Tip!: Our “Downloads” functionality is a premium feature that requires an active Plex Pass subscription. In most situations, the subscription is required on the Plex account using the mobile Android app, but our “Downloads FAQ” article has more specific details.

Our Plex app for Android mobile devices has the ability to download media from a Plex Media Server, so you can make use of it even when offline or when your server is unavailable.

Related Page: Downloads Overview
Related Page: Downloads FAQ

Requirements

• Plex Media Server 1.18.3
• Plex for Android mobile 8.19.1
• Both the Plex Media Server and the Plex app on Android mobile must be signed in to a Plex account
• The account signed into the mobile app must have a Plex Pass subscription or be a member of a Plex Home where the Home admin has an active Plex Pass (see our “Downloads FAQ” article for more specific details)

Related Page: What is Plex Home?

Downloading

Initiate a Download

To initiate the download chose the Download icon on the screen or Download from the context menu. The context menu is the three vertical dots under an items poster, or to the right in on the top right of pre play screens, and on the right side of rows for items in list view, such as music tracks in an album.  You can also bring up the context menu without entering the preplay screen by long pressing on the poster while viewing your library or from a Hub.

For movies and individual episodes it will download immediately. If downloading a whole TV show, you will have options to set subscription rules to choose the number of episodes to include in the Download and if an item should be removed when it no longer meets a certain criteria.

 

Downloads Library

The Downloads library will be listed can be pinned/unpinned to the sidebar just like any other library.  This library can be found under the “More” menu at the top of the list under “Offline”.  Once pinned to the sidebar, you may rearrange it as needed.

If an item has already been included as part of another Download, a second copy will not be saved onto the device.  So if you initiate a Download for episode 1 of season 1 for a show, then a Download for all of season 1 of that show, and then a Download for that entire show, you will see 3 Downloads, but there will only be 1 copy of each episode saved onto your device.

In this Downloads library, there are 2 views, an Items view which lists all Downloads that have been initiated, and a Library view so you can browse your media like you would see from a Plex Media Server.  From the list view you can filter and sort the content to find the Download you want.  This page will also serve as the status page for all Downloads.  Any errors will be shown on here as well.  Tapping on a Download will take you to the appropriate preplay page.

Note: The first time you initiate a Download, the app will need to obtain information from that server.  This may take several minutes depending on the amount of content on that server. During this time you will see a fast spinner next to any pending Downloads and the message “Waiting to download”.  Once this communication with the server is complete the spinner will change to a status icon with a progress indicator.

Cancel or Delete a download

From the Items view, swipe the Download from right to left to delete it.  If the Download is still in progress, it will cancel that Download.

Note: If you delete a Download and an item is still a part of another Download, the file will not be removed until it is no longer part of any Downloads.

Downloads Settings

Download settings are all managed from the app settings which you can get to from the gear icon at the top of the navigation drawer side bar.

Use Mobile Data

If enabled, the app will use cellular data (if no WiFi connection is available) when performing a download. This option is only visible for devices that have a cellular/mobile connection

Storage Limit

Set a limit on the amount of local storage space that Downloads can use.

Storage Location

Select the location that Downloads will use for synced content.

Quality

Download Quality for Video files and Audio files. Quality cannot be changed on the fly as you are setting up a new download.