# Ability to move/change metadata folder location in GUI **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Suggestions\ **Tags:** server-windows, server-mac, server-linux\ **Created:** [December 18, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ability-to-move-change-metadata-folder-location-in-gui/899262 "2024-12-18T17:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DoctorRobotnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@DoctorRobotnick](https://forums.plex.tv/u/DoctorRobotnick)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ability-to-move-change-metadata-folder-location-in-gui/899262/1 "2024-12-18T17:17:39Z")
In Jellyfin, I can simply navigate to Settings \> Administration \> Dashboard \> General \> Paths and update the cache and metadata paths without need to shutdown or otherwise manually mess around with folders and permissions. This should be a standard feature in the UI for Plex administration. Especially helpful for having Plex containerized, with the metadata as a separate drive/mount point where if the main Plex container needed to be rebuilt, the administrator could simply re-attach/remount that drive and adjust the path to pick up the pre-existing data. Eg: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/8/2/6/8265c7abd3aeeffcd0bc1ab4935b8b288d03cfac.png) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ability-to-move-change-metadata-folder-location-in-gui/899262/2 "2024-12-18T20:24:08Z")
This isn’t possible in PMS for native package installations. 1. Database is SQLite. 2. All connections to the DB must be closed before the files can safely be moved for any OS. 3. Closing all connections shuts down the server (no transactions while moving the files) In Docker, 1. you stop the container (PMS is now shutdown) . This negates your not shutting down requirement. 2. you move the files AFTER the container is down. 3. you now edit the mapped directory locations (update `/config` and other variables) 4. Now you restart the container (restart PMS) 5. PMS will never know it’s been moved Please consider how to move the data directory for native Linux installations > [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/3): > > Customizing your Plex configuration on systemd based systems This information is intended for those systems where cat /proc/1/comm returns systemd. On systems which use Systemd (Ubuntu 16+, Fedora 26+, Centos 7+, Debian 8+,) you create this customization file which SystemD reads prior to launching PMS. This file is independent of the default configuration and service control mechanisms in /lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service. Your customization override is preserved across updates, un… ---
**Author:** ![DoctorRobotnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@DoctorRobotnick](https://forums.plex.tv/u/DoctorRobotnick)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 9:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ability-to-move-change-metadata-folder-location-in-gui/899262/3 "2024-12-18T21:43:55Z")
I understand about the rebooting and the instructions you linked to manually move the folder. The ability to change the path/drive should _ **still be added** _ to the GUI rather than the config file, hence this enhancement request. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ability-to-move-change-metadata-folder-location-in-gui/899262/4 "2024-12-18T22:37:37Z")
> [@DoctorRobotnick](#): > > The ability to change the path/drive should _ **still be added** _ to the GUI rather than the config file, hence this enhancement request. I’m sorry but that won’t work. PMS runs as a non-privileged user and does not have open permission to create directories or make mounts wherever it wants -OR- Are you referring to changing the default `PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR` and other variables to be user definable at next restart so PMS will read them and, if valid, continue to startup ? At present, there are no defaults. Each platform is assigned locations as part of the startup process, It would be a lot of work, if even possible (most important), to implement on all the platforms. I will think about this and how to implement for the various NAS platforms and then discuss with the team. I know that not all platforms will be able to support it. The biggest issue will be in moving the data while PMS is live (making a safe copy)