How to install Plex on Synology DSM7

Last updated on 11 Nov 2022 📧 Subscribe
Contents hide
1 First of all, you need to log into your Admin Panel.
2 You can install Plex from Package Center
3 Or do it manually
4 You will need to create a shared folder where you keep your videos.
5 Once you do that you need to give Plex app permission to access the contents of this folder.
6 You can now open your Plex server
7 Tell Plex where to look for your videos.

How to install Plex on Synology DSM7

 

First of all, you need to log into your Admin Panel. 

You can type in find.synology.com in your web browser or install Synology Assistant app on your computer.

   

 

 

 

You can install Plex from Package Center

Or do it manually 

Click Manual Install and choose the Plex package file. You can get it from here https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/

Any plus series NAS such as DS220+, DS720+, DS920+, DS420+ etc. will work with 64bit package

 

How to update Plex on Qnap and Synology

 

 

You will need to create a shared folder where you keep your videos.

You can do it using File Station app or Control Panel

Click Create / Create New Shared Folder

Or better head to Control Panel and Click Create/ Create Shared Folder

 

 

Once you do that you need to give Plex app permission to access the contents of this folder. 

 

On DSM 7 you need to

  1. go to Settings/Shared folder
  2. Select the media folder you want Plex to have access to
  3. Click Edit
  4. Open Permissions tab and select Internal user
  5. Find PlexMediaServer user
  6. Tick Read/Write permission box and click Save

At this point, you may want to copy your videos into this newly created folder. You can do it via web browser when you go to File Station app. Or you can map Synology drive and copy like you would with USB drive.

https://kb.synology.com/en-id/DSM/tutorial/How_to_map_network_drives_from_your_Synology_NAS

 

You can now open your Plex server

 

 

Tell Plex where to look for your videos.

Once you login, Plex will offer to claim this server. This will link it to your user account.

Choose a name for your Plex server.

Add a folder where you keep your videos.

Click on volume1 (unless you have multiple volumes created).

Select a shared folder you created earlier.

You can manually initiate first scan through the files in that folder. This will allow Plex to generate thumbnails and metadata.

 

Here is also a video version for this manual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From now on, you can see this server from any client device you are logged in. You can install Plex app on your TV, Phone or Android HDMI stick, or anywhere else you want to stream.

 

I hope this helps.

 

 

You could talk to Gabriele <kingbiker@protonmail.com>
We do not offer services like that ourselves.
You can find his page here https://go.fiverr.com/visit/?bta=297015&brand=fiverrcpa&landingPage=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiverr.com%2Fkingbiker%2Finitialize-configure-and-fix-synology-wd-cloud-or-qnap-nas

 


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99 thoughts on “How to install Plex on Synology DSM7”

  1. The content on this channel is absolutely fantastic and over the past several years has always been my first port of call for everything NAS. It is patently clear these guys are truly passionate, dedicated and experts in their field. Thank you so much for all your efforts!!
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  2. So the DS920+ is no longer available, and the 923+ doesn’t have the same transcoding power as its predecessor, what do you think is the next best option for Plex?
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  4. Thanks for your guide. I had recently changed NAS and at the same time the new one required 7.0 firmware so my Plex stopped working and I couldn’t figure out why. Hit the points you mentioned and now it works again! Thank you!!
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  10. I have all of my media on my Synology NAS … I have my Plex server on my Mac mini … I want my Plex server on my Mac mini to be able to access my media on my Synology NAS … could you help me out with this issue … could you walk me through the process to make that happen or maybe even do a video … thanks …
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  11. Hi, I have a synology NAS DS1819+, have tried following all your steps but it still says “Not authorized… You do not have access to this server.” I have tried to search any kind of info in Plex but with no help so far. Do you or know anyone who has run into this kind of problem? Thanks.
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  16. Thank you so much! I had looked all over plex help, Reddit etc and couldn’t find out why my media library wasn’t showing. Youtube to the rescue, as usual. I hadn’t allowed Plex access via the System Internal User permission. As soon as I added this, I was able to create a new library in Plex and it was now seeing the sub folders inside my “video” shared folder. Currently scanning my library and everything is there again.
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  17. Thank you very much, i did all but my problem is that I can see my music files through Plex, but all these files are unclickable in light grey (whatever mp3 or Flac). Thanks for your help
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  22. thank you, i have set up plex accounts before with new libraries but this video has saved me a longer headache than usual. I must remember SYSTEM INTERNAL USER… drop down https://youtu.be/XUXJFu1LtJ4?t=407 thanks
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  23. 08:15 at this point its over for me. (DS920+) When i start plex the one and only thing it does is telling me that i dont have permission for this server. It doesnt ask for any information like username/password/server or whatever, and dont give me any option to change or choose anything. Just a window that tells me that i dont have permission, nothing more nothing less. deleting and new installing doesnt help anything….
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  29. Is there a way to customize the metadata storage location so I can push it to one of my SSD’s instead of my main volume where my media is stored and the app is installed?
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  30. Good video but you really should use a zoomed in field of view in your screen capture. I cannot watch this video on an iPhone because the images are unnecessarily small. We don’t need to see a lot of blank screen real estate. Thanks.
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  36. Hi, I have not used my synology in two years and I have a plex server setup and all. but since I don’t remember how to set it up again I decided to check on your channel again and see if there is anything new, at 5:44 I don’t see the user at all so what could be the reason for that? I have a DS420+ and the DSM is 6.2.3. I know it has been a year since this video so if anyone watching that can help me with this I appreciate that.
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  37. Very helpful thank you. I have an older NAS and was waiting to save up enough to upgrade and I finally have. I am excited to put what you are showing to practice. Thanks for the confidence boost.
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  42. I would assume that installing a NAS is to watch on your movies on the TV thru Plex, not thru computer Plex app. However, it seems not possible to share Synology NAS files thru TV Plex app, does it ?
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  43. I would assume that installing a NAS is to watch on your movies on the TV thru Plex, not thru computer Plex app. However, it seems not possible to share Synology NAS files thru TV Plex app, does it ?
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  45. I’m just getting the error “No soup for you” when I try to open plex from the package center

    Can’t seem to find a fix anywhere, also when installing plex it didn’t create a plex folder
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  46. I tried this tutorial so many times now but no matter what I firstly cannot make Synology Assistant to find my NAS no matter WHAT i tried Second when i install the plex It simply wont let me claim the Plex server again tried reinstalling everything from scratch 3 times now..since i cant claim the server i cant acces my files from my tv.
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  48. My 2 cents on the video and people’s comments:
    1: If running DSM 7.xx I suggest downloading from Synology and using that file. Three attempts with the doing from the Package Installation were a failure. It never made the “Plex xxx xxx xx” shared folder
    2: To remove a PLEX installation, it is not complicated, right click on it and select “uninstall” (not sure exactly what it says but you get the point I am not doing a tutorial……and I figured it out myself
    3: I would love it to see a video from start to finish with the exact system that I have. But that really is not practical for many people that post things to help us out. If you trying to set up a NAS, you should have at least enough knowledge to handle simple troubleshooting. If you need to be handheld, I do not think a NAS for PLEX is for you.
    4: The OP’s vids are very good. I really enjoy them. But I do not rely on them for 100 percent of any solution. When I got my NAS and PLEX setup, I used several references to help me with it.
    5: I do wish that NASCompares would respond to the questions asked. I think it is fair that you give answers back to the most common questions asked. I do understand that more complicated or “one offs” would be best dealt with offline
    6: Comments like “I’m so tired of people putting setup tutorial videos together where they are working with an already existing environment and their directions don’t line up with someone who is starting out fresh.” sort of bug me.

    I get the frustration..I really do. But a weekend of working through a problem makes you smarter. I followed this video and I had problems. But I researched and figured them out. Also, Everyones’ environment is different!

    Negatives: I do feel that NASCompares does not really care about answering the most common basic questions. I think you guys make money from it (cool, lots of work you have to do) but you do leave people hanging. You are more of a TV show than a social media platform where ideas are shared and solutions found…which means you are part of those solutions. Shame on NASCompares for not offering help on the questions that pertain to the video that you posted that you make a profit off of.

    You started the video, at least support your followers.
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  50. I’m so tired of people putting setup tutorial videos together where they are working with an already existing environment and their directions don’t line up with someone who is starting out fresh.
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  53. Thanks for sharing this detailed information! I would add a suggestion to warn folks doing this to ensure their VPN is off, I struggled for an hour trying to get Plex server set up because my VPN was active.
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  57. Please help

    I just changed my password like the email from plex said to do and I had it to log out all shared users

    Now I am getting an error message saying that my server is unavailable and I don’t know how to fix it. I logged out and logged back in. I Uninstalled the program and reinstalled a newer version and still it will not allow me access to my server

    Please help
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  64. eventhough I installed the plex beta on my NAS I am not getting the plex folder under Shared folder. I all ready gave admin and my account permission, etc. Don’t know what Im missing.
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  68. What’s the point really of having a Plex server in your NAS? It makes the NAS cost more and it takes up CPU.
    Wouldn’t it be better to just have the Plex server be a separate dedicated cheap, or old computer on the network.
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  71. DO NOT install the beta. Just do download the Synology (DSM 7) file from Synology and manually install the package… then continue follow the instructions to add permissions to the folder etc… If you want to keep Plex updated, just download a new DSM 7 package from Plex, then manual install again and it will upgrade for you (there is no upgrade option in Synology Package Center but a manual install again will perform an upgrade – I tested and confirm this). You can also delete and keep settings option, and re-install a previous version if you every have a situation where a Plex update breaks something. Also HW acceleration works fine on my DS1520+ and no need to do any edits or docker workarounds… I think Plex has fixed a lot of the issues since these videos came out.
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  72. Apart from Plex being a “one stop shop” is there any fundamental reason why you’d say use Plex Media server for music instead of say the built in iTunes Server software?
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  73. Hey there, I followed your directions to a T. However, no matter how many times I uninstall to start over, I never ever get the window that says “How Plex Works”. So, everytime I go into Plex to add media, it takes me to a screen that says, “Install Plex Media Server. I have the Synology 920+.
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  74. NO SOUP FOR YOU! YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SERVER
    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    Please help me. What I need to do? I just followed all you steps from very beginning. but still the same.
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  77. I got the “No soup for you!” when I open plex ????

    I feel that the path for the Plex app might be wrong.
    I wrote: “/volume2/plex_amp”

    I followed all the permissions + system internal user permissions

    volume1 is for time machine
    volume2 is for my apps
    volume3 is for all data like music & videos
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  78. When I open Plex Media Server for the first time, it doesn’t take me to the screen “How Plex Works” Instead it takes me to “No Soup for You. You do not have accesss to this server.” Can anyone help?
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  79. I have reinstalled Plex 3 times now and each time it fails to auto create the “Plex” folder which does not allow me to then grant permission to it described at 5:15 What am I doing wrong?
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  80. Thank you so much. I’ve been looking for a longer time for a video that explains installing Plex fresh on DSM 7. All the other tutorials I found seemed to be about upgrading an older installation.
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  82. Hi i followed all of this but all I ever get when I click on the plex media server button is that Unable to connect

    Firefox can’t establish a connection to the server at… what do I do here? I gave plex the permissions?
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  83. Is there any reason to not place media files in a sub-directory under the Plex directory? Then there would not be a need to go back and grant access to the media directory since security rights would have already been granted at the Plex directory level, I would like to know the answer to this before I set up my new DS920+ arriving tomorrow. Thank you!
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  84. Ya this video is confusing. You created a new shared folder called “Plex” in the beginning of the video. But then said a new folder will automatically be created also called “Plex” later in the video. Very confused on all of this. Nothing is working for me at all
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  85. when I start plex it jumps into plex and I can not make a server. when I’m in and go to the media it asks me to make a server. I do everything again but get the same result. what could be wrong?
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  87. A little late to watch. I simply cannot watch you as fast as you make em. On my dsm7, the package center doesn’t have Beta packages. Where is the source? Under synology will plex be able to play DTS content? Thank You with warm regards.
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  88. Does Synology or any HDD mfg releasing any notes on high capacity storage compatibility list yet. A friend had encountered issue with WD 18tb ultra 550 drive which is not working with error health info not available though it shows the available space to be initialized. Based on forum Intel based DS series seems be working with 18tb from both brands of Seagate and WD but none claim on non intel realtek chipset. Even support neither saying incompatible but keep insisting to check the drive by connecting to pc for health info.
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  91. I’ve recently purchased my first Nas precisely to use Plex, so appreciate this video. Can you follow up with a ‘how to’ import and iTunes library into Plex please ????????
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  92. Nas how long until you have your temp tested PNY XLR8? Iam looking forward to that video see the results, don’t get me wrong iam well happy with the Sabrent but that PNY looks good and I can’t help myself if it looks good and works really good I gotta have it, anyway looking forward to that video ????????
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  93. Hey, new sub here as I’m in the market for my first NAS and pretty much decided on the Qnap 453 (thanks to your videos) but when I put it into my cart Amazon “suggested” I look at the 473. This product is about $300 more but with that money you get the Ryzen and the max memory is substantially more, so I’m wondering why in all of your comparison videos you don’t compare these two? You typically only compare models that are the same price. But you’re missing out on a key part of your audience who (like me) don’t mind spending a little more as long as you explain the benefit of it; so many people choose a budget that tops out at $1k so maybe you could explain the advantages of spending just a little more money to step up to the much more expandable 473?
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  97. So glad you did this video, I am struggling with setup. Have plex server on my shield and want to use nas as a backup. I am going to start over following your video. Thank you for all you do????
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