plex It is a popular American video streaming platform andMedia playerSince its release, Plex has been used as an organizer for videos, audio, and photos of personal media collections. With its user-friendly interface, it allows users to easily find media to watch. Plex offers browser access as well as app access, making it a platform that can be used on the go. Among all these benefits of using Plex for entertainment, it has been observed that it causes some issues for users when they try to play a video on the platform. Our guide today is based on the Plex “An error occurred while trying to play the video” error, which will help you in various ways to fix this issue. Besides, we will also cover some points on why Plex cannot play media error, and explore the various reasons behind it. So, let’s get started by learning how to fix the Plex error when trying to play a video.
Fix Plex error when trying to play video
Plex is a global media streaming platform used by millions of users. Many of these users have encountered video playback issues. There are two reasons found to trigger this problem. Knowing these causes will help you resolve the error more effectively and efficiently. So, take a look at some of the known causes of Plex video playback errors below:
- Requires use plex time and effort. As a new user, you may be missing out on some important considerations that could make or break the app's launch. storage Videos are temporarily inactive.
- Prepare network connection Unreliable is another reason why Plex can cause issues.
- An outdated version of Plex can also interfere with the feature. play video.
- Files can lead to MKV Unsupported also causes an error while playing videos in Plex.
- Outdated display drivers for your device are another starting point forVideo playback error In Plex.
Now that you're familiar with the various causes that typically cause media playback errors in Plex, it's time to address them with the appropriate fixes. So, let's start with the first method below and see if it resolves the error:
Method 1: Fix Internet Connection Problem
If you encounter an error while trying to play audio streaming on Plex for you, you should first check and then troubleshoot your device's internet connection. Plex media requires a strong internet connection, and you should ensure your internet signal is at least 5 Mbps to stream your chosen videos without interference. Therefore, if you experience a weak internet connection,
Method 2: Restart the Plex app
The next method you can try after resolving your internet issues involves restarting the Plex app. This method helps refresh the app and resolve any minor issues it may encounter. Restarting Plex is very easy:
1. Get out of plex By closing the application on your device.
2. Now, wait for at least 5 minutes and start Play Plex once again.
3. Play a video in plex Check the error solution.
Method 3: Play a smaller video
The audio stream is currently in use. The Plex error can also be caused by a specific video. You can check this by switching to a different video. You can also try playing smaller files and check if the video playback error persists. You can simply browse different types of media on the platform and try playing a video to resolve the issue.
Method 4: Delete old devices
Next, you should consider other devices that may be linked to your Plex account. This may include: Plex Web و PlexCloud و Plex for Roku و Plex for Android And others. If you have multiple devices, the media player can overload and interfere with video streaming. This issue occurs due to devices using the same server resources, such as interrupt requests, memory, and other factors running simultaneously. Therefore, to resolve the Plex error message "An error occurred while trying to play a video," you should remove or delete old accounts associated with Plex:
1. Open Plex account your device and click on the icon Settings above.
2. Now, select Certified devices From the left panel click on All.
3. Select the icon Red X Next to certain devices to remove them.
4. Confirm delete Restart the application to check if the issue is resolved.
Method 5: Update display drivers
As mentioned above in the reasons behind Plex video playback errors, outdated display drivers for your device can be a prominent cause. Therefore, these drivers should be updated regularly to avoid such problems.
Method 6: Adjust the sound settings
The next method to resolve the error, such as the Plex unable to play media error while trying to play streaming audio, involves modifying the audio settings in Plex. You can switch to the DTS 5.1 audio track if you previously had PCM 5.1. You can also try switching to AC3 to resolve the error. While switching to a different audio setting is an option, many users have also tried disabling audio passthrough to fix the issue. You can also disable audio passthrough in Plex using the steps below:
1. Turn on Plex account your and click on the file icon the definition Yours in it.
2. Now, run "Account settings" And in oath "advanced" , Locate "player".
3. Finally, open a passage. the sound And specify the disabled in it.
Method 7: Update the Plex app
To fix the "Audio stream currently in use" error in Plex, you'll need to update the outdated version of the Plex app on your device. You can easily update the app from the Microsoft Store on your Windows PC using the steps below:
1. Press Windows key To open the Microsoft Store from the search bar.
2. Now, open the library In the Microsoft Store.
3. Next, click on “Get updatesTo update the Plex app.
4. Go to the taskbar to refresh. Plex Media Server Right click on the Plex Media Server icon.
5. Finally, tap Verification There are no updates.
Method 8: Disable the maximum H264 level
You can also resolve the Plex unable to play media error by disabling the maximum H264 level in Plex. You can disable this feature in Plex by following these steps:
1. Click the icon Profile In your Plex account.
2. Now, open “Account settingsfrom the dropdown menu.
3. Next, select ADVANCED in it.
4. Now, locate H264 Maximum Level to disable it.
Method 9: Edit Transcoder Settings
Processing power is essential for running a Plex server efficiently. This processing power helps Plex convert files and stream videos. Hence, high CPU power is required to run these processes simultaneously. To resolve the Plex error while trying to play a video, you need to change the converter settings for the application. You should change the default settings to match your CPU performance. You can do this by reducing the quality of the converted files to free up CPU space. See the steps below to learn more about how to edit converter settings:
1. Launch the menu Settings From your Plex home page.
2. Now, select Transcode In it and change the current setting to a different setting.
3. You can choose from attributes including: automatic , make my CPU hurt, prefer high quality encoding, prefer high encoding the speed.
Method 10: Downgrade the server
You can also try downgrading to an older server version if an error occurs while trying to play audio streaming and the issue remains unresolved. When upgrading your Plex server, some files may fail to play. Therefore, to continue watching videos and media on the platform, you can downgrade the media server to a previous version.
Note: The following steps are for Windows users.
1. Turn on Plex Media Server By typing the phrase written below in the Run dialog box (Windows + R).
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server
2. Now, locate the folder. PMS Open it to select the previous, updated version of Plex you want to install.
Method 11: Adding AC3 Code to Plex
The final method to help you resolve the audio stream currently in use error involves adding the AC3 codec to Plex. You're likely playing a media format that isn't available for streaming. If the format isn't supported, its audio will be automatically converted to AC3. You'll encounter a problem if the AC3 codec isn't created correctly. Therefore, you need to add the AC3 codec to Plex to resolve this issue:
1. Using Browser Your web, download the video file.
2. Add File which has been downloaded to your Plex library.
3. Now, play the video file and it will create a codec. AC3 While playing the media player.
Once done, turn on the video streaming again which you couldn't do previously, and check if the issue is finally resolved.
We hope our article about Plex experiencing an error while trying to play a video helped you find a suitable solution. If you have any other issues or suggestions, you can contact us by leaving your comments below.
