The Convenience of Multiple Users on Plex
One of the most handy features that have been celebrated by most Netflix users is the set-up of multiple users per account, allowing individuals to share their accounts with different family members. For instance, let's say you and your wife both want to track different shows that you're watching separately from each other. This feature can be especially useful for households with multiple people who want to access their own personal library on Plex without having to manage separate accounts.
Plex actually has this built-in feature, allowing users to set up multiple servers and share them with others. In this tutorial, we'll be showing you how to set up multiple users in your Plex server or account that can be shared among family members or other individuals. We'll also explore the different settings and options available for managing user accounts on Plex.
Setting Up Multiple Users on Plex
To start setting up multiple users on Plex, simply log in to your main Plex server using your web client. By default, you're presented with a login screen that shows everyone's watch history across the entire system. To set up some users, click on the "users" button located in the top right-hand corner of the account icon. You'll be taken to a page where you can manage user accounts.
By default, you are the crowned administrator of this account, but you can enable a guest account that allows visitors to watch shows without having to log in. However, since we're just setting up some users for our own home, let's disable the guest feature and create managed users instead. You can actually add other Plex account holders to your server to share servers with them.
Creating Managed Users on Plex
We'll start by creating a managed user for my fiancée or wife. We can choose what servers are available to them, and we can customize whether they just have access to our movies or TV shows. For example, if you have some adult content in your other videos category that you don't want anyone seeing, you can block it from the guest user's account.
To create a managed user on Plex, simply log in to your server using your web client and navigate to the "users" page. Click on the "create new user" button, enter the user's name and email address, and select their permissions. You can choose what servers they have access to and which features are available to them.
Managing User Accounts on Plex
Now that we've created a managed user on Plex, let's explore some of the settings and options available for managing user accounts. We'll start by talking about how to set up a guest account and manage watch history. Guest accounts allow visitors to access your library without having to log in or create an account.
To set up a guest account on Plex, simply go to the "users" page, click on the "create new user" button, select the guest feature, and follow the prompts. You can also customize what features are available to the guest user by selecting their permissions.
One important thing to note is that if you're managing multiple users on your Plex account, it's a good idea to set up a pin for your master account. This will allow you to track who has logged in and manage administrative controls more effectively. You can also use the pin feature to lock down certain features or content that shouldn't be accessible to non-administrators.
Using Multiple Users on Plex
Now that we've set up multiple users on our Plex server, let's explore how to use them. When you load the Plex Media Player app, you'll have multiple users to select from to log in. This means that your wife can choose her user and only access their own library, without affecting anyone else's account.
You can also switch between users by clicking on the "switch user" button located at the top right-hand corner of the screen. This allows you to manage different accounts and libraries more easily. We'll discuss some additional features and settings available for managing user accounts in future tutorials.
Conclusion
Setting up multiple users on Plex is a convenient feature that can be used by households with multiple people who want to access their own personal library without having to manage separate accounts. In this tutorial, we've explored how to set up managed users, customize their permissions, and manage watch history.
If you're interested in learning more about Plex or exploring some of the other features available on your server, be sure to check out our affiliate links below. We'll also have a news video coming soon that discusses some unfortunate changes to how some of the Plex services are working.