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Initial commit: Plex MCP server with 6 tools and API passthrough 
- get_libraries: List all library sections
- search_library: Search for media by title
- get_metadata: Get detailed item info by rating key
- get_recently_added: Get recently added content
- refresh_library: Trigger library scan
- plex_api_call: Raw API passthrough for any endpoint
- search_api_docs: Search OpenAPI spec for endpoint documentation

Includes Docker support and Gitea Actions workflow for container builds.
2025-12-28 05:26:43 +00:00

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API Info
Content Types
The API supports responses in both XML and JSON, and clients can request one or the other using the standard Accept HTTP header. The default is XML, so JSON will only be returned if it's explicitly requested (Accept: application/json). New applications should use JSON.
Throughout the docs, it's common for a examples to be given in JSON only since the JSON response would be preferred for new applications.
Headers
PMS accept a variety of custom headers that follow the pattern X-Plex-{name}. The full set of headers isn't enumerated here since some may only apply to certain endpoints, but common headers that can be included on all requests include:
Header Description Sample
X-Plex-Client-Identifier An opaque identifier unique to the client abc123
X-Plex-Token An authentication token, obtained from plex.tv XXXXXXXXXXXX
X-Plex-Product The name of the client product Plex for Roku
X-Plex-Version The version of the client application 2.4.1
X-Plex-Platform The platform of the client Roku
X-Plex-Platform-Version The version of the platform 4.3 build 1057
X-Plex-Device A relatively friendly name for the client device Roku 3
X-Plex-Model A potentially less friendly identifier for the device model 4200X
X-Plex-Device-Vendor The device vendor Roku
X-Plex-Device-Name A friendly name for the client Living Room TV
X-Plex-Marketplace The marketplace on which the client application is distributed googlePlay
X-Plex-Client-Identifier is typically required, as is X-Plex-Token for authentication.
There's no standard way to send non-ASCII values as HTTP headers. We attempt to recognize and parse UTF-8 and ISO-8859-1. If you're sending something that may include non-ASCII characters (often X-Plex-Device-Name), use UTF-8 if possible.
These are referred to as headers throughout documentation, but all X-Plex- headers can also be sent as query string arguments.
Auth
Most endpoints require token based authentication, and the token is expected to be sent in the X-Plex-Token header. Tokens are obtained from plex.tv. See the Authenticating with Plex section.
Paths and Keys
Many parts of the API reference things that can be fetched by their key. These keys follow a sort of relative URL resolution pattern. Some examples will help clarify.
For a request to /library/sections that includes an item with a key of home in the response, that item can be fetched at /library/sections/home.
For a request to /library/sections/home that includes an item with a key of /library/metadata/deadbeef in the response, that item can be fetched at /library/metadata/deadbeef.
We say this follows a "sort of" relative URL resolution pattern because all requests are treated as though they have a trailing slash.
/library/sections/ + home => /library/sections/home
/library/sections + home => /library/sections/home
/library/sections + /library/sections/home => /library/sections/home
Just like URL resolution, keys may contain absolute URLs as well, especially absolute https://... URLs or custom view://... URLs. In these cases the key resolved by simply using it, the parent is irrelevant.
Also note that the features described in this API can generally be present at a different paths. The /media/providers path defines where all features can be found. Note that a PMS can contain multiple providers which will be enumerated here. For simplicity, these docs use the most common, default paths. But when we say that /library/sections/{id} is part of the API, what we really mean is that a endpoint exists which is composed of the key for the content feature and the key for the library section.
Finally, it's worth noting that many paths can potentially be discovered by walking API responses and fetching keys, but paths that aren't documented here aren't part of the API contract, they just happen to exist for a particular provider. For example, a particular content directory might include a directory with key={baseLibraryPath}/genre. That's not an official part of the API that's guaranteed to exist for every content directory, it's just a key that happened to exist within that content directory.
Types
Many elements throughout the API have a type attribute. These types are meant to give helpful information, such as whether something is a movie library or a TV show library. Some API elements rely on a type number so both are provided below
List of Metadata Types
Type Name Type Number
movie 1
show 2
season 3
episode 4
trailer 5
person 7
artist 8
album 9
track 10
clip 12
photo 13
photoalbum 14
playlist 15
playlistfolder 16
collection 18
When an element has both type and key attributes, the type describes what will be returned when fetching that key. Some types will return a list of other elements. That list may have a Meta element describing the specific types within the list. Consider the following examples:
[
{
"key": "/foo",
"type": "movie",
"title": "A Movie"
},
{
"key": "/bar",
"type": "collection",
"title": "My Favorite Movies"
},
{
"key": "/baz",
"type": "show",
"title": "A Show"
}
]
In each case, the type describes what will be returned when fetching the key. One exception is the /children key for parents like shows and seasons. It will return a list of children even though the type describes the parent.
Some elements may also include an optional subtype attribute. The subtype is meant to be a refinement of the type, not a completely different type. One test is trying to explain the type in natural language. type="clip" subtype="news" passes the test that "This is a clip, a news clip specifically." Another test is considering the client UI. A client should be functional if it ignores the subtype, and optimized if it respects it. If type="track" subtype="podcast", a client can successfully play the podcast in an audio player based purely on the type, but it may tweak the display or which advanced playback controls are visible based on the subtype.
List of Metadata Subtypes
podcast
webshow
news
photo
Collection Subtypes
movie
show
artist
album
Extras Subtypes
trailer
deletedScene
interview
musicVideo
behindTheScenes
sceneOrSample
liveMusicVideo
lyricMusicVideo
concert
featurette
short
other
Sources
Source URIs and attributes make it possible to uniquely reference content outside the local server context without requiring a fixed url. This might be desirable when showing related albums from a friend's shared media server, building a universal play queue, or returning aggregated hubs that span multiple providers. Source components are immutable and act as pointers to a single item or directory in the Plex ecosystem.
A source URI from a media server uses the server scheme while a cloud provider uses the provider scheme.
server://{SERVER_ID}/{PROVIDER_ID}/{PATH}
provider://{PROVIDER_ID}/{PATH}
As a single regular expression, that's:
/^(server|provider):\/\/([a-fA-F0-9-]+)?\/?([^/]+)([^\?]+)\??(.*)?/
The server id is the server's machineIdentifier. The provider id is the provider's identifier. The rest of the path represents the path of the content at the provider and may include additional query parameters like X-Plex- headers or media query syntax for sorts and filters.
Some examples may be helpful:
server://546684a3d18ac5c39037360ec9ce900b7af9cc36/com.plexapp.plugins.library/library/metadata/2814936
provider://tv.plex.provider.podcasts/library/sections/audio/all
The source attribute has the same structure as the source URI, but omits the path.
{SOURCE_TYPE}://{SOURCE_ID}/{PROVIDER_ID?}
/^(server|provider):\/\/([a-fA-F0-9-]+)?\/?([^/]+)$/
source="server://546684a3d18ac5c39037360ec9ce900b7af9cc36/com.plexapp.plugins.library"
source="provider://tv.plex.provider.podcasts"
Source attributes can be used as a base and combined with key or other root-relative path components to construct unique source URIs.
Pagination
Many endpoints that return a list of items support pagination. Additionally some endpoints will force pagination and limit number of elements returned if the client attempts to request all items. To request a specific subset of data, add two headers to specify the starting offset and the number of desired items.
X-Plex-Container-Start - The desired starting offset
X-Plex-Container-Size - The desired number of items
Both headers should be sent in order to request paginated content. Note that it's possible to request a size of 0 on supported endpoints in order to learn the total size without actually getting any content.
The response must be checked to see if the response is in fact paginated. The response might not be paginated at all, or it might include a different number of items than what was requested. A paginated response will include the headers:
X-Plex-Container-Start - The offset of the first returned item
X-Plex-Container-Total-Size - The total size of the collection (optional but typically present)
The response body will also typically include pagination info. If the response is a MediaContainer, then it will have offset and size attributes representing the start index and the number of items in the current response along with an optional totalSize attribute for the total number of elements in the collection.
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
X-Plex-Container-Start: 2
X-Plex-Container-Total-Size: 5
Content-Type: application/xml
{
"MediaContainer": {
"size": 3,
"totalSize": 5,
"offset": 2,
"Metadata" : [
…
]
}
}
Rather than requesting a page starting at an index, it is also possible in some lists to request a page centered on a specific item in the list.
X-Plex-Container-Focus-Key - The key of an item to center on
X-Plex-Container-Size - The desired number of items
The requested size is respected regardless of the position of the focus item in the list. If the item is at the start of the list and 10 items are requested, 9 items in the response will be after the item. If the item is in the middle of the list and 10 items are requested, 4 items will be before the item and 5 items will be after.
Endpoints that support rich media queries also have a limit parameter that interacts with pagination. Sending limit in a query string limits the desired number of items, much like the X-Plex-Container-Size header. There are two major differences:
When using limit, the total size of the collection is not returned. The minimum of the limit and the actual total size will be returned as the total size.
The request may be more efficient when using limit, since the total size doesn't have to be known.
If the total size of the collection isn't needed, use limit, since the request may be more efficient.
Note that limit and X-Plex-Container-Size aren't mutually exclusive. You can page within the results that are bounded by the limit. If you want a total of 1000 items from a collection of many thousands of items, but you want to page through them 20 at a time, you'd use limit=1000&X-Plex-Container-Size=20&X-Plex-Container-Start=0.
API Versioning
PMS has never used API versioning before the creation of this document. The first published API is considered 1.0 with the API prior to publication considered 0.0. A client species its version via the X-Plex-Pms-Api-Version header on requests. If no header is provided, the version 0.0 is assumed.
API Changes
1.0.0 (Supported in PMS >= 1.41.9)
Added /downloadQueue endpoints.
Public release of API.
The includeFields parameter has been renamed to includeOptionalFields. The includeFields parameter now means "include only these fields" where in the past it meant "please add these fields you wouldn't normally include." This was changed to be consistent with the cloud provider API.
1.1.0 (Supported in PMS >= 1.42.0)
Added ability to filter '/media/providers/metadata' endpoint by metadata types (PM-3702)
Changed types in /playlists/{playlistId}/items to array of integers.
Document the /photo/:/transcode endpoints
Fixed serialization of MetadataType objects for '/media/providers/metadata' calls.
1.1.1 (Supported in PMS >= 1.42.2)
Added 'metadataAgentProviderGroupId' query param to create and edit library section (PM-3577)
Fixed Add library section method type.
1.2.0 (Supported in PMS >= 1.43.0)
Added 'squareArt' as additional element type for image assets (PM-2959)
Added /media/providers/metadata endpoints (PM-1012)
Added delete method for /library/metadata/{id}/{element} (PM-4094)
Added documentation for Metadata-type Media Providers (PM-3051)
Response Customization
Many endpoints allow the data that is included in the response to be tailored to exactly what the client wants. This is possible by either specifying things that should be excluded or the set of things that should be included. PMS's ability to include/exclude elements and fields is currently limited but expanding so this should be used with care.
Attributes can be customized by using a query string arg of either excludeFields or includeFields. This single parameter should be a comma-separated list of attribute names. For example, a request with excludeFields=summary,tagline is asking for the summary and title attributes to be left off any metadata items while the includeFields parameter indicated that only the specified fields should be included.
Child elements can be customized by using a query string arg of either excludeElements or includeElements. This single parameter should be a comma-separated list of element names. For example, a request with excludeElements=Media is asking for the Media elements to be omitted while the includeElements parameter indicated that only the specified elements should be included.
In addition to the above are the parameters includeOptionalFields and includeOptionalElements. These indicate that the fields/elements which are not normally included should be included in this request. One example is includeOptionalElements=musicAnalysis on metadata will include the musicAnalysis parameter which can be large and typically not needed by a client.
Trimming the response to only include what a client will actually use can result in much better performance, especially in large collections. Increasingly these are being used to select which data is fetched from the database. So if a client knows it will only ever use a few parameters from a request, it should specify those with includeFields.
Note that these inclusions/exclusions are treated as requests, not guarantees. Some endpoints will disregard them completely, and others may ignore them for specific items and insist on returning data that the client didn't necessarily ask for.
Media Providers
Media providers are general purpose entities which supply media to Plex clients. Their API describes the Plex Media Server API, via a set of features on the "root" endpoint of the provider. Media provider can be hosted by a media server or in the cloud, linked to a specific Plex account. This section explains media providers generally, and then provides the specific server-hosted APIs around media providers.
Client Guide to Media Providers
The philosophy behind media providers in general is to allow a common API between cloud servers and PMS, since the APIs are nearly identical to a normal PMS. The general guidelines are:
Consume /media/providers instead of /library/sections
The new providers endpoint give you a list of all providers exported by a server and their features. Remember that the library itself is considered a (very rich) provider! This change will also require changing the client to not hardwire paths on the server, but rather read them from the feature keys directly (e.g. scrobble and rating endpoints).
Gate management functionality on the manage feature
Server libraries allow management (e.g. media deletion). The correct way to gate this functionality is via the manage feature.
Make sure key construction is correct for things like genre lists
For example, /library/sections/x/genre returns a relative key for each genre, but there's nothing which says that the key can't be an absolute URL. This is why servers pass back fastKey separately so as to not break clients which don't do key construction correctly. Media providers do not pass back fastKey, but assume clients will be doing correct key construction.
Don't call /library/sections/X/filters|sorts
You can get all that information (and more) in a single call by hitting /library/sections/X?includeDetails=1. Media providers include the extra information by default.
Respect the Type keys in /library/sections/x
The top-level type pivots have their own keys, which should be used over the old "just append /all to the path and add the type" approach. Not only is this more flexible, it also allows for "virtual" pivots, like music videos inside a music library.
Look for the skipChildren/skipParent attributes for shows
Because of things like Podcasts, single-season shows can now be made to skip seasons. This is indicated by a skipChildren attribute on the show, or a skipParent attribute on an episode. If this is set on a show, the client should use /grandchildren instead of /children in the show's key.
Features
The list of supported features, along with the API endpoints each feature represents is shown in the following list. Note that each feature can define a custom endpoint URL, so it doesn't have to match the server API exactly.
search: This feature implies that it supports search via the provided key.
metadata: This feature implies that it supports metadata endpoint. For example, if the key were /library/metadata then the endpoints /library/metadata/X, /library/metadata/X/children and /library/metadata/X/grandchildren would be supported. This endpoint family allows browsing a hierarchical tree of media (e.g. show to episodes, or artist to tracks).
content: This feature implies that the provider exposes a content catalog, in the form of libraries to browse (grid of content), or discover (via hubs). Each entry in the content feature can contain:
hubKey: This implies it supports a discovery endpoint with hubs.
key: This implies it supports a content catalog.
icon: Optional, specifies the icon used for a content directory.
Each content feature can contain one or both of these keys, depending on the structure. More details on the various combinations are provided below.
match: The match feature is used to match a piece of media to the provider's content catalog via a set of hints. As a specific example, you might pass in a title hint of "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" and a year hint of 1958 for the movie type. The provider would then use all the hints to attempt to match to entries in its catalog.
manage: The manage feature implies a whole host of endpoints around changing data inside a library (e.g. editing fields, customizing artwork, etc.). This feature is generally only available on an actual server and generally only to the admin.
timeline: The timeline feature implies that the provider wants to receive timeline (playback notifications) requests from a client at the endpoint defined by key. The feature may additionally specify the scrobbleKey and unscrobbleKey attributes, which represent the endpoints which allow marking a piece of media played or unplayed.
rate: This feature implies the provider supports the endpoint which allows rating content.
playqueue: This feature implies the provider supports the play queue family of endpoints. The flavor attribute further specifies the subset; the only supported flavor is currently full.
playlist: This feature implies the provider supports the playlist family of endpoints. If readonly is set, that means that the provider only allows listing and playing playlists (via play queue API), not actually creating or editing them.
subscribe: This provider allows media subscriptions to be created. If the flavor is record then media can be recorded from this library (such as DVR). If the flavor is download then the user is allowed to download from this library.
promoted: This feature allows the provider to supply an endpoint that will return a collection of "promoted" hubs that many clients show on a user's home screen.
continuewatching: This feature allows the provider to supply an endpoint that will return a hub for merging into a global Continue Watching hub.
collection: This feature implies the provider supports the collection family of endpoints.
actions
removeFromContinueWatching - Action to remove an item from continue watching
imagetranscoder - This feature implies the provider supports the image transcoder endpoints used to scale images for clients where memory and processor is at a premium
queryParser - This feature implies the provider supports the media queries language below
grid - This feature implies the provider supports displaying metadata in a grid over time (such as live TV)
Home discovery and browsable libraries
Shown in the example in /media/providers, in this media provider the first content directory is an item with only hubKey, meaning it only providers discovery hubs. This is the set of hubs covering the whole library which contains continue watching, recently added, recommendations, etc. It's essentially "landing page" for the provider.
The subsequent directories also have a browse key, which means they provide a list view of the content with options for filtering and sorting. EPG providers may have only the key and no hubKey.
Minimal provider
There's no requirement to provide the content feature, given that there are two other ways to access content within a provider: search and match. The former can contribute to global search, whereas the latter is used for things like the DVR engine; once media subscriptions are set up, they look for matching content using the match feature, and examined using the metadata feature.
Deeper Hierarchies
If you examine an app like Spotify, you'll see many of the concepts here apply to their content hierarchy. Their content screens are either grids or hubs. But one notable difference is that the content hierarchy runs a bit deeper than the examples we've examined thus far. For example, one of the top-level selections is "Genres & Moods". Diving into one of the genres leads to a discovery area with different hubs for popular playlists, artists, and albums from the genre. Selecting a mood leads to a grid with popular playlists for the mood. In order to support this sort of hierarchy, we need an extension to the regular library, which is a content directory. This allows us to nest content, without losing any of the power and features—for example, the grid with popular playlists could list filters and sorts specific for that grid. This is power you simply don't have with the old channel architecture.
Extensions to regular libraries
This section examines extensions to plain libraries which content providers can use, and which clients need to be aware of.
Nested content directories: In regular libraries, there are fixed types of directories (e.g. shows, or music albums). In content providers, we want to have the ability to display other types of things (e.g. stations, or moods, or genres) as first-class things in a grid or discovery layout. Here's an example of what a nested content directory looks like. Given the type of content, the client knows that this directory should be treated like a content directory feature entry.
{
"Directory":[
{
"key":"foo",
"hubKey":"foo2",
"type":"content",
"aspectRatio":"1:1",
"title":"Genres and Moods"
}
]
}
Aspect ratio hint: Because the entities listed in content directories can be arbitrary, it's important to tell the client some information about how they should be displayed. The thumb attribute contains no information about aspect ratio, so clients make assumptions based upon known types (e.g. movies are 2:3, episode thumbs are 16:9, etc.). This attributes allows the provider to specify exactly the aspect ratio of the thing being displayed.
Metadata Providers
This section describes the specific Media Providers which supply the metadata feature. These providers can be created and used in Plex Media Server to supply metadata to items inside Movie and TV Show libraries (music libraries are currently not supported).
Common Request Headers
There are a few headers which are common to both the Metadata and Match features. These can be passed as either headers or query parameters.
Header Support Required? Description
X-Plex-Language No IETF language tag including the region subtag (e.g. 'en-US', 'de-DE'). Used for localization.
X-Plex-Country No ISO 3166 two-letter country code. Used primarily to define the country for certification data, or can be used to determine release dates for the specific country.
X-Plex-Container-Size Yes For paged requests. This determines what the maximum container size should be of a single response.
X-Plex-Container-Start Yes For paged requests. This determines the starting index for the paged request.
Response Paging
Certain responses may contain a large number of objects. The consumer may want to limit the size of the MediaContainer by paging through them using the X-Plex-Container-Size and X-Plex-Container-Start headers/params. Responses should them limit the object count inside the MediaContainer to X-Plex-Container-Size and start at the index provided by X-Plex-Container-Start.
See the Pagination section for more details on how paging works.
The only two endpoints that require mandatory paging are the Metadata /children and /grandchildren endpoints as these will potentially contain many items. Passing no paging headers here should only return the first 20 Metadata objects.
Common return codes
It is important to return the correct HTTP return codes.
Code Common Name Description
200 OK An response for an item or match is successfully returned
404 Not Found If an item with the requested ratingKey is not found (Metadata feature only)
400 Bad Request A request was made which cannot be fulfilled because the request is malformed
500 Internal Server Error A request was made which cannot be fulfilled because the server encountered an internal error
Response Customization (Optional)
There may be cases where a reduced response is wanted, i.e. we only want to return specific attributes or exclude specific attributes. These are handled with includeFields, excludeFields, includeElements and excludeElements.
Information on its use can be found in the Response Customization.
You may wish to add support for this to keep response sizes down, however it is not required and you can safely ignore when these parameters are passed.
Metadata Feature
This is a path to retrieve metadata for a specific piece of content by its id.
It is called by making a GET request to the path defined by the Metadata feature inside the root of your provider with the ratingKey of the metadata item.
For example, the request may be something like GET http://localhost/library/metadata/tmdb-movie-123 which should return a Metadata Object for the item with the ratingKey of "tmdb-movie-123".
See some Example Responses
Supported Query Parameters
There are some query parameters available to media provider to augment the responses. Not all of these are required to be supported by all providers, support requirement is detailed in the below table.
Param Type Support Required? Description
includeChildren integer (1/0) Yes (TV Shows/Seasons only) Returns a Children Object when the metadata type has direct child objects (e.g. a TV Show should return Season Children)
episodeOrder string No When making a request that returns seasons in the response, pass back the appropriate season items for the requested SeasonType id. It is expected that if no seasons exist for the requested episodeOrder, that no season data should be returned.
Image endpoint (Recommended)
The Metadata feature should also provide a /images path for calls to specific items, e.g. /library/metadata/tmdb-movie-123/images. This endpoint should return a MediaContainer object containing and Image Array of all the available image assets for that item.
Example:
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 3,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 3,
"Image": [
{
"type": "coverPoster",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
},
{
"type": "background",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
},
{
"type": "clearLogo",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/rIi0lY2UftYuKDJ4OlIefDdijve.png",
}
]
}
}
Children and Grandchildren Requests
For items which contain child items, like TV Shows and Seasons, these types should also respond to requests for /children and /grandchildren, e.g. /library/metadata/tmdb-show-123/children.
For TV Shows and Seasons this should return a MediaContainer object with an array of Metadata Objects for their Seasons and Episodes respectively.
It is required that these two endpoints support paged requests via the X-Plex-Container-Size and X-Plex-Container-Start headers/params.
Match Feature
This is a path to retrieve potential matches to metadata items based on contextual hints passed in your request body. This should return a MediaContainer Object possibly containing multiple Metadata objects (by default should only return the best result only).
It is called by making a POST request to the path defined by the Match feature inside the root of your provider.
This may be where it is useful supporting Response Customization as match responses don't always need to contain the full Metadata object responses.
A request body is required which can contain the attributes listed below.
Attribute Type Support Required? Optional Description
type integer Yes No The numeric metadata type for the requested match. See Metadata Types Table
title string Yes No* A title for the item. *Movies and TV Shows only.
parentTitle string Yes No* A title for the TV Show. *Seasons only.
grandparentTitle string Yes No* A title for the TV Show. *Episodes only.
includeChildren integer (1/0) Yes (TV Shows/Seasons only) Yes* Returns a Children Object when the metadata type has direct child objects (e.g. a TV Show should return Season Children). *Is only optional for Movie and Episode types.
episodeOrder string No Yes When making a request that returns seasons in the response, pass back the appropriate season items for the requested SeasonType id. It is expected that if no seasons exist for the requested episodeOrder, that no season data should be returned.
year integer Yes Yes The release year for the requested match.
guid string Yes Yes An external id which can help matching precisely (e.g. `tvdb://12345)
index integer Yes Yes* For Seasons, the season number. For Episodes, the episode number.
parentIndex integer Yes Yes* For Episodes, the season number.
filename string No Yes The relative path for the underlying media file. For TV Shows and Seasons this will return the first file found. e.g. /Movies/Back to the Future (1985).mp4
date string Yes Yes* When matching an TV Episode, if index and parentIndex are not available, a date must be passed representing the air date of the episode.
manual integer (1/0) Yes Yes When a value of 1 is passed, the response should contain an array of the best matches for the request ordered by highest to lowest confidence. When this value is not passed or is 0, only the best match should be returned.
includeAdult integer (1/0) No Yes If your provider supports explicit/adult content this value should be taken into consideration when returning responses and any explicit results should be filtered out unless a value of 1 is passed.
Match Example
JSON Body
{
"parentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"type": 3,
"index": 8,
"filename": "TV Shows/Adventure Time/Adventure Time S08E01.mp4",
"includeElements": "Metadata,Children",
"includeFields": "guid,parentGuid,title,parentTitle,thumb,parentThumb,index,originallyAvailableAt,year,type",
"includeChildren": 1
}
CURL Command
curl -X POST \
'http://localhost/library/metadata/matches?X-Plex-Country=US&X-Plex-Language=en-US' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"parentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"type": 3,
"index": 8,
"filename": "TV Shows/Adventure Time/Adventure Time S08E01.mp4",
"includeElements": "Metadata,Children",
"includeFields": "guid,parentGuid,title,parentTitle,thumb,parentThumb,index,originallyAvailableAt,year,type",
"includeChildren": 1
}'
Response
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 1,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 1,
"Metadata": [
{
"guid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def89",
"type": "season",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zIDoU6YZXE3oz9MNBjE2Ld94Xuu.jpg",
"title": "Season 8",
"parentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"parentGuid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"index": 8,
"originallyAvailableAt": "2016-03-26",
"year": 2016,
"Children": {
"size": 2,
"Metadata": [
{
"guid": "plex://episode/5eeb4fc1d39938003f7753c0",
"type": "episode",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3WXclCno2MYKhdnUidQVsPSpolk.jpg",
"title": "Broke His Crown",
"parentTitle": "Season 8",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zIDoU6YZXE3oz9MNBjE2Ld94Xuu.jpg",
"parentGuid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def89",
"index": 1,
"originallyAvailableAt": "2016-03-26",
"year": 2016
},
{
"guid": "plex://episode/5eeb4fc1d39938003f7753be",
"type": "episode",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/mhhq4BXNmnZZfzfqsBvZwMvcngt.jpg",
"title": "Don't Look",
"parentTitle": "Season 8",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zIDoU6YZXE3oz9MNBjE2Ld94Xuu.jpg",
"parentGuid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def89",
"index": 2,
"originallyAvailableAt": "2016-04-02",
"year": 2016
}
]
}
}
]
}
}
MediaProvider Response
This document describes the JSON response schema for Plex-compatible metadata-specific Media Providers.
The root of the Media Provider must return some necessary attributes which define a metadata provider.
MediaProvider
Field Type Required Description
identifier string Yes Unique identifier for this media provider
title string Yes A human readable title for the media provider
version string No The version of the API being called
Feature array Yes Array containing the features provided by the media provider
Types Array (Required)
This defines what metadata types are supported by the provider.
Please note that is recommended to support one specific metadata parent type per provider as this will make it easier for consumers to combine this provider with others inside Plex Media Server. This is because in order to combine providers, each provider in a combine group must support the types the other supports as well. Limiting the scope of types will make it more widely compatible.
If you wish to support both movie and TV Shows, consider creating two separate providers. This isn't a hard requirement but is recommended.
When supporting TV Shows, it is necessary to add a type for TV Shows, Seasons and Episodes (i.e. types 2, 3 and 4).
Field Type Required Description
type integer Yes The metadata type represented by its numeric value (see mapping table below)
Scheme array Yes Array defining the GUID-scheme (the prefix) for items returned by this provider
Scheme Array (Required)
Field Type Required Description
scheme string Yes The GUID-scheme. Should be identical to the provider identifier.
Metadata Types Table
Custom metadata provider currently support a subset of the full metadata types outline in the Metadata Types section.
Type Name Type Number
movie 1
show 2
season 3
episode 4
Feature Array (Required)
A feature, as its name implies, defines a feature available to the specific provider.
Field Type Required Description
type string Yes Feature type (see feature table below)
key string Yes API endpoint path to call this feature
Available Features
Type Required Description
metadata Yes Path to retrieve metadata for a specific piece of content by its id. See Metadata Feature section.
match Yes Path to return a potential match for a specific piece of content using contextual hints. See Match Feature section.
Example Response
{
"MediaProvider": {
"identifier": "tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb",
"title": "John Z's TV Show Provider",
"version": "1.0.0",
"Types": [
{
"type": 2,
"Scheme": [
{
"scheme": "tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb"
}
]
},
{
"type": 3,
"Scheme": [
{
"scheme": "tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb"
}
]
},
{
"type": 4,
"Scheme": [
{
"scheme": "tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb"
}
]
}
],
"Feature": [
{
"type": "metadata",
"key": "/library/metadata"
},
{
"type": "match",
"key": "/library/metadata/matches"
}
]
}
}
Defining an identifier
Custom metadata providers need to provide an identifier using a scheme with the tv.plex.agents.custom. prefix. A custom provider can choose its own scheme as long as it is prefixed with this value, for example a provider for a custom TheMovieDB implementation might use a scheme like:
tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb
It is important to note that you should try and keep the identifier unique as there is no guarantee that it will be the only provider added to a Plex user's server and could conflict with a another existing provider already in use. So avoid using very generic suffixes like tmdb, tvdb, etc.
The characters allowed for your suffix is very strict and can only contain ASCII letters, numbers and periods (regex [a-zA-Z0-9.]).
This identifier must be used as the scheme for the Metadata items the provider returns. See GUID Construction.
Metadata Response
This section describes the JSON response schema for Plex-compatible metadata responses from Media Providers. This does not describe the Metadata response in its entirety only what is required for Media Provider responses.
The response consists of a MediaContainer object that wraps Metadata objects representing the movie, TV show, season or episode data.
The different metadata types may have specific attributes only returned by that type. e.g. Season and episode types will have some attributes specific to their parent like parentTitle which would not be serialized by a movie or TV show type.
MediaContainer
The root object that contains metadata and pagination information.
Field Type Description
offset integer The starting position in the result set (always 0 for single items)
totalSize integer Total number of items in the response (always 1 for single items)
identifier string The provider identifier (e.g., "tv.plex.provider.metadata")
size integer Number of items in the current response (always 1 for single items)
Metadata array Array containing a single movie metadata object
Metadata Object
The main object containing all the item information.
Core Attributes (applicable to all metadata types)
Field Type Required Description
ratingKey string Yes Unique identifier for this metadata item in Plex
key string Yes API endpoint path to retrieve this metadata
guid string Yes Global unique identifier in Plex-compatible format. See the 'Guid construction' section.
type string Yes Content type (movie, show, season or episode)
title string Yes The metadata title, e.g. "Back to the Future"
originallyAvailableAt string Yes Original release date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
thumb string No A publicly accessible URL to the default poster/thumbnail for the item
art string No A publicly accessible URL to the default background artwork for the item
contentRating string No Age rating/certification (e.g., "PG", "R", "PG-13"). For non-US ratings please prepend 2-letter country code followed by a forward slash (e.g. za/15)
originalTitle string No If the request is made for language that is different to the original language of the release, return the title in its original language.
titleSort string No Returned if the content should be sorted by a different value, e.g. "Quiet Place, A". This will be added automatically by the media server, so its inclusion is only necessary if you require a specific sorting value which the media server does not accommodate.
year integer No Release year
summary string No Full plot synopsis
isAdult bool No Return true for explicit/adult content.
Movie, TV Show and Episode Attributes
Field Type Required Description
duration integer No Runtime in milliseconds
Movie and TV Show Attributes
Field Type Required Description
tagline string No Movie tagline or promotional text
studio string No Primary production studio
theme string No A publicly accessible URL to an audio snippet of the item's theme music (MP3 only, preferably keep max length to around 30 seconds)
Season and Episode Attributes
Field Type Required Description
parentRatingKey string Yes Unique identifier for parent (the TV show for a season and the season for an episode) metadata item in Plex
parentKey string Yes API endpoint path to retrieve the parent metadata
parentGuid string Yes Global unique identifier in Plex-compatible format for the parent. See the 'Guid construction' section.
parentType string Yes the content type of the parent (i.e. show for a season, season for an episode)
parentTitle string Yes The metadata title of the parent.
parentThumb string No A publicly accessible URL to the default poster/thubnail for the parent
index integer Yes The item index. For a season this is the season number, for an episode it's the episode number
Episode Attributes
Field Type Required Description
grandparentRatingKey string Yes Unique identifier for grandparent (the TV Show item) metadata item in Plex
grandparentKey string Yes API endpoint path to retrieve the grandparent metadata
grandparentGuid string Yes Global unique identifier in Plex-compatible format for the grandparent. See the 'Guid construction' section.
grandparentType string Yes show - the content type of the grandparent
grandparentTitle string Yes The metadata title of the grandparent e.g. Adventure Time
grandparentThumb string No A publicly accessible URL to the default poster/thubnail for the grandparent
parentIndex integer Yes The season index, e.g. 8
Image Array (Highly Recommended)
Array of all available image assets in various dimensions.
Not all types are required but it is recommended to supply at least "coverPoster" (or "snapshot" for episode items) and "background". "clearLogo" and "backgroundSquare" are also utilized inside Plex client applications for movies and TV shows and should be supplied to provide the best experience for these types.
Field Type Required Description
type string Yes Image type: "background", "backgroundSquare", "clearLogo", "coverPoster", "snapshot"
url string Yes Full URL to the image asset
alt string No Alt text for accessibility (typically movie title)
OriginalImage Array (Recommended)
The same attributes as Image but provides images in the original language of the content if the requested language doesn't match the original language.
Genre Array (Recommended)
Array of genres associated with the content.
Field Type Required Description
tag string Yes Display name of the genre (e.g. "Action")
originalTag string No Original language of genre name if request is made in a language different from the original
Guid Array (Optional)
Array of external identifier mappings. This is very useful to provide exact mappings to other metadata providers which can improve matching accuracy and speed when combining multiple metadata providers.
Field Type Required Description
id string Yes External ID in format "provider://id" (e.g., "imdb://tt0088763", "tmdb://105")
Internally supported providers include:
imdb - IMDb
tmdb - TheMovieDB
tvdb - TVDB
Country Array (Optional)
Array of production countries.
Field Type Required Description
tag string Yes Full country name
People
There are common attributes among Role, Producer, Director and Writer arrays.
Field Type Required Description
tag string Yes Person's full name
thumb string No URL to person's photo
role string No Character name or role description
order integer No Display order in cast list
Role Array (Recommended)
Array of cast members and their characters.
See "People" section for attributes.
Director Array (Recommended)
Array of directors.
See "People" section for attributes.
Producer Array (Recommended)
Array of producers.
See "People" section for attributes.
Writer Array (Recommended)
Array of writers/screenwriters.
See "People" section for attributes.
Similar Array (Optional)
Array of similar titles.
Field Type Required Description
guid string Yes GUID for the similar movie
tag string No Title of the similar movie
Studio Array (Optional)
Array of production studios and companies.
Field Type Required Description
tag string Yes Studio/company name
Rating Array (Optional)
Field Type Required Description
image string Yes Image identifier for critic rating badge (see supported identifiers below)
type string Yes audience or critic - always audience for user-generated ratings
value float Yes The rating represented by a floating point value between 0 and 10
Rating image identifiers
These are built-in mappings to display the appropriate badge inside the Plex client. Adding new types is not currently supported.
Identifier Source
imdb://image.rating IMDb ratings
themoviedb://image.rating TheMovieDb ratings
rottentomatoes://image.rating.ripe Rotten Tomatoes for critic ratings
rottentomatoes://image.rating.upright Rotten Tomatoes for audience ratings
Network Array (Optional)
TV Shows only.
Array of television networks that the TV Show originally aired on.
Field Type Required Description
tag string Yes Network name
SeasonType Array (Optional)
TV Shows only.
The provider must support the episodeOrdering query parameter to use this.
Array of available episode orderings for a specific TV Show e.g. ("DVD Order", "Airing Order", etc.).
Field Type Required Description
id string Yes Unique identifier for the SeasonType, used as query parameter when making requests for TV Shows. ASCII characters only (e.g. "blurayOrder")
source string Yes The source of the data, e.g. "tmdb"
tag string Yes A human readable descriptor for the SeasonType, e.g. "Bluray" or "Airing"
title string Yes A full description for the SeasonType as shown in the Plex UI (e.g. "TheMovieDB (Netflix Order)")
Children Object
This is required to be supported for TV Shows and Seasons and should only be returned when a request with includeChildren=1 is passed.
This is a simplified MediaContainer object inside a Metadata object which provides an array of child items for the parent object (i.e. when requesting a TV Show, Children will contain the list of Seasons of that TV Show).
Note: it is expected that all the child objects be returned in this array. In some edge cases this may result in very large arrays. Please see fit to ensure your provider can handle this and simplify the child objects with only the required attributes if necessary.
Field Type Description
size integer Number of items in the Metadata array
Metadata array Array containing all child Metadata objects
GUID construction
Plex-compatible GUIDs are constructed out of the following components:
{scheme}://{metadataType}/{ratingKey}
For an item from the Plex metadata provider this will look something like this:
plex://movie/5d7768244de0ee001fcc7fed
Scheme component
Custom metadata providers need to provide a GUID in this same format using a scheme with the tv.plex.agents.custom. prefix. The scheme should match the metadata provider's identifier (see Defining an identifier), for example a provider for a custom TheMovieDB implementation might use a scheme like:
tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb
metadataType component
This should just be the string representation of the metadata type being returned, i.e. movie, show, season or episode.
ratingKey component
This value should match the ratingKey attribute on the metadata item and is what is used when making a metadata request to the provider (e.g. http://localhost/library/metadata/{ratingKey}).
The ratingKey can constist of ASCII letters, numbers, dashes and underscores (regex [a-zA-Z0-9_-]).
Custom GUID examples
Some valid GUIDs could look like this:
tv.plex.agents.custom.johnz.tmdb://movie/tmdb-movie-19934
tv.plex.agents.custom.barkley.tvdb://show/78874
tv.plex.agents.custom.finn.imdb://movie/tt0379786
Example Responses
Movie Type
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 1,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 1,
"Metadata": [
{
"art": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/d/gracenote/dc6be8ceb098b8e14a708786ea071c6e.jpg",
"guid": "plex://movie/5d7768244de0ee001fcc7fed",
"key": "/library/metadata/5d7768244de0ee001fcc7fed",
"ratingKey": "5d7768244de0ee001fcc7fed",
"studio": "Universal Pictures",
"summary": "Marty McFly, a typical American teenager of the Eighties, is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean \"time machine\" invented by a slightly mad scientist. During his often hysterical, always amazing trip back in time, Marty must make sure his teenage parents-to-be meet and fall in love to get back to the future.",
"tagline": "He was never in time for his classes... He wasn't in time for his dinner... Then one day... he wasn't in his time at all.",
"type": "movie",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/gracenote/9cf50a3c04a44ff7d53e1134222e3929.jpg",
"duration": 6960000,
"title": "Back to the Future",
"contentRating": "PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "1985-07-03",
"year": 1985,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "Back to the Future",
"type": "background",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/d/gracenote/dc6be8ceb098b8e14a708786ea071c6e.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Back to the Future",
"type": "backgroundSquare",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/a/gracenote/ab63d5222db8e9b9c319b478f81bf1b6.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Back to the Future",
"type": "clearLogo",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/f/683a142553/f44fe9b4a2cb1a6eb3eadbd22eb09add.png"
},
{
"alt": "Back to the Future",
"type": "coverPoster",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/gracenote/9cf50a3c04a44ff7d53e1134222e3929.jpg"
}
],
"Genre": [
{
"tag": "Adventure",
},
{
"tag": "Comedy",
},
{
"tag": "Science Fiction",
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "imdb://tt0088763"
},
{
"id": "tmdb://105"
},
{
"id": "tvdb://299"
}
],
"Rating": [
{
"image": "imdb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.5
},
{
"image": "rottentomatoes://image.rating.ripe",
"type": "critic",
"value": 9.3
},
{
"image": "rottentomatoes://image.rating.upright",
"type": "audience",
"value": 9.5
},
{
"image": "themoviedb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.321
}
],
"Country": [
{
"tag": "United States of America"
}
],
"Role": [
{
"order": 1,
"tag": "Michael J. Fox",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/8/people/835031cfa837a2bee58d4c0c345f617b.jpg",
"role": "Marty McFly"
},
{
"order": 2,
"tag": "Christopher Lloyd",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/2/people/21ab248996f621004036e057a1bad43e.jpg",
"role": "Emmett Brown"
},
{
"order": 3,
"tag": "Crispin Glover",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/4/people/490bb62cd498add695195a06dd0ca87e.jpg",
"role": "George McFly"
},
{
"order": 4,
"tag": "Lea Thompson",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/1/people/170afcdfe5b74c88f5ea5f74a31d107d.jpg",
"role": "Lorraine Baines"
}
],
"Director": [
{
"tag": "Robert Zemeckis",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/b6a7e4d5e61c2c4613be3ece75dace8e.jpg",
"role": "Director"
}
],
"Producer": [
{
"tag": "Neil Canton",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/4/people/481b0c2f5f012c3a532e2bf48fef1d80.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
},
{
"tag": "Bob Gale",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/people/5d7768244de0ee001fcc80b8.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
}
],
"Writer": [
{
"tag": "Robert Zemeckis",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/b6a7e4d5e61c2c4613be3ece75dace8e.jpg",
"role": "Writer"
},
{
"tag": "Bob Gale",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/people/5d7768244de0ee001fcc80b8.jpg",
"role": "Writer"
}
],
"Similar": [
{
"guid": "plex://movie/5d776d1023d5a3001f52001d",
"tag": "Back to the Future Part II"
},
{
"guid": "plex://movie/5d776d1723d5a3001f520400",
"tag": "The Karate Kid"
},
{
"guid": "plex://movie/5d776d10fb0d55001f596237",
"tag": "Back to the Future Part III"
},
{
"guid": "plex://movie/5d77682a6f4521001ea99e2c",
"tag": "The Breakfast Club"
}
],
"Studio": [
{
"tag": "Universal Pictures"
},
{
"tag": "Amblin Entertainment"
}
]
}
]
}
}
Show Type
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 1,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 1,
"Metadata": [
{
"art": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
"guid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"key": "/library/metadata/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4/children",
"ratingKey": "5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"studio": "Frederator Studios",
"summary": "Unlikely heroes Finn and Jake are buddies who traverse the mystical Land of Ooo. The best of friends, our heroes always find themselves in the middle of escapades. Finn and Jake depend on each other through thick and thin.",
"type": "show",
"theme": "https://tvthemes.plexapp.com/152831.mp3",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"duration": 660000,
"title": "Adventure Time",
"contentRating": "TV-PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "2010-04-05",
"year": 2010,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "Adventure Time",
"type": "background",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Adventure Time",
"type": "backgroundSquare",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/1/gracenote/1c09b028e1b15c0325917c51966a47d7.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Adventure Time",
"type": "clearLogo",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/683a142553/9bf0c95f0dede66fce0e507fbfedc653.png"
},
{
"alt": "Adventure Time",
"type": "coverPoster",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg"
}
],
"Genre": [
{
"tag": "Animation"
},
{
"tag": "Comedy"
},
{
"tag": "Action"
},
{
"tag": "Adventure"
},
{
"tag": "Family"
},
{
"tag": "Fantasy"
},
{
"tag": "Science Fiction"
},
{
"tag": "Sci-Fi & Fantasy"
},
{
"tag": "Children"
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "imdb://tt1305826"
},
{
"id": "tmdb://15260"
},
{
"id": "tvdb://152831"
}
],
"Rating": [
{
"image": "imdb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.6
},
{
"image": "rottentomatoes://image.rating.ripe",
"type": "critic",
"value": 10
},
{
"image": "rottentomatoes://image.rating.upright",
"type": "audience",
"value": 9.4
},
{
"image": "themoviedb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.504
}
],
"Country": [
{
"tag": "United States of America"
}
],
"Role": [
{
"order": 1,
"tag": "Jeremy Shada",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/ba6413846e4fc49884ec7694d012b198.jpg",
"role": "Finn the Human (voice)"
},
{
"order": 2,
"tag": "John DiMaggio",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/0/people/0a945543418d442fea7ae4948b2a2fda.jpg",
"role": "Jake the Dog (voice)"
},
{
"order": 3,
"tag": "Tom Kenny",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/7/people/7a7654471f4b87c2f8ce757357e860b5.jpg",
"role": "Ice King (voice)"
},
{
"order": 4,
"tag": "Hynden Walch",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/b2588be9b38393facd27de7fc4081720.jpg",
"role": "Princess Bubblegum (voice)"
},
{
"order": 5,
"tag": "Olivia Olson",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/4/people/4eec0b6c6d36f6c4cd0574af354d74aa.jpg",
"role": "Marceline the Vampire Queen (voice)"
}
],
"Director": [
{
"tag": "Larry Leichliter",
"role": "Director"
},
{
"tag": "Adam Muto",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/e/people/e385c2d25614f10d505701e5f590372a.jpg",
"role": "Director"
}
],
"Producer": [
{
"tag": "Derek Drymon",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/c/people/cb057ffd3860076eb0f0c1fb55c8fef1.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
},
{
"tag": "Kelly Crews",
"role": "Producer"
}
],
"Writer": [
{
"tag": "Tim McKeon",
"role": "Writer"
},
{
"tag": "Sean Jimenez",
"role": "Writer"
}
],
"Network": [
{
"tag": "Cartoon Network"
}
],
"SeasonType": [
{
"id": "tmdbAiring",
"source": "tmdb",
"tag": "Aired",
"title": "The Movie Database (Aired)"
},
{
"id": "tvdbAiring",
"source": "tvdb",
"tag": "Aired",
"title": "TheTVDB (Aired)"
},
{
"id": "tvdbDvd",
"source": "tvdb",
"tag": "DVD",
"title": "TheTVDB (DVD)"
},
{
"id": "tvdbAbsolute",
"source": "tvdb",
"tag": "Absolute",
"title": "TheTVDB (Absolute)"
}
],
"Similar": [
{
"guid": "plex://show/611cdc357032b6002cb92e97",
"tag": "Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake"
},
{
"guid": "plex://show/5d9c0875ba6eb9001fba4e43",
"tag": "Johnny Bravo"
},
{
"guid": "plex://show/5d9c084de264b7001fc4088c",
"tag": "Regular Show"
}
],
"Studio": [
{
"tag": "Frederator Studios"
},
{
"tag": "Cartoon Network Studios"
}
]
}
]
}
}
Season Type (with Children)
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 1,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 1,
"Metadata": [
{
"guid": "plex://season/602e59ccfdd281002cddb790",
"key": "/library/metadata/602e59ccfdd281002cddb790/children",
"ratingKey": "602e59ccfdd281002cddb790",
"type": "season",
"thumb": "http://assets.fanart.tv/fanart/tv/152831/seasonposter/adventure-time-with-finn-and-jake-5c8d180f9b002.jpg",
"title": "Season 10",
"parentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"parentType": "show",
"parentArt": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"parentRatingKey": "5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"parentGuid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"parentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"index": 10,
"contentRating": "TV-PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "2017-09-17",
"year": 2017,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "Season 10",
"type": "background",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Season 10",
"type": "backgroundSquare",
"url": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/1/gracenote/1c09b028e1b15c0325917c51966a47d7.jpg"
},
{
"alt": "Season 10",
"type": "coverPoster",
"url": "http://assets.fanart.tv/fanart/tv/152831/seasonposter/adventure-time-with-finn-and-jake-5c8d180f9b002.jpg"
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "tvdb://1823714"
}
],
"Children": {
"size": 2,
"Metadata": [
{
"guid": "plex://episode/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"key": "/library/metadata/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"ratingKey": "5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"summary": "A fierce creature is terrorizing the Candy Kingdom but before Finn can slay the beast, he must first overcome a guilty conscience.",
"type": "episode",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qgKsxcwvkDbAIjUceuDrv2AgtOF.jpg",
"duration": 660000,
"title": "The Wild Hunt",
"grandparentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"grandparentType": "show",
"grandparentArt": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
"grandparentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"grandparentRatingKey": "5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentGuid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"parentTitle": "Season 10",
"parentType": "season",
"parentArt": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/gracenote/9e06ae7ff36bd8d62fa1600287f80794.jpg",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/w8mYplN3ysIJ5DIYYgmfGTvuNzd.jpg",
"parentRatingKey": "5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentGuid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"index": 1,
"parentIndex": 10,
"contentRating": "TV-PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "2017-09-17",
"year": 2017,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "The Wild Hunt",
"type": "snapshot",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qgKsxcwvkDbAIjUceuDrv2AgtOF.jpg"
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "imdb://tt7308394"
},
{
"id": "tmdb://1418023"
},
{
"id": "tvdb://6179251"
}
],
"Rating": [
{
"image": "imdb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.3
},
{
"image": "themoviedb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 7.9
}
],
"Role": [
{
"order": 1,
"tag": "Jeremy Shada",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/ba6413846e4fc49884ec7694d012b198.jpg",
"role": "Finn the Human (voice)"
},
{
"order": 2,
"tag": "John DiMaggio",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/0/people/0a945543418d442fea7ae4948b2a2fda.jpg",
"role": "Jake the Dog (voice)"
}
],
"Producer": [
{
"tag": "Adam Muto",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/e/people/e385c2d25614f10d505701e5f590372a.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
}
],
"Writer": [
{
"tag": "Pendleton Ward",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/8/people/83eb3402f017498e3a0fd5e44af8d1ae.jpg",
"role": "Creator"
}
]
},
{
"guid": "plex://episode/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e38b",
"key": "/library/metadata/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e38b",
"ratingKey": "5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e38b",
"summary": "BMO and Ice King hit the road as door to door salesmen and stumble upon an irresistible opportunity.",
"type": "episode",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/fvREJ2bNoXM2WAGVPCGa3ryQtJs.jpg",
"duration": 660000,
"title": "Always BMO Closing",
"grandparentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"grandparentType": "show",
"grandparentArt": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
"grandparentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"grandparentRatingKey": "5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentGuid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"parentTitle": "Season 10",
"parentType": "season",
"parentArt": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/gracenote/9e06ae7ff36bd8d62fa1600287f80794.jpg",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/w8mYplN3ysIJ5DIYYgmfGTvuNzd.jpg",
"parentRatingKey": "5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentGuid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"index": 2,
"parentIndex": 10,
"contentRating": "TV-PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "2017-09-17",
"year": 2017,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "Always BMO Closing",
"type": "snapshot",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/fvREJ2bNoXM2WAGVPCGa3ryQtJs.jpg"
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "imdb://tt7308402"
},
{
"id": "tmdb://1418024"
},
{
"id": "tvdb://6305580"
}
],
"Rating": [
{
"image": "imdb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 7.6
},
{
"image": "themoviedb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 6.7
}
],
"Role": [
{
"order": 1,
"tag": "Jeremy Shada",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/ba6413846e4fc49884ec7694d012b198.jpg",
"role": "Finn the Human (voice)"
},
{
"order": 2,
"tag": "John DiMaggio",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/0/people/0a945543418d442fea7ae4948b2a2fda.jpg",
"role": "Jake the Dog (voice)"
}
],
"Producer": [
{
"tag": "Adam Muto",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/e/people/e385c2d25614f10d505701e5f590372a.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
}
],
"Writer": [
{
"tag": "Pendleton Ward",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/8/people/83eb3402f017498e3a0fd5e44af8d1ae.jpg",
"role": "Creator"
}
]
}
]
}
}
]
}
}
Episode Type
{
"MediaContainer": {
"offset": 0,
"totalSize": 1,
"identifier": "tv.plex.provider.metadata",
"size": 1,
"Metadata": [
{
"guid": "plex://episode/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"key": "/library/metadata/5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"ratingKey": "5d9c0b7ee98e47001eb2e3a0",
"summary": "A fierce creature is terrorizing the Candy Kingdom but before Finn can slay the beast, he must first overcome a guilty conscience.",
"type": "episode",
"thumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qgKsxcwvkDbAIjUceuDrv2AgtOF.jpg",
"duration": 660000,
"title": "The Wild Hunt",
"grandparentTitle": "Adventure Time",
"grandparentType": "show",
"grandparentArt": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3uE9SUywNbj1qSAuYCGgbTTYku5.jpg",
"grandparentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qk3eQ8jW4opJ48gFWYUXWaMT4l.jpg",
"grandparentRatingKey": "5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentGuid": "plex://show/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"grandparentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c07f72df347001e3a70b4",
"parentTitle": "Season 10",
"parentType": "season",
"parentArt": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/9/gracenote/9e06ae7ff36bd8d62fa1600287f80794.jpg",
"parentThumb": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/w8mYplN3ysIJ5DIYYgmfGTvuNzd.jpg",
"parentRatingKey": "5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentGuid": "plex://season/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"parentKey": "/library/metadata/5d9c0939e9d5a1001f4def80",
"index": 1,
"parentIndex": 10,
"contentRating": "TV-PG",
"originallyAvailableAt": "2017-09-17",
"year": 2017,
"Image": [
{
"alt": "The Wild Hunt",
"type": "snapshot",
"url": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qgKsxcwvkDbAIjUceuDrv2AgtOF.jpg"
}
],
"Guid": [
{
"id": "imdb://tt7308394"
},
{
"id": "tmdb://1418023"
},
{
"id": "tvdb://6179251"
}
],
"Rating": [
{
"image": "imdb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 8.3
},
{
"image": "themoviedb://image.rating",
"type": "audience",
"value": 7.9
}
],
"Role": [
{
"order": 1,
"tag": "Jeremy Shada",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/b/people/ba6413846e4fc49884ec7694d012b198.jpg",
"role": "Finn the Human (voice)"
},
{
"order": 2,
"tag": "John DiMaggio",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/0/people/0a945543418d442fea7ae4948b2a2fda.jpg",
"role": "Jake the Dog (voice)"
}
],
"Producer": [
{
"tag": "Adam Muto",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/e/people/e385c2d25614f10d505701e5f590372a.jpg",
"role": "Producer"
}
],
"Writer": [
{
"tag": "Pendleton Ward",
"thumb": "https://metadata-static.plex.tv/8/people/83eb3402f017498e3a0fd5e44af8d1ae.jpg",
"role": "Creator"
}
]
}
]
}
}
Media Queries
Media queries are a querystring-based filtering language used to select subsets of media. The language is rich, and can express complex expressions for media selection, as well as sorting and grouping.
Fields
Queries reference fields, which can be of a few types:
integer: numbers
boolean: true/false
tag: integers representing tag IDs.
string: strings
date: epoch seconds
language: string in ISO639-2b format.
These fields are detailed in Field elements in the section description endpoint (e.g. /library/sections/X?includeDetails=1).
Operators
Given that media queries are expressible using querystrings, the operator syntax might look a bit quirky, because a) they have to include the = character, and b) characters to the left of the equal sign usually have to be URI encoded.
Operators are defined per type:
integer: = (equals), != (not equals), >>= (greater than), <<= (less than), <= (less than or equals), >= (greater than or equals)
boolean: =0 (false) and =1 (true)
tag: = (is) and != (is not)
string: = (contains), != (does not contain), == (equals), !== (does not equal), <= (begins with), >= (ends with)
date: = (equals), != (not equals), >>= (after), <<= (before)
language: = (equals), != (not equals)
Relative Values and Units
For some types, values can be specified as relative. For dates, epoch seconds can be specified as relative to “now” as follows: +N (in N seconds from now and -N (N seconds ago).
In addition, the following unit suffixes can be used on date values:
m: minutes
h: hours
d: days
w: weeks
mon: months
y: years
For example, >>=-3y means “within the last 3 years”.
Field Scoping
Some media is organized hierarchically (e.g. shows), and in those cases, many fields are common to different elements in the hierarchy (e.g. show title vs episode title). The following rules are used to resolve field references.
A type parameter must be included to specify the result type.
Any non-qualified field is defaulted to refer to the result type.
In order to refer to other levels of the hierarchy, use the scoping operator, e.g. show.title or episode.year. A query may be comprised of multiple fields from different levels of the hierarchy.
the sourceType parameter may be used to change the default level to which fields refer. For example, type=4&sourceType=2&title==24 means “all episodes where the show title is 24”.
Sorting
The sort parameter is used to indicate an ordering on results. Typically, the sort value is a field (including optional scoping). The : character is used to indicate additional features of the sort, and the , character is used to include multiple fields to the sort.
For example, sort=title,index means “sort first by title ascending, then by index”. Sort features are:
desc: indicates a descending sort.
nullsLast: indicates that null values are sorted last.
Sort features may be mixed and matched, e.g. sort=title,index:desc.
Grouping
The group parameter is used to group results by a field, similar to the SQL feature group by. For example, when listing popular tracks, we use the query type=10&sort=ratingCount:desc&group=title, because we don't want multiple tracks with the same name (e.g. same track on different albums) showing up.
Limits
The limit parameter is used to limit the number of results returned. Because it's implemented on top of the SQL limit operator, it currently only operates at the level of the type returned. In other words, type=10&limit=100 will return at most 100 tracks, but you can't select tracks from a limit of 10 albums.
Boolean Operators
Given the nature of querystrings, it makes a lot of sense to interpret the & character as a boolean AND operator. For example rating=10&index=5 means “rating is 10 AND index is 5”.
We leverage the , operator to signify the boolean OR operator. SO rating=1,2,3 means “rating is 1 OR 2 OR 3. Given standard precedence rules, rating=1,2,3&index=5 is parsed as (rating = 1 or rating = 2 or rating = 3) and index = 5).
Complex Expressions
There's only so many expressions you can form using vanilla querystring-to-boolean mapping (essentially, “ANDs of ORs”). In order to fully represent complex boolean expressions, there are a few synthetic additions:
push=1 and pop=1: These are the equivalent of opening and closing parenthesis.
or=1: These is an explicit OR operator.
As an example: push=1&index=1&or=1&rating=2&pop=1&duration=10 parses into (index = 1 OR rating = 2) AND duration = 10. This could not be expressed by the simplified syntax above.
Happy query building!
Profile Augmentations
The universal transcode endpoint supports the following header or query string parameter: X-Plex-Client-Profile-Extra.
The value of this parameter is url-encoded. When url-decoded, it consists of a string expressed in the following (poor man's) BNF grammar:
<ProfileExtension> ::= <Directive> "+" <Directive>*
<Directive> :: = <Verb> <Arguments>
<Verb> ::= "add-direct-play-profile" | "add-limitation" | "add-transcode-target-codec" | "append-transcode-target-codec" | "add-transcode-target" | "add-settings"
<Arguments> ::= "(" (<Name> "=" <Value>) "&")*
<Name> ::= <Text>
<Value> ::= <Text>
add-direct-play-profile
This directive augments the set of Direct Play profiles in the client profile. The following parameters are required:
type = "videoProfile" | "musicProfile" | "photoProfile" | "subtitleProfile"
container = * or a comma-separated list of containers
videoCodec = * or a comma-separated list of video codecs
audioCodec = * or a comma-separated list of audio codecs
subtitleCodec = * or a comma-separated list of subtitle formats
* means to use all existing matching values in the profile. At least one of the videoCodec, audioCodec and subtitleCodec parameters must not be *.
add-direct-play-profile example
To add ac3 as a video audio codec for mp4 and mov containers:
add-direct-play-profile(type=videoProfile&container=mp4,mov&videoCodec=*&audioCodec=ac3&subtitleCodec=*)
add-limitation
This directive adds a scoped limitation to the profile. The following parameters are required:
scope = "videoContainer" | "musicContainer" | "photoContainer" | "videoCodec" | "videoAudioCodec" | "musicCodec" | "subtitleCodec" | "transcodeTarget"
scopeName = the name of the relevant container or codec
type = "match" | "notMatch" | "upperBound" | "lowerBound"
name = the name of the limitation
The following parameters are optional:
isRequired = true|false (default is false)
allStreams = true|false (default is false)
replace = true|false (default is false)
If the replace parameter is true, the limitation will replace any similarly scoped limitations (i.e. identical scope and scopeName. If false, the new limitation will simply add itself to the list of limitations.
Exactly one of the following three parameters is required:
value = the value of the limitation
substring = the substring of the limitation
regex = the regex of the limitation
The transcodeTarget scope exists to attach a limitation to a transcode target. This allows clients to tell the MDE to select a specific transcode target for a context/protocol pair, based on specific information about the media itself. When multiple transcode targets match, the first one in the profile will be selected.
add-limitation examples
To add a limitation on ac3 audio tracks in video media specifying a maximum of 6 channels:
add-limitation(scope=videoAudioCodec&scopeName=ac3&type=upperBound&name=audio.channels&value=6)
To add a limitation on ac3 audio tracks in video media specifying a maximum bitrate:
add-limitation(scope=videoAudioCodec&scopeName=ac3&type=upperBound&name=audio.bitrate&value=160)
To add a limitation on h264 video specifying a maximum level:
add-limitation(scope=videoCodec&scopeName=h264&type=upperBound&name=video.level&value=40&isRequired=true)
To add a limitation to a transcode target:
add-limitation(scope=transcodeTarget&scopeName=MyTranscodeProfile&type=upperBound&name=audio.channels&value=2)
add-transcode-target-codec
This directive adds additional codecs to the beginning of the audioCodec and/or subtitleCodec lists for the specified transcode target. The following parameters are required:
type = "videoProfile" | "musicProfile" | "photoProfile" | "subtitleProfile"
Either id or context and protocol are required:
id = a transcode target identifier
context = a transcode context ("streaming" | "static")
protocol = a protocol ("hls" | "http" | "slss" ... )
At least one of the following parameters are also required:
videoCodec = a comma-separated list of videoCodecs, which are added to the set of video codecs on the target.
audioCodec = a comma-separated list of audioCodecs, which are added to the set of audio codecs on the target.
subtitleCodec = a comma-separated list of audioCodecs, which are added to the set of subtitle codecs on the target.
add-transcode-target-codec example
To add ac3 as an additional transcode target option to a HTTP Live Streaming target:
add-transcode-target-codec(type=videoProfile&context=streaming&protocol=hls&audioCodec=ac3)
append-transcode-target-codec
This directive appends additional codecs to the end of the audioCodec and/or subtitleCodec lists for the specified transcode target. The parameters are the same as for add-transcode-target-codec.
append-transcode-target-codec(type=videoProfile&context=streaming&protocol=hls&audioCodec=dca)
add-transcode-target
This directive adds a new transcode target. If a transcode target matching the type/context/profile already exists in the profile, then this directive is ignored. The following parameters are required:
type = "videoProfile" | "musicProfile" | "photoProfile" | "subtitleProfile"
context = a transcode context ("streaming" | "static")
protocol = a protocol ("hls" | "http" | "slss" ... )
container = a container
The following parameters are optional:
id = a transcode target identifier
replace = true|false (default is false)
If the replace parameter is true, the transcode target will replace any similarly scoped transcode target (i.e. identical type, context and protocol. If false, the augmentation will fail if there is an existing transcode target.
The following parameters are required, depending on the type:
videoCodec = a video codec (required for video) or a comma-separated list of video codecs
audioCodec = an audio codec (required for music and video) or a comma-separated list of audio codecs
subtitleCodec = an subtitle codec (required for subtitles and optional for video) or a comma-separated list of subtitle codecs
add-transcode-target examples
add-transcode-target(type=videoProfile&context=streaming&protocol=http&container=mkv&videoCodec=h264&audioCodec=aac,ac3&subtitleCodec=srt)
add-transcode-target(type=musicProfile&context=streaming&protocol=http&container=flac&audioCodec=flac)
add-transcode-target(type=subtitleProfile&context=all&protocol=http&container=webvtt&subtitleCodec=webvtt)
add-settings
This directive overrides global settings for the profile. The parameters are name/value pairs matching existing client profile settings.
add-settings(DirectPlayStreamSelection=false&RandomAccessDataModel=limited)
Authenticating with Plex
Plex supports two authentication methods:
JWT Authentication (Recommended)
Plex now supports JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication that provides better security, shorter token lifespans, and improved protection against potential security breaches.
Why JWT Authentication?
The new JWT system addresses security concerns by:
Short-lived tokens: Tokens expire after 7 days
Public-key cryptography: Uses modern cryptographic standards (ED25519) for enhanced security
Better clock synchronization: Built-in timestamp validation helps devices stay in sync
How JWT Authentication Works
1. Register your public key
The new system uses a public-key authentication model where each device uploads a public key (JWK) and then requests short-lived JWT tokens. There are two ways to get started with JWT authentication:
Option 1: PIN Authentication Flow (Recommended for New Apps)
This method allows you to get JWT tokens without needing any existing tokens first. It's the preferred approach for new applications.
Step 1: Generate a PIN with JWK
POST https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/pins
Headers:
X-Plex-Client-Identifier: your-device-identifier
Body:
{
"jwk": {
"kty": "OKP",
"crv": "Ed25519",
"x": "your-public-key-data",
"kid": "your-key-id",
"alg": "EdDSA"
},
"strong": true
}
Step 2: User Authentication
Construct the Auth App URL and have the user authenticate:
https://app.plex.tv/auth#?clientID=<clientIdentifier>&code=<pinCode>&context%5Bdevice%5D%5Bproduct%5D=My%20Cool%20Plex%20App&forwardUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmy-cool-plex-app.com
For 4-digit pins, you need to use the link page: https://plex.tv/link/?pin=<code>
Step 3: Exchange PIN for JWT Token
GET https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/pins/<pinID>?deviceJWT=<signedJWT>
The signed JWT must include:
"aud": "plex.tv"
"iss": "<clientIdentifier>"
"kid" and "alg" in the header
You will get the Plex JWT token in the authToken field of the response.
Option 2: Register your public key with existing tokens (For Existing Apps)
If you already have a legacy token, you can use it to register your device for JWT authentication:
POST https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/auth/jwk
Headers:
X-Plex-Client-Identifier: your-device-identifier
X-Plex-Token: your-existing-token
Body:
{
"jwk": {
"kty": "OKP",
"crv": "Ed25519",
"x": "your-public-key-data",
"kid": "your-key-id",
"use": "sig",
"alg": "EdDSA"
}
}
After registering your public key, you should follow the same steps described below to refresh your token to get your first JWT.
2. Token Refresh Process
Once registered, your device must refresh its token every 7 days using this three-step process:
Step 1: Get a Nonce
GET https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/auth/nonce
Headers:
X-Plex-Client-Identifier: your-device-identifier
This returns a unique nonce valid for 5 minutes:
{
"nonce": "7c415b56-8f48-488a-98ab-847ef4460442"
}
Step 2: Create a Device JWT
Your device creates a JWT containing:
The nonce from step 1
Required scope permissions (see Scope Details below)
Audience set to plex.tv
Issuer set to your client_identifier
Signed with your device's private key
Important JWT Header Requirements:
Your JWT must include these header fields:
"kid": The key identifier from your JWK registration
"alg": Must be "EdDSA" for ED25519 signatures, or "RS256" for RSA signatures
Scope Details:
The scope field in your device JWT should contain comma-separated values for the user data you need included in the JWT:
username - Access to the user's username
email - Access to the user's email address
friendly_name - Access to the user's friendly name
restricted - Access to the user's restricted status
anonymous - Access to the user's anonymous status
joinedAt - Access to the user's account creation timestamp
Example Device JWT Header:
{
"kid": "your-key-id",
"alg": "EdDSA",
"typ": "JWT"
}
Example Device JWT Payload:
{
"nonce": "7c415b56-8f48-488a-98ab-847ef4460442",
"scope": "username,email,friendly_name",
"aud": "plex.tv",
"iss": "your-client-identifier",
"iat": 1705785603,
"exp": 1705789203
}
Step 3: Exchange for Plex Token
POST https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/auth/token
Headers:
X-Plex-Client-Identifier: your-device-identifier
Body:
{
"jwt": "your-device-signed-jwt"
}
This returns a new Plex.tv JWT valid for 7 days:
{
"auth_token": "eyJraWQiOiJYeVRRN21seXFtVmhJcEo0U1pDZGltdXo3ZjdEYXU1Ym9MLXU2MG5JeEdJIiwidHlwIjoiSldUIiwiYWxnIjoiRWREU0EifQ..."
}
Using Your JWT Token
Once you have a JWT token, use it exactly like the old tokens in the X-Plex-Token header. Note it can be used to access any Plex.tv endpoint or your Plex Media Server instance:
GET http://your-plex-server:32400/library/sections
Headers:
X-Plex-Token: your-jwt-token
JWT Authentication Benefits
Security Features:
Token Rotation: Automatic expiration every 7 days
Individual Revocation: Each device can be individually disabled
Cryptographic Verification: Uses industry-standard ED25519 signatures
Nonce Protection: Prevents replay attacks
Developer Experience:
Familiar Interface: Same X-Plex-Token header usage
Automatic Clock Sync: Built-in timestamp validation
Clear Error Codes: Specific error responses for different failure modes
Rate Limiting: Built-in protection against abuse
Error Handling
The JWT system provides clear error responses with specific HTTP status codes:
Common Error Responses:
498 Token Expired: Your JWT has expired and needs refresh
422 Signature Verification Failed: Invalid device signature or JWT structure
422 Thumbprint Already Taken: JWK already registered by another device
400 Bad Request: Invalid request format or missing required fields
429 Too Many Requests: Rate limit exceeded (nonce requests are rate-limited)
Troubleshooting Tips:
Missing kid field: Ensure your JWT header includes the kid field matching your registered JWK
Invalid signature: Verify your private key matches the public key you registered
Clock synchronization: Ensure your device's clock is accurate (JWT includes timestamp validation)
Nonce expiration: Nonces are only valid for 5 minutes - request a new one if yours has expired
Rate limiting: Nonce requests are rate-limited to prevent abuse
Migration Guide
For New Applications or new users:
Generate an ED25519 key pair for your device
Use the PIN authentication flow (Option 1 above) to register your device and get JWT tokens
Implement the token refresh flow for ongoing authentication
Use the returned JWT in your X-Plex-Token header
To replace legacy tokens of existing applications:
Continue using your current token for now
Register your public key with your existing tokens (Option 2 above)
Generate your first JWT token using the token refresh process (Your legacy token will expire after this process)
Implement the token refresh flow for ongoing authentication
Use the returned JWT in your X-Plex-Token header
Token Refresh:
JWT tokens expire after 7 days but can be refreshed at any time, including after expiration. Use the token refresh process described above.
Traditional Token Authentication (Legacy)
You're developing an app that needs access to a user's Plex account. To do this, you'll need to get access to the user's Access Token. This document details how to check whether an Access Token is valid, and how to obtain a new one.
High-level Steps
Choose a unique app name, like "My Cool App"
Check storage for your app's Client Identifier; generate and store one if none is present.
Check storage for the user's Access Token; if present, verify its validity and carry on.
If an Access Token is missing or invalid, generate a PIN, and store its id.
Construct an Auth App url and send the user's browser there to authenticate.
After authentication, check the PIN's id to obtain and store the user's Access Token.
Detailed Steps
Choose a unique app name
The app name you choose will be visible in the user's Authorized Devices view. The name you choose should be different from any existing Plex products.
Generate a Client Identifier
The Client Identifier identifies the specific instance of your app. A random string or UUID is sufficient here. There are no hard requirements for Client Identifier length or format, but once one is generated the client should store and re-use this identifier for subsequent requests.
Verify stored Access Token validity
You can check whether a user's stored Access Token is valid by requesting user info from the plex.tv API and examining the HTTP status code of the response.
$ curl -X GET https://plex.tv/api/v2/user \
-H 'Accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-Plex-Product: My Cool App' \
-H 'X-Plex-Client-Identifier: <clientIdentifier>' \
-H 'X-Plex-Token: <userToken>'
HTTP Status Code
200 Access Token is valid
401 Access Token is invalid
If an Access Token is invalid, it should be discarded, and new one should be obtained through the authentication process.
If plex.tv cannot be reached, or if you receive any other status code it indicates an error state, but does not indicate an invalid Access Token.
Generate a PIN
To sign a user in, the app must create a time-limited PIN. The user is then led through a process to "claim" the PIN, associating it with their account and granting the app access to the user's plex.tv account.
$ curl -X POST https://plex.tv/api/v2/pins?strong=true \
-H 'Accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-Plex-Product: My Cool App' \
-H 'X-Plex-Client-Identifier: <clientIdentifier>'
Note: the strong=true header provides a longer length pin which will have a longer lifetime. This is useful in cases where the user is not expected to type in the pin themselves. If not specified, a shorter pin is created but will have a much shorter lifetime.
The response will be a JSON payload; the two important properties are id and code. Store the id locally, and use the code to construct the Auth App url.
{
"id": 564964751,
"code": "8lzjqnq8lye02n52jq3fqxf8e",
…
}
Checking the PIN
There are two primary ways apps interact with the Auth App and the PIN-claiming process; Forwarding and Polling.
Forwarding is used by web-based apps. A user visits your app in their web browser, leaves your app to authenticate with Plex, and returns to your app via a forwardUrl your app provides.
Polling is used by native apps running outside of a web browser. A user indicates their intention to sign-in from within your app, and your app opens a web browser pointing to the Auth App where the user completes sign-in. Your app will periodically poll on the generated PIN until it is claimed, or it expires.
Construct the Auth App url
The user will authenticate with the plex.tv Auth App through their web browser.
If you're using the Forwarding flow, the user will be returned to your app after authenticating where you'll be able to check the created PIN to determine the user's Access Token. The forwardUrl to which the user will be returned can carry the PIN id which needs to be checked on their return to the app.
Auth App urls are encoded as parameters to the url fragment. Practically, this means that your Auth App url will be prefixed with https://app.plex.tv/auth#?; the #? at the end indicates the beginning of the url fragment, and that the content of the fragment afterwards is encoded as url parameter key-values pairs.
Append these parameters to construct the final URL.
Parameter
clientID Your client identifier
code The code from the generated PIN
forwardUrl The url to which the user will be returned after authenticating.
context%5Bdevice%5D%5Bproduct%5D The name of your App; ex "My Cool App"
Example
https://app.plex.tv/auth#?clientID=<clientIdentifier>&code=<pinCode>&context%5Bdevice%5D%5Bproduct%5D=My%20Cool%20Plex%20App&forwardUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmy-cool-plex-app.com
You can use the qs module to encode all necessary parameters, including the nested context parameter.
const authAppUrl =
'https://app.plex.tv/auth#?' +
require('qs').stringify({
clientID: '<clientIdentifier>',
code: '<pinCode>',
forwardUrl: 'https://my-cool-plex-app.com',
context: {
device: {
product: 'My Cool App',
},
},
});
Send user's browser to constructed Auth App url
Once the Auth App URL has been constructed, send the user's browser there to authenticate.
Check PIN
If you're using the Polling flow, your app should periodically (once per second) check the PIN id to determine when the user has signed-in.
If you're using the Forwarding flow, check the stored PIN id from the PIN creation step. If the PIN has been claimed, the authToken field in the response will contain the user's Access Token you need to make API calls on behalf of the user. If authentication failed, the authToken field will remain null.
$ curl -X GET 'https://plex.tv/api/v2/pins/<pinID>' \
-H 'Accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-Plex-Client-Identifier: <clientIdentifier>'
Talking to PMS
Once you have a token to talk to plex.tv, you will need to obtain a different set of tokens used to talk to PMS instances.
$ curl https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/resources?includeHttps=1&includeRelay=1&includeIPv6=1 \
-H 'Accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-Plex-Product: My Cool App' \
-H 'X-Plex-Client-Identifier: <clientIdentifier>' \
-H 'X-Plex-Token: <userToken>'
The response will be a JSON document which will contain available PMS instances, the accessToken used in communication with this PMS, and the list of connection URLs where the PMS may be contacted. Connections labeled as local should be preferred over those that are not, and relay should only be used as a last resort as bandwidth on relay connections is limited.
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