Plex on Windows
Plex Media Server runs on Microsoft Windows on either the 32-bit or the 64-bit version of the operating system. There is both a 32-bit (Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or newer) and 64-bit (Windows 8 / Windows 2012 or newer) version of Plex Media Server available for download. I recommend installing the 64-bit version over the 32-bit version.
The following table lists the officially supported versions of Windows for Plex:
| Desktop | Server |
|---|---|
| Windows 7 SP1 (32-bit Plex only) Up to Plex Media Server version 1.31.3.6819 | Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (32-bit Plex only) |
| Windows 8 Up to Plex Media Server version 1.31.3.6819 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Windows 8.1 (with Update) Up to Plex Media Server version 1.31.3.6819 | Windows Server 2012 R2 (with Update) |
| Windows 10 | Windows Server 2016 |
| Windows 11 | Windows Server 2019 |
| Windows Server 2022 |
Running Plex Media Server on Windows
Installing and running Plex on Windows is not difficult to do, and shouldn't take long to setup and configure. If you would like to get the most out of Plex when running on Windows, you may want to read through the following articles.
- Installing Plex Media Server
- Explains the steps needed to get the Plex Media Server application installed on Windows.
- Moving Plex Media Server to a Different User Account
- When Plex Media Server is installed, it is installed under the administrative account. This page will provide the steps to move Plex to a different user account.
- How to Run Plex Media Server as a Windows Service
- By default, Plex Media Server doesn't run as a Windows service, but this page explains how you can run Plex as a Windows service.
- Updating Plex When Plex is Running as a Windows Service
- If you do run Plex as a Windows service then updating requires several steps. I created a simple tool that makes updating Plex as easy as clicking a button, and this page explains how.
- How to Backup Plex Data in Windows
- Explains the steps needed to backup your Plex Media Server data in Windows.
- How to Move the Plex Data Directory in Windows
- Follow these step-by-step instructions to move the Plex data directory in Windows to a new location on your Plex Media Server system.
- How to Create a SSH Tunnel to a Plex Server Using Putty
- Provides step-by-step instructions for creating a SSH tunnel to a remote Plex server, as well as connecting to the remote Plex Web App.
- How to Move from 32-bit to 64-bit Plex for Windows
- Follow these step-by-step instructions to move your Plex Media Server installation from 32-bit to 64-bit.
- How to Enable Hardware Transcoding in Remote Desktop
- The fix to allow a Windows Plex server to use hardware to transcode when using remote desktop.