guide · #media · 20 min

Set Up a Plex Media Server on Docker

Cech Tech Reviews

Turn any computer into a Netflix-like streaming server for your personal media library. Movies, TV shows, music, and photos, all accessible from any device on your network.

1. 1

   Install Docker on your system

   On Mac: Download Docker Desktop from docker.com. On Linux: Run 'curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh'. On Windows: Install Docker Desktop and enable WSL 2.

2. 2

   Create your folder structure

   Create three folders: one for Plex config, one for TV shows, and one for movies.

   mkdir -p ~/plex/config ~/plex/tv ~/plex/movies

3. 3

   Run the Plex Docker container

   docker run -d \
     --name plex \
     --restart unless-stopped \
     -p 32400:32400 \
     -v ~/plex/config:/config \
     -v ~/plex/tv:/tv \
     -v ~/plex/movies:/movies \
     -e PUID=1000 -e PGID=1000 \
     -e TZ=America/Chicago  # Change to your timezone (e.g., America/New_York, Europe/London, Asia/Tokyo) \
     plexinc/pms-docker

4. 4

   Access the web interface

   Open /:32400/web in your browser. Create a Plex account (free) and follow the setup wizard to add your media libraries.

5. 5

   Add your media files

   Drop movie files into ~/plex/movies and TV shows into ~/plex/tv (organized by show name/season). Plex automatically detects, names, and adds artwork.

6. 6

   Access from other devices

   Install the Plex app on your phone, tablet, smart TV, or Roku. Sign in with the same account and your entire library appears. For remote access, enable it in Settings > Remote Access.