Library
If Plex doesn’t immediately recognize your movie, try refreshing the library.
- Hover over the library name in the left sidebar.
- Click the three dots (ellipsis) to open the library menu.
- Select “Scan Library Files”.
This forces Plex to rescan the folder and look for new media.
Manually Matching a Movie
Sometimes, Plex might misidentify a movie or fail to identify it altogether. In these cases, you can manually match the movie.
- Hover over the movie poster in your Plex library.
- Click the three dots (ellipsis) to open the movie menu.
- Select “Match”.
- Enter the movie title in the search box.
- Select the correct movie from the search results.
- Click “Search Options” if the correct movie isn’t listed. You can refine your search using the year and original title.
- Click “Match” to confirm.
This will manually associate the movie with the correct metadata, including title, description, artwork, and cast information.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with careful preparation, you might encounter issues when manually adding movies to Plex.
- Incorrect Naming: Double-check the filename and folder name to ensure they follow the recommended naming convention.
- Permissions Issues: Ensure Plex has read access to the folder containing your movie files.
- Metadata Agents: Verify that your Plex metadata agents are properly configured. In “Settings -> Server -> Agents,” ensure “Plex Movie” and “Local Media Assets” are enabled and properly prioritized. “Local Media Assets” should be at the top for local files.
- Corrupted Media: If the movie consistently fails to play or causes Plex to crash, the file might be corrupted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 1: What if my movie has multiple parts (e.g., CD1, CD2)?
Plex supports multi-part movies. Name the files consistently, adding cd1, cd2, etc. before the extension. For example: Movie Title (Year) cd1.mkv, Movie Title (Year) cd2.mkv. Place all parts in the same movie folder.
FAQ 2: Can I use special characters in the filename?
It’s best to avoid special characters in filenames. Stick to alphanumeric characters, spaces, and underscores. Some special characters can cause issues with Plex’s scanning process.
FAQ 3: How do I add subtitles to my movie?
Place the subtitle file (e.g., .srt, .ass) in the same folder as the movie file. Name the subtitle file the same as the movie file, but with the appropriate subtitle extension. For example, if your movie is The Matrix (1999).mkv, the subtitle file should be The Matrix (1999).srt. Plex will automatically detect and use the subtitle file. You can also embed subtitles directly into the MKV file using tools like MKVToolNix.
FAQ 4: Can I add custom artwork to my movie?
Yes, you can add custom artwork. Place the artwork file (e.g., poster.jpg, fanart.jpg) in the same folder as the movie file. Plex will prioritize these local artwork files over online sources. Accepted formats are JPG and PNG. You can also manually edit the poster within Plex after matching the movie.
FAQ 5: What are metadata agents, and why are they important?
Metadata agents are modules that Plex uses to gather information about your movies, such as title, description, cast, and artwork. Correctly configured agents ensure that Plex can accurately identify and populate your library.
FAQ 6: Why is Plex not recognizing my movie even after I’ve named it correctly?
Several factors could be at play: double-check permissions, ensure the library is properly configured, try refreshing the library, and verify that your metadata agents are working correctly. If all else fails, try moving the movie file to a new folder and rescanning. Sometimes a corrupted entry in the Plex database can cause issues.
FAQ 7: How do I update the metadata for a movie that is already in my library?
Hover over the movie poster, click the three dots (ellipsis), and select “Edit”. You can then manually edit various metadata fields, such as title, description, rating, and genre.
FAQ 8: Can I use a network drive for my Plex media?
Yes, you can use a network drive. However, ensure that your Plex Media Server has stable and reliable access to the network drive. Slow or intermittent connections can lead to buffering issues and inaccurate library scans. Also, make sure the user Plex runs under has sufficient privileges to access the files.
FAQ 9: How often should I scan my library?
You can set Plex to automatically scan your library whenever changes are detected. Go to “Settings -> Server -> Library” and enable “Scan my library automatically.” You can also manually scan your library as needed.
FAQ 10: What does “Optimize Database” do in Plex?
“Optimize Database” defragments and cleans up the Plex database, improving its performance and reducing its size. It’s a good practice to run this periodically, especially if you’ve added or removed a large number of media files.
FAQ 11: How do I exclude specific folders from being scanned by Plex?
Within each library’s settings, under the “Add folders” section, you’ll see the included folder paths. Beneath these, you’ll find an “Advanced” tab. Within this tab, you can specify “Exclude folders.” Simply enter the full paths of the folders you wish to exclude from the scan. This prevents Plex from accidentally scanning temporary or irrelevant files.
FAQ 12: Can I have multiple “Movies” libraries pointing to different folders?
Yes, you can create multiple “Movies” libraries, each pointing to a different folder. This can be useful for organizing movies by genre, rating, or source.
By following these guidelines and addressing common issues, you can effectively manage your Plex movie library and enjoy your personal video collection on any device.