What if Plex Uploads My Files Wrong

Once a library has been created, it is processed by your Plex Media Server then all the media items are matched and metadata is gathered. As time goes on, you lot'll add and remove media to the libraries or make other changes that hateful the library is no longer upward-to-date. You tin can Refresh or Browse libraries to bring them up-to-date. Scanning and Refreshing a library do dissimilar things.

Scan Library Files vs Refresh All Metadata

Scanning and refreshing a library both have to do with getting content into the library. They're dissimilar—but related—functions.

Browse Library Files

Scanning a library makes the Plex Media Server check its folders and sub-folders for new or removed media. If it finds new or unmatched media, it and then pulls it into the library and fetches metadata for it. You can think of scanning as "bank check for new or inverse content and get metadata for it if needed".

You should Scan Library Files if yous have:

• Added or deleted media files
• Added or removed folders from the library source
• Renamed a media file
• Moved files from one location to another

Refresh Metadata

Refreshing Metadata for a library or individual item causes the metadata for the item to exist refreshed, even if it already has metadata. You lot tin think of refreshing as "update metadata for the requested item even if it already has some".

You should refresh a library or individual item if:

• You've changed options for the library Metadata Agent
• You've added "local media assets" (such equally artwork, theme music, external subtitle files, etc.)
• You want to freshen the item posters, summary, etc.
• At that place'south a trouble with the poster image that'southward been downloaded
• Items are missing posters or other downloaded information. This is possible if the refresh procedure is interrupted (the server is turned off, internet connexion dies, etc).

Tip!: A "Refresh All Metadata" is really but a specific version of a Refresh in which the refresh is applied to an unabridged library.

Triggering Scan and Refresh

A library Scan typically needs to happen every time you add or remove media files, so it's useful to be automated. A Refresh is something you'll want to exercise less oftentimes so information technology's a transmission activity. In many cases, Scans may be initiated for yous automatically such every bit when you relieve changes to a library's settings.

Automatic and Periodic Scans

Settings to control automated or periodic library scans can be found nether Settings > Server > Library in Plex Web App.

Related Folio: Plex Web App
Related Folio: Library

Update my library automatically

Typically, the most desirable manner to go along your libraries up to date is using the Update my library automatically feature. This uses capabilities of the operating system to detect when content has inverse and so initiate a library scan.

Note: In most cases, this should work for content on local filesystems. It will mostly not work for network shares mounted via SMB, NFS, AFP, or similar.

If you have this option enabled and library scans don't happen automatically (yous should wait 60 seconds after all activity on the drive finishes), automatic updates may not be supported on your operating organisation/filesystem and you may wish to utilise periodic updates instead.

Update my library periodically

Periodic updates for your library allow you to have scans run at a set up frequency. This is controlled past 2 settings:

1. Update my library periodically: Enable or disable whether scans are run at a set frequency
2. Library update interval: Choose the frequency of scans

Bachelor periodic frequencies are:

• every 15 minutes
• every 30 minutes
• hourly
• every 2 hours
• every 6 hours
• every 12 hours
• daily

Note: The periodic frequency is based on when the Plex Media Server starts upwards. If you start your Server at 12:15 and have it ready to update every 30 minutes, and so an update will outset effectually 12:45.

Scanning and Refreshing Manually

You can manually Scan or Refresh a library as a whole or Refresh detail items inside a library. The options available and particular deportment taken can vary depending on from where the action is initiated.

The behavior tin likewise vary depending on whether or not the Run a partial scan when changes are detected (advanced) option is enabled.

Related Page: Library

Scan Library Files

A standard scan volition:

1. Scan for new or inverse content in a library
2. Assemble metadata for new/changed items every bit needed

This is initiated via the Browse Library Files action under the … menu for the library in the navigation sidebar of Plex Web App.

This action is performed on a library as a whole.

Related Page: Library Actions

Refreshing an Entire Library

Using "Refresh All Metadata" on a library will:

1. Scan for new or changed content in a library
2. Get together new metadata for all items in a library, including those that already have metadata

This is initiated via the Refresh All Metadata activity accessed by selecting ... followed by Manage Library for the item in the navigation sidebar. Alternatively, it can be accessed through the ... option side by side to the particular within the Libraries section in the settings card.

This activeness is performed on a library as a whole. Annotation that Refreshing an entire library tin have a lot of time to complete.

Related Page: Library Actions

Refresh Specific Items

It's possible to Refresh specific items. These can be individual items (a specific movie or TV episode) or containing elements such as a series for TV or creative person/album for music libraries. The specific beliefs can vary depending on library settings and from where the Refresh was initiated.

Individual Particular

When performing a Refresh for an individual movie or TV episode, Plex volition:

1. Browse for new local media assets (subtitles, local artwork, etc.)
2. Assemble new metadata for the movie or episode

This can be initiated via the Refresh Metadata activity under the … carte in the top bar of the item's details folio or when hovering over an particular's affiche.

Refresh Goggle box Series

When performing a Refresh for a television series, Plex will:

1. Scan for new or changed content in the directory associated with the series (if Run a fractional scan when changes are detected is enabled)
2. Gather new metadata for the series

This can be initiated via the Refresh Metadata activeness under the … menu in the height bar of the serial details folio or when hovering over an particular's affiche.

Refresh Music Artist or Anthology

When performing a Refresh for a music creative person or album, Plex will:

1. Get together new metadata for the creative person or album

This tin exist initiated via the Refresh Metadata action under the … menu in the top bar of the artist or album details folio or when hovering over an item'south affiche.

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Last modified on: July 31, 2019

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Source: https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289306-scanning-vs-refreshing-a-library/

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