# Claim token never exchanges - Server returns 401 Unauthorized on Mac

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/claim-token-never-exchanges-server-returns-401-unauthorized-on-mac/937546>\
**Category:** Plex Media Server\
**Tags:** server-mac\
**Created:** [March 29, 2026, 2:20am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/claim-token-never-exchanges-server-returns-401-unauthorized-on-mac/937546 "2026-03-29T02:20:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/claim-token-never-exchanges-server-returns-401-unauthorized-on-mac/937546/2 "2026-03-29T02:27:53Z")

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> [@brolin\_2](#):
>
> Writing claim tokens to Preferences.xml before launching - the token never gets exchanged and stays as “claim-xxxx” after startup

As far as I know, Plex Media Server doesn’t use `Preferences.xml` on macOS (that’s FreeBSD/Linux/NAS device thing). PMS on macOS uses a ‘plist’ file like most apps on the platform.

To claim a macOS-based PMS server, you should simply need to:

- Start Plex Media Server from your Applications folder;
- Verify the Plex icon `>` appears in the menu bar;
- Click the Plex icon and select “Open Plex.”

This should open the Plex web app in your default browser and guide you through the claim process.

See this post for more details:

> [@New Server Claiming Requirement for MacOS](https://forums.plex.tv/t/new-server-claiming-requirement-for-macos/816337):
>
> Starting with Plex Media Server v1.29.2, Plex is changing the default behavior of the server on macOS. Servers will now, by default, need to be claimed (i.e. signed-in to a Plex account). Coinciding with this new requirement, we’re also making some changes to the process for claiming a server. Due to this, the old method of claiming a server will no longer work (simply opening the local, bundled Plex Web client will no longer give access to claim the server). We’ve simplified the process of clai…

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