Python-PlexAPI
Overview
Unofficial Python bindings for the Plex API. Our goal is to match all capabilities of the official Plex Web Client. A few of the many features we currently support are:
Navigate local or remote shared libraries.
Perform library actions such as scan, analyze, empty trash.
Remote control and play media on connected clients, including Controlling Sonos speakers
Listen in on all Plex Server notifications.
Installation & Documentation
pip install plexapiInstall extra features:
pip install plexapi[alert] # Install with dependencies required for plexapi.alert
pip install plexapi[jwt] # Install with dependencies required for Plex JWT authenticationDocumentation can be found at Read the Docs.
Join our Discord for support and discussion.
Getting a PlexServer Instance
There are two types of authentication. If you are running on a separate network or using Plex Users you can log into MyPlex to get a PlexServer instance. An example of this is below. NOTE: Servername below is the name of the server (not the hostname and port). If logged into Plex Web you can see the server name in the top left above your available libraries.
from plexapi.myplex import MyPlexAccount
account = MyPlexAccount('<USERNAME>', '<PASSWORD>')
plex = account.resource('<SERVERNAME>').connect() # returns a PlexServer instanceIf you want to avoid logging into MyPlex and you already know your auth token string, you can use the PlexServer object directly as above, by passing in the baseurl and auth token directly.
from plexapi.server import PlexServer
baseurl = 'http://plexserver:32400'
token = '2ffLuB84dqLswk9skLos'
plex = PlexServer(baseurl, token)Usage Examples
# Example 1: List all unwatched movies.
movies = plex.library.section('Movies')
for video in movies.search(unwatched=True):
print(video.title)# Example 2: Mark all Game of Thrones episodes as played.
plex.library.section('TV Shows').get('Game of Thrones').markPlayed()# Example 3: List all clients connected to the Server.
for client in plex.clients():
print(client.title)# Example 4: Play the movie Cars on another client.
# Note: Client must be on same network as server.
cars = plex.library.section('Movies').get('Cars')
client = plex.client("Michael's iPhone")
client.playMedia(cars)# Example 5: List all content with the word 'Game' in the title.
for video in plex.search('Game'):
print(f'{video.title} ({video.TYPE})')# Example 6: List all movies directed by the same person as Elephants Dream.
movies = plex.library.section('Movies')
elephants_dream = movies.get('Elephants Dream')
director = elephants_dream.directors[0]
for movie in movies.search(None, director=director):
print(movie.title)# Example 7: List files for the latest episode of The 100.
last_episode = plex.library.section('TV Shows').get('The 100').episodes()[-1]
for part in last_episode.iterParts():
print(part.file)# Example 8: Get audio/video/all playlists
for playlist in plex.playlists():
print(playlist.title)# Example 9: Rate the 100 four stars.
plex.library.section('TV Shows').get('The 100').rate(8.0)Controlling Sonos speakers
To control Sonos speakers directly using Plex APIs, the following requirements must be met:
Active Plex Pass subscription
Sonos account linked to Plex account
Plex remote access enabled
Due to the design of Sonos music services, the API calls to control Sonos speakers route through https://sonos.plex.tv and back via the Plex server’s remote access. Actual media playback is local unless networking restrictions prevent the Sonos speakers from connecting to the Plex server directly.
from plexapi.myplex import MyPlexAccount
from plexapi.server import PlexServer
baseurl = 'http://plexserver:32400'
token = '2ffLuB84dqLswk9skLos'
account = MyPlexAccount(token)
server = PlexServer(baseurl, token)
# List available speakers/groups
for speaker in account.sonos_speakers():
print(speaker.title)
# Obtain PlexSonosPlayer instance
speaker = account.sonos_speaker("Kitchen")
album = server.library.section('Music').get('Stevie Wonder').album('Innervisions')
# Speaker control examples
speaker.playMedia(album)
speaker.pause()
speaker.setVolume(10)
speaker.skipNext()Running tests over PlexAPI
Use:
tools/plex-boostraptest.pywith appropriate arguments and add this new server to a shared user which username is defined in environment variable SHARED_USERNAME. It uses official docker image to create a proper instance.
For skipping the docker and reuse a existing server use
python plex-bootstraptest.py --no-docker --username USERNAME --password PASSWORD --server-name NAME-OF-YOUR-SEVERAlso in order to run most of the tests you have to provide some environment variables:
PLEXAPI_AUTH_SERVER_BASEURL containing an URL to your Plex instance, e.g. http://127.0.0.1:32400 (without trailing slash)
PLEXAPI_AUTH_MYPLEX_USERNAME and PLEXAPI_AUTH_MYPLEX_PASSWORD with your MyPlex username and password accordingly
After this step you can run tests with following command:
py.test tests -rxXs --ignore=tests/test_sync.pySome of the tests in main test-suite require a shared user in your account (e.g. test_myplex_users, test_myplex_updateFriend, etc.), you need to provide a valid shared user’s username to get them running you need to provide the username of the shared user as an environment variable SHARED_USERNAME. You can enable a Guest account and simply pass Guest as SHARED_USERNAME (or just create a user like plexapitest and play with it).
To be able to run tests over Mobile Sync api you have to some some more environment variables, to following values exactly:
PLEXAPI_HEADER_PROVIDES=’controller,sync-target’
PLEXAPI_HEADER_PLATFORM=iOS
PLEXAPI_HEADER_PLATFORM_VERSION=11.4.1
PLEXAPI_HEADER_DEVICE=iPhone
And finally run the sync-related tests:
py.test tests/test_sync.py -rxXsCommon Questions
Why are you using camelCase and not following PEP8 guidelines?
This API reads XML documents provided by MyPlex and the Plex Server. We decided to conform to their style so that the API variable names directly match with the provided XML documents.
Why don’t you offer feature XYZ?
This library is meant to be a wrapper around the XML pages the Plex server provides. If we are not providing an API that is offered in the XML pages, please let us know! – Adding additional features beyond that should be done outside the scope of this library.
What are some helpful links if trying to understand the raw Plex API?
Release files for PlexAPI 4.18.2
For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.
Source distribution (sdist)
| File | Size | Uploaded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| plexapi-4.18.2.tar.gz | 162.9 kB | Details |
Built distribution (wheel)
| File | Interpreter | ABI | Platform | Reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| plexapi-4.18.2-py3-none-any.whl | Python 3 | none | any | Details |
Total release size: 341.1 kB
Release files / plexapi-4.18.2.tar.gz
| Download URL | plexapi-4.18.2.tar.gz |
|---|---|
| Size | 162.9 kB |
| Tags | Source |
|
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Transparency logRelease files / plexapi-4.18.2-py3-none-any.whl
| Download URL | plexapi-4.18.2-py3-none-any.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 178.2 kB |
| Tags | Python 3 |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
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BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
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| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/6.1.0 CPython/3.13.12
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Jul 10, 2026.
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