Building a Plex Media Server with Raspberry Pi

If you’re looking for a low-power, always-on solution for streaming your personal media library, the Raspberry Pi makes a great Plex server. It’s compact, quiet, affordable, and perfect for handling basic media streaming—especially for home use.

In this post, I’ll guide you through setting up Plex Media Server on a Raspberry Pi, using Raspberry Pi OS (Lite or Full) or Debian-based distros like Ubuntu Server.

🧰 What You’ll Need

• Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 (at least 2GB RAM, 4GB+ recommended)
• microSD card (32GB+), or SSD via USB 3.0
• External storage for media (USB HDD/SSD or NAS)
• Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection
• Raspberry Pi OS (Lite or Desktop)
• A Plex account (free is enough)

⚙️ Step 1: Prepare the Raspberry Pi

1. Flash Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager
2. Enable SSH and set hostname (optional)
3. Boot the Pi, log in, and update:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

📦 Step 2: Install Plex Media Server

Plex is available for ARM-based devices via their official repository.

1. Add Plex repo and key:

curl https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-keys/PlexSign.key | sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/plexmediaserver.list
sudo apt update

2. Install Plex:

sudo apt install plexmediaserver -y

🔁 Step 3: Enable and Start the Service

Enable Plex on boot and start the service:

sudo systemctl enable plexmediaserver
sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver

Make sure it’s running:

sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver

🌐 Step 4: Access Plex Web Interface

Open your browser and go to:

http://<your-pi-ip>:32400/web

Log in with your Plex account and begin the setup wizard.

📂 Step 5: Add Your Media Library

Plug in your external HDD or mount a network share, then:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/media
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/media

Make sure Plex can access it:

sudo chown -R plex:plex /mnt/media

Add the media folder during the Plex setup under Library > Add Library.

💡 Optional Tips

• Transcoding: The Pi can handle direct play (no transcoding) well, but struggles with transcoding large files. Use compatible formats like H.264 (MP4).
• USB Boot: For better performance, boot the Pi from an SSD instead of a microSD card.
• Power Supply: Use a proper 5V/3A PSU to avoid crashes under heavy disk load.
• Thermal: Add a heatsink or fan for the Pi if using Plex for long sessions.

🔐 Secure Your Server

• Use your router to forward port 32400 only if you want remote access.
• Set a strong Plex password.
• Enable Tailscale or WireGuard for secure remote access without exposing ports.

✅ Conclusion

A Raspberry Pi might not replace a full-blown NAS or dedicated server, but for personal use or as a secondary Plex node, it’s surprisingly capable. With low energy usage and silent operation, it’s the perfect DIY home media solution.

If you’re running other services like Pi-hole or Home Assistant, the Pi can multitask well — just avoid overloading it with too much transcoding.