Since we’re stuck with the new UI on Roku, and Plex is obviously NOT listening to our feedback, I was hoping to at least make it usable for my family members that stream from my server. Has anyone found a way to turn off all of the live tv, Plex provided content, etc. that is front and center in the UI? I ONLY want my personal server libraries shown. I am guessing this is just a greedy in-your-face money grab by whoever are the decision makers in Plex, I really don’t want to move to another provider but everything I’m reading is showing me that Plex no longer cares for their main supporters and customer base.
I can live with the horrible interface as long as I get all the promoted garbage off the screen. Is this wishful thinking? The Windows web ui is perfect. Why can’t they do this for all of their players?
The ‘Restart app’ option may be Roku OS and/or device dependent. All that needs to happen is for the full app to be reloaded and the cache cleared. Power cycling is one option here as already mentioned. If you can’t get to the power easily I know in RokuOS v14 there is a system restart function under Settings → System → Power → System restart
I unplug all of my Roku devices every time I am done using them. So the units are always ‘Power Cycled’ each time I use them again. The ‘Restart app’ is not available on any of my Roku Ultras, Roku Sticks or older Roku Express Plus models.
You’re right that’s an option that’s been there for a long time but unfortunately doesn’t always clear the caches. The only sure way is a power pull like nx6 mentioned. Kinda like Windows restart vs shutdown - which is funny because they flipped it several versions ago and now restart is actually the hard reset and shutdown is the soft reset (so no more “turn it off and on” step, you gotta do restart instead).
Using the * on the App tile to restart usually works but if it doesn’t - pull the power as the nuke from orbit option, just to be sure.
The restart app is not in the app itself. It’s from the Roku Home Screen. Before you enter\launch an app, highlight it, and then hit * on the remote to bring up that menu. It’s been there on every Roku device since like the beginning of Roku devices (it’s how you move tiles around). That star button does things in other areas in and out of apps and it’s easy to miss so it’s worth trying in other areas and apps.
Once you turn off all those Online Media Sources nx6 linked for you, you won’t see any of the Plex service stuff anymore (I’ve had it off for years - works fine). You may also want to clean up your friend sharing if you want to quiet that down a bit and you can even turn of the reviews (which are both social and sourced).
I understand what is being said. I know the restart app is when you hover over the Plex tile on the Home Screen and press the asterisk button on the remote. The menu that comes up only allows me options to uninstall, move, or remove the app. No restart option. That is what I was explaining before. I will take a screenshot and reply later to show everyone since it seems everyone but me has this option. I don’t understand why I don’t.
You won’t have the restart option if an app isn’t already “started” in the background and if you unplug all the time that would likely be the case here.
Nobody is doubting you, just trying to figure out the discrepancy.
I took some screenshots of my Roku screens to show that the ‘Restart app’ option is most definitely not available on my Roku. I took these after booting up my Roku, clicking on the Plex app so it would fully load, then going back to the Roku Home Screen. Selecting the Plex tile and hitting the asterisk button. These are the options I get. I have four other Roku devices and they all show the same thing.
The restart option is only available if the app is suspended in the background. If you press Back and choose Exit, the app closes completely and won’t show the restart option.
To test it, open the Plex app and press the Home button instead. That suspends the app, and you should then see the restart option. Keep in mind it may still be missing, since the Roku can close background apps when needed.
That worked! Thank you! Whenever I exit I always press back and choose exit. I only ever use the Home button if an app isn’t responding and I can’t get out. Pressing Home then going to the Plex tile and hitting asterisk now shows the restart option. I clicked it and it restarted the app. Thanks for clarifying.
Who knew there was a difference between using Home or Back then Exit? I never would have thought that would have made a difference. Thanks for finally solving this mystery for me I appreciate it.
This does beg the question, if you can ‘Back & Exit’ to close the app and then re-enter Plex which essentially restarts the app. Then what’s the difference between doing that and pressing ‘Home’ then ‘Restart app’ on the Home Screen? Won’t both things accomplish the exact same thing? Restarting the app after it has been fully terminated?
You’re correct - it’s essentially the same thing as far as clearing caches and such. Though pulling power still can clear more of them (I’ve had an issue or two that restarting didn’t fix, only pulling power).
The difference is mostly just around using Roku OS stuff. By hitting Home instead of exiting (and not powering off), apps tend to load faster when you go back into them and it’ll remember some things in an app that it might not otherwise that can be convenient (like positions on pages or where you left off in browsing). For example, Plex app doesn’t work without internet* but Plex on Roku caches credentials really well so as long as the app is still active in the background when your internet went out you’ll likely still be authenticated and can access your local Plex media without any difference. If you pulled power or exited the app it wouldn’t work because it’d need to re-authenticate first.
I never really exit apps - I just hit “Home” to leave and switch apps or inputs (like game console or OTA tv). It makes getting back into apps feel snappier and it’s fewer clicks to leave the app. I use the restart or exit only to refresh if something isn’t working right. Same with pulling power, just to fix things hanging up (the “sleep” power is minimal and allows apps\os to update in the background). For example, my speakers sometimes don’t get identified right and RokuTV will think “Stereo” is the only output option and pulling power on the RokuTV is the only surefire way for it to re-detect it and restore DD+/DTS support (a few reboots of Roku and speaker will do it eventually but pulling power does it right away).
