# Disable Downloads for a Player

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537>\
**Category:** Feature Suggestions\
**Tags:** player-windows, player-linux\
**Created:** [February 20, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537 "2026-02-20T07:41:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CarlitoGil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@CarlitoGil](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CarlitoGil)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537/1 "2026-02-20T07:41:24Z")

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Hi!

I’d like to disable Downloads for myself on the Windows Player.  
As the **Home Admin** I can’t do it for my own user.  
Can’t unpin `Downloads` from the side menu or hide the button on Movies/Shows profiles.

Don’t need to download anything on the same network or PC as the PMS, except on the mobile app. So I think it should be set on a per-player basis.

Could you please add a way to hide those for myself on the Plex for Windows/Linux apps?  
Perhaps here:

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/6/3/0/63016fd6ae8b6591529ae55b043847fa56daf8e4.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537/2 "2026-02-20T10:35:01Z")

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Your screenshot shows the Settings menu for the Plex for Desktop player.  
If there _were_ a way to disable downloads, it would be in this exact spot.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [February 28, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537/3 "2026-02-28T21:53:47Z")

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Something you could do is create a separate _managed user_ just for viewing/client purposes. You could disallow this user from downloading. It’s arguably better security hygiene as well; separate the administering from the viewing/using aspect.

What’s the point of disallowing some feature on the admin account if you can simply just go in and re-enable it?

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**Author:** ![CarlitoGil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@CarlitoGil](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CarlitoGil)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 5:43am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/disable-downloads-for-a-player/936537/4 "2026-03-16T05:43:28Z")

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> What’s the point of disallowing some feature on the admin account if you can simply just go in and re-enable it?

Some features already work like that, such as allowing media deletion.

For me disallowing downloads it’s about a little less clutter for a feature that I never use on that player.

> Something you could do is create a separate _managed user_ just for viewing/client purposes.

I considered that. But the view/ratings history its on my main user, and I would have to switch users just to delete something.

Plus, I’ve been so accustomed to the Plex Pass that I don’t know if some features wouldn’t work on that managed user.