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Importing via Plex

Homecrate can connect to a Plex Media Server running on your local network, letting you stream or download your Plex music library directly into the app. Plex support is a Pro feature.

What is Plex?

Plex is a media server you run on your computer or NAS. It organizes your music (and video) collection and serves it over your local network or the internet. If you already have a Plex server with music, Homecrate can read from it directly.

You need a Plex Media Server running somewhere on your home network before this feature is useful. If you don’t have one, use standard file import instead.

Signing In to Plex

There are two ways to connect:

Easy Sign-In (Pro)

  1. Go to Settings → Plex Streaming Settings
  2. Tap Sign in with Plex
  3. A browser sheet opens — log in with your Plex account
  4. Homecrate automatically discovers your server address and token

[SCREENSHOT: Plex sign-in button in Settings]

Manual Entry

If automatic discovery doesn’t find your server (common on some network configurations):

  1. Go to Settings → Plex Streaming Settings
  2. Enter your server’s Address (e.g. https://192.168.1.100:32400)
  3. Enter your Token (find it in Plex Web → Account → XML settings)

[SCREENSHOT: Manual Plex address and token fields]

Importing from Plex

Once connected, tap the Plex button in the Library header.

[SCREENSHOT: Plex button in Library header]

Homecrate fetches your Plex music library and presents it in the Import Preview modal. Tap Import to add your Plex tracks to the local library.

Imported Plex tracks are stored in the database as source: 'plex'. Their path field contains the Plex streaming URL rather than a local file path. They stream over your network rather than playing from local storage. To make them available offline, you need to download them. See Downloading for Offline Use.

Streaming vs. Downloading

Plex tracks that have not been downloaded stream from your server over WiFi or cellular. You’ll see a cloud icon on any track that is remote-only.

[SCREENSHOT: Library card showing cloud icon for a remote Plex track]

To download a track for offline use, swipe left on it in the All Tracks view and tap Download, or tap the download button on the track card.

Downloaded tracks play from local storage and remain available when your Plex server is unreachable.

Offline Mode

Toggle Offline Only (in the Library filter row, when enabled) to show only locally stored tracks. Remote Plex tracks that haven’t been downloaded are hidden in this view.

Troubleshooting Plex Connection

Server not found after sign-in:

  • Make sure your iPhone and Plex server are on the same WiFi network
  • Check that Plex Media Server is running on the host machine
  • Try entering the server address manually in Settings

Tracks won’t stream:

  • Verify the server address is reachable from your device (paste it into Safari)
  • Check that your Plex token hasn’t expired — sign in again via Settings

Import shows no tracks:

  • Confirm your Plex library has a Music section (not just Movies/TV)
  • Try refreshing your Plex library from the Plex web interface