Streaming service and media software maker Plex introduced a redesign of its software on Friday that puts more emphasis on discovery, easy access to your watchlist and other personalization features — including those for home media enthusiasts who still use the app to organize their media libraries.
Over the years, the company has tried to balance its history as a software maker aimed at home media organizations with its future as a streaming service, where it generates revenue through ad-supported content. After raising $40 million in early 2024, the company said it would approach profitability around the end of the year or early 2025. Given that goal, Plex’s redesign should be successful.
That’s also why the company is taking careful steps regarding the changes, which Plex says are two years in the making.
Initially offered in preview on mobile devices, Plex’s new interface features redesigned navigation that makes it easier to explore the different parts of Plex’s service. Instead of hamburger menus (the three-line menus that hide navigation), Plex’s update brings a return to tabbed navigation with buttons at the bottom of the screen, which tends to work better on mobile.
Here users can switch between their media library, live TV channels (ad-supported streams), on-demand streams and more. There are also buttons for a Discovery section and a personalized homepage that directs you to content you may want to continue watching.
People who continue to use Plex to manage their home libraries will appreciate having a dedicated button that centralizes access to this feature. They can also favorite libraries to tailor the experience to their needs.
Your Plex Watchlist, where you keep track of the shows and movies you want to watch, has been given a more prominent spot in the top navigation for quicker access, as Plex says more and more people have started using this feature over time.
Other changes in the new release include a reorganization of the areas where you can access your personal data, such as your profile, viewing history, friends and streaming services, which are now all available in one place.
The updated app has also expanded the use of visual images. Plex says this will be especially noticeable on the detail pages of movies and shows, plus cast and crew profiles and users’ own Plex profile pages. Title artwork for movies and shows has also been added, in response to user feedback.
Plex notes that the redesign isn’t just superficial: it’s rewritten its apps under the hood and streamlined its code base as part of this process. Now that the codebase is unified, the team can quickly release new features across all supported platforms, accelerating the development cycle.
