Can't claim server

Having the same issue. Have tried to do the steps here: https://support.plex.tv/articles/204281528-why-am-i-locked-out-of-server-settings-and-how-do-i-get-in/ but without any sucess

I can see that the server does not have any of the defaults value on com.plexapp.plexmediaserver regarding PlexOnline values. I can see that It’s unclaimed. But I cannot for the life of me to get it to access the server settings, either logging in locally on an anonymous window or other.

something’s off…

My bad, I seem to reply to this on a windows thread. I’m actually using a Mac to run plex server.

You’re at the Load the Local Version of Plex Web App section of that page for your Mac.
You should tell us the versions of macOS you’re running and the Mac hardware.
You said you used both regular and incognito mode. You’re obviously trying.

What I do is

  1. In Safari Menu History → Clear history → All history
  2. Quit out of Safari
  3. Start Safari
  4. Open the bundled web app as directed in that article
    being sure to use Incognito mode, and http
    http://localhost:32400/web would be one way.
  5. It should ask you to sign in and let you claim the server.
  6. If it doesn’t, then sit down at another modern Mac and use Safai there, starting at Step 1.

Let us know how it goes.

no luck. I can login in incognito and claim the server. However the settings are still unavailable and the server is functionally non existent.

in fact, if i repeat the process on a new incognito tab, i still get to go though the same steps, regardless of how many times I’ve claimed it already.

despite doing this procedure a couple of times, the plex.server.plist still doesn’t have my id&config:


defaults read com.plexapp.plexmediaserver PlexOnlineHome
defaults read com.plexapp.plexmediaserver PlexOnlineMail
defaults read com.plexapp.plexmediaserver PlexOnlineToken
defaults read com.plexapp.plexmediaserver PlexOnlineUsername
2022-10-13 11:18:24.198 defaults[41411:1840211]
The domain/default pair of (com.plexapp.plexmediaserver, PlexOnlineHome) does not exist
2022-10-13 11:18:24.410 defaults[41412:1840218]
The domain/default pair of (com.plexapp.plexmediaserver, PlexOnlineMail) does not exist
2022-10-13 11:18:24.584 defaults[41413:1840222]
The domain/default pair of (com.plexapp.plexmediaserver, PlexOnlineToken) does not exist
2022-10-13 11:18:24.759 defaults[41414:1840226]
The domain/default pair of (com.plexapp.plexmediaserver, PlexOnlineUsername) does not exist

We’ll get it figured out.

Just to double check, are you an administrator on that Mac? I don’t know the exact point at which it’s supposed to write the data to your plist, but I’ll figure it out on a Mac Mini today.

Thoughts -
Claiming is done insecurely, but all admin has to be done securely.
So at the end of setup when it’s claimed, you should be redirected to either:

  • the secure bundled page https://localhost:32400/web
  • or the secure hosted web app page.

Sometimes the redirect fails. At least try going to one of those manually in the same tab after using the claim button (unless dane22 comes along and hollers at us) :slight_smile:

Hi Nibbles
I think it’s a plex bug actually

See topic: External Access not visible & Server settings are unavailable - #2 by pbirke

There’s another couple of topics along the same line as well. I have a plex pass so may have been ‘blessed’ with early access to bugs and unresponsive server. Sometimes Plex Pass does not feel like a privilege.

I’ve tried all the solutions you gave me and can’t go anywhere. Couldn’t even update the server app.

Apparently what I need to do is downgrade…

Where can I get old versions of the plex server app please?

many thanks

What Mac is the server and what operating system version?
There are several of us who can’t get PMS to install on 10.14.6 including the fellow you linked above. You would make at least the fourth.

Frustrating I know. Where to get old versions. I can tell you the exact filenames and hashes, then you can google it (there’s a forum post how to safely find old versions and downgrade)

$ shasum PlexMediaServer-1.28.2.6151-914ddd2b3-universal.zip 
2cf82b505fe43a888164eb0d3bd1f33a8f546a4c  PlexMediaServer-1.28.2.6151-914ddd2b3-universal.zip

Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6.

so maybe it is a mojave incompatibility thing?

@dane22 you mind want to check this thread and the other one linked.

I’ve also went back to a time machine and got a 3’ish month old plex server app from there. Suprise surprise, instantly managed to get access to the Plex server settings and claim it.

something went wrong in the code regarding MacOS Mojave

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The PMS download link for the latest version says for “OS X 10.9 Mavericks or newer”

But then the linked support article (https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200375666) specifies “Plex Media Server supports macOS 10.11 El Capitan or newer.”

Regardless of this discrepancy, MacOS 10.13.x or 10.14.x is newer. So, not sure what is officially supported here and why many people are experiencing the “server settings unavailable” issue.

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Another victim here on MacOS Mojave (10.14)

I had a few circumstances which complicated matters, but I have attempted to reclaim my server only to be faced with Server Settings Unavailable. I have used both terminal and P-List Editor to alter the preferences file. I have checked the file permissions (to the best of my knowledge) and nothing has changed.

I updated to the latest server app when trying to refresh my library, and logged out of the Apple TV client. I then used the same browser instance as the local server to enter the 4-digit code required to log in to the Apple TV app (but via a VPN, unfortunately. Usually I make sure the VPN is not active to update.) This was followed by the server settings disappearing (I suspect related, can’t be 100% sure) and I found a support note which suggested that I had authorised the server web instance with a non-admin client.

Interestingly, the latest Plex Server app bundle has a Date Created of 1970 on my computer, so I suspected a corrupt install or a permissions issue. But this thread makes me certain there’s an edge case with Mojave caused by the latest public Mac build.

@Mac-mini-TV I wrote up How To Sign Out PMS on a MAC, Downgrade, and Reclaim in another thread. Let me know how you get on. Due to increased security and a couple of unresolved issues facing older Macs, that guide works. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks @nibbles

This worked for me on Mojave as per your instructions and downgrading to 1.29.0.6244

Thanks to @ChuckPa and anyone else who helped figure this out.

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To all following here

Do you think there is a need / significant benefit if I were to be able to support MacOS in the UserCredentialReset utility ?

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