# \[Feature\] Exclude "X" Library from Full/Automatic Update Library Scan **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Suggestions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435 "2015-03-30T16:44:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MAJ-5](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maj-5/32/6663_2.png) [@MAJ-5](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MAJ-5)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/1 "2015-03-30T16:44:23Z")
Similar to excluding the scan of music libraries in full/automatic library scans.   I think it would be cool to have an ability to exclude certian other libraries manually (Shows, Personal Media or Movies) from the automatic or full scans.   For instance, I do have a specific shows library that is not meant to be populated or updated all the time (managed manually), I'd rather here update that library when I need to, but I don't want it to be scanned during the full scan, as it would be a waste of time.   I believe the feature would help easing the load and increase the speed for full/automatic scans.. espically if you have gigantic libraries that are not updated all the time... It can also help if the library scan is bugging out (ex, everytime it attempts to update metadata for a certian file in a dormant library).   P.S. I think this feature would compliment the "include in dashboard" function :) ![6hY2Wkv.png](http://i.imgur.com/6hY2Wkv.png) ---
**Author:** ![MAJ-5](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maj-5/32/6663_2.png) [@MAJ-5](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MAJ-5)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/2 "2015-04-14T17:40:01Z")
A humble and gentle bump, no spam is intended. :unsure: ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/3 "2015-04-14T18:35:22Z")
PMS does a simple check if there has been a change in the folder containing your media.  If there is no change, PMS skips that folder.  This only takes a split second so there really isn't any wasted time here. If you really want to skip something, you can use the .plexignore file to tell the scanner to not scan a specific folder.  But you will then need to remove this file when you do want to do a manual scan. ---
**Author:** ![MAJ-5](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maj-5/32/6663_2.png) [@MAJ-5](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MAJ-5)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/4 "2015-04-14T19:01:57Z")
> PMS does a simple check if there has been a change in the folder containing your media.  If there is no change, PMS skips that folder.  This only takes a split second so there really isn't any wasted time here. > > If you really want to skip something, you can use the .plexignore file to tell the scanner to not scan a specific folder.  But you will then need to remove this file when you do want to do a manual scan. I wish this is the case, I have three libraries in particular (out of 12) that always go through "Matching -\> Downloading Metadata -\> Finished Processing" for some files while doing an automatic all libraries update, even when there is no actual change has occurred in the library folder. I will try the .plexignore ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/5 "2015-04-14T19:53:27Z")
I only see that if there is an unmatched item so the scanner keeps trying to match it, or something is changing in your folders causing the trigger. If you can upload the scanner log, i can check to see why it is doing that. ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/6 "2021-03-26T01:30:24Z")
Early 2021 clean-up: duplicate > [@"Lock" item, library, or folder to speed up scans](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lock-item-library-or-folder-to-speed-up-scans/314089): > > Problem: Some of my libraries are very large. I have tens of thousands of photos, for example. I’ve had to break these into decades to keep the library sizes down, but even then scanning one takes a very looooong time. I have similarly had to break my movie, music, and TV libraries up by genre, and have quite a few of them. Even then, some genres are quite large and take a very long time to scan. I’ve had to disable periodic scans, but even then when I add an item it can take a very long time.… ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/feature-exclude-x-library-from-full-automatic-update-library-scan/98435/7 "2021-06-10T00:46:03Z")