Getting Started with Plex on Windows

Getting Started with Plex on Windows 🪟

Welcome to your Plex journey! This guide will walk you through everything you need to get Plex Media Server running on Windows.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:

  • Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit recommended)
  • At least 4GB of RAM (8GB+ recommended for transcoding)
  • A Plex account (free at plex.tv)
  • Your media files organized and ready

Step 1: Download Plex Media Server

  1. Visit plex.tv/downloads
  2. Click on Plex Media Server
  3. Select Windows from the dropdown
  4. Download the installer (.exe file)

Step 2: Install Plex Media Server

  1. Run the downloaded installer
  2. Follow the installation wizard
  3. Important: When asked, allow Plex through Windows Firewall
  4. The installer will automatically start Plex Media Server

Step 3: Initial Configuration

After installation, Plex will open in your browser at http://localhost:32400/web:

  1. Sign in with your Plex account
  2. Name your server (e.g., “Home Media Server”)
  3. Enable remote access if you want to stream outside your home

Step 4: Add Your Media Libraries

This is where the magic happens! Click Add Library and choose:

  • Movies - For your film collection
  • TV Shows - For series with seasons and episodes
  • Music - For your audio library
  • Photos - For image collections

Folder Structure Best Practices

For Plex to properly identify your media, organize files like this:

D:\Media\
├── Movies\
│   ├── The Matrix (1999)\
│   │   └── The Matrix (1999).mkv
│   └── Inception (2010)\
│       └── Inception (2010).mkv
└── TV Shows\
    └── Breaking Bad\
        ├── Season 01\
        │   ├── Breaking Bad - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
        │   └── Breaking Bad - S01E02 - Cat's in the Bag.mkv
        └── Season 02\
            └── ...

Step 5: Configure Library Settings

For each library:

  1. Select the scanner (Plex Movie/Plex TV Series)
  2. Choose the metadata agent (Plex Movie/TheTVDB)
  3. Add the folder paths where your media is stored

What’s Next?

Congratulations! 🎉 Your Plex server is now running. In the next guides, we’ll cover:

Need help? Check out our Troubleshooting Guide or reach out in the comments below.