The new Plex mobile application was just released yesterday, yet it has already sparked a flurry of complaints across user forums and on the Plex subreddit. Users are voicing their frustrations over various bugs, absent features, and a cluttered, perplexing interface.
This situation feels oddly familiar. It remains to be seen whether we are encountering a standard rocky start for a revamped application or something akin to the chaotic issues faced by Sonos. Plex has a list of fixes it intends to roll out in the coming weeks—something that rings a bell. We hope that the choppy performance will improve in due course, and we will be keeping a close eye on developments.
In the meantime, there are a few “new experience” issues on Plex that we can address right away, particularly concerning the Live TV, Discover, and On Demand tabs located at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, these options cannot be replaced with alternatives, but you can easily remove them from view.
If you prefer to see user reviews for movies and shows in your Plex library, you’re welcome to keep them. If they’re not your thing, you have the option to hide them, and it’s straightforward to do.
Removing the Live TV Tab
I personally enjoy using the Live TV tab in the new Plex app since I utilize Plex as an over-the-air DVR, which allows for quicker access to the live programming grid. However, even if you do not use Plex for DVR purposes, the Live TV tab remains at the bottom of the screen and includes various live streaming channels.
While you can’t swap the Live TV tab for something else, you can choose to hide it. Here’s how:
- Visit the Plex web interface, click on the Settings icon located in the top-right corner (the one resembling a wrench), and select Online Media Sources from the left-hand menu.
- Under Live TV, use the drop-down menu to select Disabled.
- Reconnect to the Plex app on your mobile device. If you’re not a Plex DVR user, the Live TV tab will disappear. If you are using the Plex DVR, the tab will still be available but will only display your over-the-air channels.
To hide the Live TV tab, set “Live TV” to “Disabled” in your Plex server’s Online Media Sources settings.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
Hiding the On Demand Tab
If you’re using Plex Media Server, you might not find much use for the On Demand content, which consists of ad-supported movies, shows, and movie rentals. Fortunately, just like the Live TV tab, you can hide the On Demand tab.
- Return to the Plex settings on the web and click on Online Media Sources.
- Under the Movies & Shows setting, use the drop-down menu to select Disabled.
Removing the Discover Tab
The Discover tab in the new Plex app displays trending content and recommendations based on what you may have enjoyed in the past. If you have no interest in tracking what’s popular among other Plex users, you can easily hide this tab.
- Once again, navigate to Plex settings on the web, go to Online Media Sources, and find the Discover section.
- Under Discover Source, select Disabled from the drop-down menu.
Hiding Reviews (or All Reviews)
I appreciate brief reviews from critics on my Plex library content, but I could do without input from random users. Thankfully, you can hide user-generated reviews—or all reviews—easily within the Plex app.
- Launch the new Plex app, tap on Settings, and then select Experience.
- Navigate to the Ratings and Reviews From option, and choose one of the following: Plex users & critics, Plex users only, Critics only, or No one.
After selecting your preference, the app will refresh, and whichever option you chose should take effect right away, removing unwanted reviews from your view.
