stop plex from updating posters

stop plex from updating posters

by

stop plex from updating posters

Stop Plex From Updating Posters: A Comprehensive Guide for a More Personalized Experience

Introduction: Hey Readers, Welcome!

Plex posters are a visual representation of your movie and TV show library, but sometimes, the default posters might not fit your aesthetic preferences. This guide will provide you with all the necessary knowledge and steps to disable poster updates in Plex, allowing you to keep your preferred posters in place. Get ready to take control of your Plex library and customize it to your liking!

Section 1: Navigate Plex Media Server Settings

### Disable Automatic Poster Updates:

  1. Launch Plex Media Server and click on the "Settings" tab.
  2. Navigate to the "Library" section and select the specific library containing the posters you want to freeze.
  3. Uncheck the "Automatically Update Posters" option.

### Update Media Information Manually:

  1. Once automatic updates are disabled, you can manually update media information, including posters.
  2. Select the movie or TV show and click on the "Edit" icon.
  3. Go to the "Poster" tab and select "Local Media Assets" or "Local Custom Image" to upload your desired poster.

Section 2: Override Plex’s Default Poster Cache

### Clear Poster Cache:

  1. Open Plex Media Server and access the "Settings" tab.
  2. Navigate to the "Advanced" section and select "Reset".
  3. Click on the "Empty Trash" option and confirm the action. This will clear the cache for posters.

### Change Poster Download Location:

  1. Go to the "Advanced" section in Plex Media Server settings.
  2. Under the "Cache" tab, change the "Poster Storage Location" to a new folder. This will prevent Plex from using its default cache location.

Section 3: Control Poster Updates with Agent Settings

### Disable Agent Poster Updates:

  1. Select the specific library in Plex Media Server that you want to modify.
  2. Click on the "Edit" button and navigate to the "Agents" tab.
  3. Choose the agent responsible for managing metadata, such as The Movie Database (TMDb).
  4. Uncheck the "Update Posters" option.

### Use a Custom Agent:

  1. Install a custom agent that provides more control over poster updates.
  2. In the Plex Media Server settings, add the custom agent for the corresponding media type (movie or TV show).
  3. Configure the agent’s settings to disable poster updates.

Section 4: Comparison Table: Ways to Stop Plex Poster Updates

Method Impact
Disable Automatic Updates Prevents all poster updates from Plex.
Clear Poster Cache Removes existing cached posters, forcing Plex to download new ones, including the ones you uploaded.
Change Poster Download Location Isolates Plex’s poster cache, preventing it from overwriting your uploaded posters.
Disable Agent Poster Updates Stops the specific agent from updating posters, but allows other agents to do so.
Use Custom Agent Provides advanced control over poster updates and allows you to disable them altogether.

Conclusion: Take Back Control of Your Plex Posters

Now that you know how to stop Plex from updating posters, you can maintain a consistent and personalized look for your media library. Experiment with the different methods outlined in this guide to find the one that best suits your needs. If you’re looking for even more customization options, check out our other articles on Plex settings and troubleshooting. Happy viewing, readers!

FAQ about Disabling Plex Poster Updates

1. Why would I want to stop Plex from updating posters?

  • To prevent Plex from automatically replacing your custom posters.
  • To improve server performance by reducing unnecessary background tasks.

2. How do I stop Plex from updating posters?

  • Go to Settings > Server > Agents.
  • Click "Edit" for the agent responsible for managing posters (e.g., The Movie Database).
  • Untick "Automatically Update".

3. Does stopping poster updates affect playback?

  • No, it does not affect the playback of your media.

4. Can I still update posters manually?

  • Yes, you can manually update posters by clicking the "Refresh Metadata" button on the movie or TV show page.

5. What happens if I enable poster updates again?

  • Plex will automatically update any outdated posters using the agent’s settings.

6. Can I stop updates for individual libraries?

  • No, you can only disable updates for the entire server.

7. Can I prevent Plex from updating posters even when I manually refresh metadata?

  • Yes, you can disable "Use Local Assets" in the agent settings. This will prevent Plex from replacing your local posters.

8. How do I remove existing posters from Plex?

  • Go to the movie or TV show page, click the "Edit" button, and select "Remove Poster".

9. Can I use a different poster than the one provided by Plex?

  • Yes, you can download custom posters and add them to your media files. Plex will automatically use your custom poster.

10. Does disabling poster updates also disable background scans?

  • No, background scans are still performed to keep your library up to date.