Backups and Logs - Do I need to delete them?

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: v1.43.0.10231
Player Version#: Unknown (Play store does not say)

I’ve been using Plex on an Nvidia Shield 2019 for about a year. I know it keeps logs and occasionally does a database backup.

Where does it keep those and do I need to delete them occasionally so they are not building up and using up storage space? How do I clean them up on a Shield?

How to I determine what version of the Player I am using? Google Play store doesn’t tell me, and I don’t find anything in settings (unless I’m just missing it).

Thanks!

2

https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/

Plex only keeps a certain amount of backups and deletes previous ones. The same goes for the logs, Plex „rotates“ the logs and keeps only 6 instances of „Plex Media Server.log“ (the current file and 5 previous logs with a numbered suffix in their name).

Usually Google Play Store should list which version of the app is installed.
You should also see the version when you open the app settings on the Android TV. I haven’t used that in some time, iirc it’s listed at the bottom of the settings.

3

Thank you for the information!

In case anybody else needs to know…

To find the Plex App version on an Android phone:

  1. Open Play Store app.
  2. Search for Plex Stream Movies & TV. You should get a page showing the Plex icon and the “Update” button (if it needs updated).
  3. Tap the Plex icon.
  4. The app page appears with “Uninstall” and “Update” buttons.
  5. Scroll down and look for “What’s new”. Tap the right-arrow. A page full of text information appears.
  6. Scroll way down to find the “App info” section. The version appears there.
4

Plex app Settings → About

Correct. An overlay at the bottom of the screen when viewing settings. It also lists the URL to retrieve app logs.

5

I seem to have generated more confusion on my part regarding version numbers. I am finding different version numbers in different places. Any suggestions (hopefully positive!) would be appreciated.

Here are my notes so far:

To find the Plex TV App version on my Android phone:

1. Open Plex Movies & TV App.

2. Tap 3-bar menu on top left.

3. Tap the gear icon on top right.

4. Scroll down and the version appears below the Plex logo at the bottom of the page. As of 11/30/2025 it is 10.26.0.2578.

OR:

5. Open Play Store app.

6. Search for Plex Stream Movies & TV. You should get a page showing the Plex icon and the “Update” button (if it needs updated).

7. Tap the Plex icon.

8. The app page appears with “Uninstall” and “Update” buttons.

9. Scroll down and look for “What’s new”. Tap the right-arrow. A page full of text information appears.

10. Scroll way down to find the “App info” section. The version appears there. As of 11/30/2025 it is 2025.30.0. Updated Nov 24, 2025.

To find the Plex TV App version on the Shield:

1. Open Google Play Store on the TV.

2. Scroll to the top and select my account icon in the top right corner.

3. Go to Manage Apps and Games > On This Device.

4. Find icon for Plex Movies & TV and select it.

5. Move the cursor until the text description box is highlighted.

6. Click to display the description page. The version is on the right. As of 11/30/2025 it is 10.30.6.4151. Updated Sep 29,2025.

OR

7. On TV home page, click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right to bring up settings for the Shield.

8. Scroll down and select Apps.

9. Select Plex.

10. The version appears. As of 11/30/2025 it is 10.30.6.4151 (com.plexapp.android).

To find the Plex Media Server version on the Shield:

11. Open Plex on the TV.

12. Click to the left to display the options menu (Search, Home, Watchlist, TV Shows, etc.)

13. Go down to the Settings option and select it.

14. A whole bunch of menu items in black, white, and gray will appear, starting with the “Experience” category.

15. Scroll down to the “Plex Media Server” category.

16. The version number appears under the gear icon. As of 11/30/2025 it was v1.43.0.10231.

OR:

17. Open Google Play Store on the TV.

18. Scroll to the top and select my account icon in the top right corner.

19. Go to Manage Apps and Games > On This Device.

20. Find icon for Plex Media Server and select it. (Mine displays “Plex Media Server (Beta)”. Why Beta?

21. Move the cursor until the text description box is highlighted.

22. Click to display the description page. The version is on the right. As of 11/30/2025 it is 1.43.0.10231 (smb). Updated Oct. 9, 2025.

6
  1. Later today I ran the update from the Google Play Store on my phone. The 3-bar menu is now gone. Now I have to click my account logo on the top right. Then Settings > About. Client Version now shows 2025.30.0.
7

Your phone has the old version of the Plex app, 10.26.0.2578. It has not been updated in several months.

The Apple & Android mobile apps were updated in March 2025 to the “New Plex Experience.” Release notes: Plex for Mobile (Android & iOS)

The current version is 2025.30.0.

The Android TV app has not yet been updated to the “New Plex Experience.”

The current version for the Nvidia Shield is 10.30.6.4151 (I just checked my Shield).

Apparently at some point you signed up for beta releases.

PMS v1.43.x is the current beta release. It has an updated transcoder based on FFMPEG 6.1. The current public release, 1.42.x, has a transcoder based on FFMPEG 4.

This page is used to join/leave the beta program for the Plex Android app. I am not sure if it also works for PMS on a Shield: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.plexapp.android

8

I updated my phone so it is now on 2025.30.0. I think I recall in the past turning off the auto-update because of all the problems people where having with the “New Plex Experience” when it first came out. I guess I’ll take the plunge and see how it goes.

I don’t recall signing up to be a beta tester. As a retired developer myself, I hesitate to beta test anything in the live environment :slight_smile:

I don’t see an option on that page you provided to “unenroll as a tester”, if I did enroll in the past and forgot. The page offers me a chance to enroll, so does that mean I’m currently NOT enrolled? This should be a simple true/false situation.

9

Correct.

1.43.0.x beta was first released on Sep 25 (release notes).

I’m not sure why it is loaded on your Shield.