Friends cannot download media, despite no restrictions

[FordGuy61]

They also need a Plex Pass or you must invite them into your Plex Home. This has been the case since 2022.

Older accounts, created before 01 Aug 2022, do not need a Plex Pass if the server owner has one.

Friend's unable to download from my server

Plex Documentation → Downloads for Offline Use → Downloads FAQ See the table in the FAQ. Unless both your Plex accounts were created before 01 Aug 2022, then your friend also needs a Plex Pass. EDIT: As others have mentioned, if you invite a user into your Plex Home, then they can download media from your server without purchasing a Plex Pass. If you choose to do so, then you should PIN protect your account. Otherwise they can switch to your account via Fast User Switching. See Plex H…