Though we will not be removing from the store, Plex VR is no longer in active development and there will be no updates for the time being.

Plex VR for Daydream lets you watch your Plex content in a virtual reality theater.

Getting started

To make use of Plex VR, you will need:

A Daydream compatible headset Daydream View (with a compatible phone running Android 8 or higher) or Lenovo Mirage Solo VR

The Plex VR app downloaded from Google Play

Plex Media Server version 1.8.1 or later.

Note: Plex VR for Daydream is not the same as the Plex for Android mobile app.

Sign in

After launching the Plex VR app, you will be prompted to sign in to your Plex account. Switching Plex Home users is not supported at this time. This means that managed user accounts cannot sign into the app currently.

Controls

The ( – ) or app button brings up the video navigation menu.

or app button brings up the video navigation menu. To bring up the settings, click the settings icon in the friends list to the left of the video navigation menu.

Click the touchpad when your laser pointer is hovered over a menu item or scene object (like drinks/popcorn). Click and hold the touchpad when your laser pointer is over a selected item to grab it in your hand. Try throwing things or placing them on the table next to you!

When a video is playing: Click the touchpad for on screen controls. Swipe up and down on the touchpad when hovering over the screen to resize the screen (if available). Click and hold the touchpad to move the screen in the scene (if available).

When in Watch Together: Hold down the ( – ) or app button to use voice communication if you don’t have headphones plugged in.



Navigation

There are three main navigation screens: Browsing, Playback, and User Settings.

Browsing Screen

The Browsing screen is much like the standard layout of many Plex apps. It starts out on your Home Discovery screen with Continue Watching, On Deck, and Recently Added content from the selected server.

The server currently being browsed is at the top of the screen and the libraries you have access to from that server show up in a row across the top. Click the magnifying glass on top right to search the active server.

To the left of the screen is the Plex VR Theater Menu. It contains:

Availability selection to choose if you want to be shown as available to your other friends using Plex VR.

Gear menu to access user settings.

Your logged in user in the theater and any friends you have online, can be invited into your theater as part of Watch Together.

Starting playback. Select an item with the laser pointer to bring up its box and read the info. Select the orange playback button to start playback.

Playback Info

During playback of standard projection video, click the touch pad to bring up more information.

Left of screen will have info on the currently playing item.

Right of screen will depending on content being watched and what is available; On Deck, Related Movies, or Extras.

Center Play back controls for Pause, Back 10s, Forward 30s, and Playback settings.

User Settings

Left : The Scene for your VR experience. “Void” and “Luxury Apartment” are free. “Drive-In Theater” is a premium scene that requires an active Plex Pass subscription (however, everyone can test it for free for the first 7 days after sign in). Other scenes for Plex Pass users will be developed in the future. Enabling Spatial Audio .

for your VR experience. “Void” and “Luxury Apartment” are free. “Drive-In Theater” is a premium scene that requires an active Plex Pass subscription (however, everyone can test it for free for the first 7 days after sign in). Other scenes for Plex Pass users will be developed in the future. Enabling . Right: Watch Together options, Close Settings, Sign out.

Center: Select your avatar and text highlight color.

What is Watch Together and how does it work?

Watch Together is a multiplayer video watching experience for your videos, for you and up to three of your friends (4 people total). To start a Watch Together experience with friends, do the following:

Ensure you’ve added each other as friends, either from the friends panel in Plex VR or through the web interface.

Open Plex VR and click on Join or Invite next your friend’s name.

or next your friend’s name. Once in a theater together, you will be able to navigate to, and play, any videos that you have access to.

See “Controls” above for Watch Together controls.

Watch Together is a Plex Pass feature but is available to try for a 7 days from the time you first sign into the app. Only one person in the theater needs a Plex Pass

Playing back 360º and 3D videos

Plex VR supports both 360º and 3D videos. There are multiple ways to play back a video in 360 or 3D.

3D

Select the video playback settings button from the on-screen controls, and then select Left/Right or Top/Bottom from the menu.

Add 3D-SBS or 3D-OU to the filename of your video (depending on the 3D format) on your Android device or Plex Media Server computer. (e.g. Avatar (2009) 3D-SBS.mp4 )

360º or 180º

Select the video playback settings button from the on screen controls, and select the 360 projection from the menu.

Add Proj-360 or Proj-180 to your filename on your Android device or Plex Media Server. (e.g. Trippy Sphere - Proj-360.mp4 )

Virtual Surround

If enabled, the AAC 5.1 audio stream will be spatialized by the app to get an immersive sound field, even with your stereo headphones. If the audio stream of the content being played isn’t AAC 5.1, your Plex Media Server will transcode the surround audio to AAC 5.1 (Local video must already have AAC 5.1 audio, as there is not a server to transcode.)

Stereo Audio will sound like it is coming from in front of you.

Tip!: Virtual Surround is a premium feature and requires an active Plex Pass subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I play videos from?

Plex VR can play back:

Any videos on a Plex Media Server that you have access to. (The Plex Media Server may have to transcode.)

Any videos in common video locations (Downloads, Movies, etc.) on your Daydream-compatible phone. Video must not require transcoding for playback.

How do I turn on/switch subtitles or audio streams?

During playback, tap the touchpad to bring up the Playback Info, then use the gear icon there to open the playback settings. There, you can select the audio or subtitle stream to use for playback.

Where are my Photo and Music Libraries?

Photo and music libraries are not supported in Plex VR.

Why does Plex VR require certain app permission?

Storage permission is required to play back local videos off of your device.

Microphone permission is required for Watch Together voice communication.

When is Plex coming to [other VR platform]?

We’re interested in supporting additional VR platforms, but we don’t have any specific information to share, sorry.

When is Watch Together coming to other apps?

We do hope to develop this into other apps but again, sorry, no ETA.

When are 3D and 360º videos coming to other player apps or the Plex Media Server?

No other Plex app currently supports automatic switching based on file name on the various devices they may be played on. We hope to address this in the future but again sorry, no ETA.