How to make Plex ignore a whole TV show without moving the files.
Is there a flag that can be set to get Plex to ignore it on scans…
Use .plexignore.
I have tried to create .plexignore but windows will not let me rename it with a period at the start.
Seems like the same amount of labor to simply move the file out of the Plex Library system.
I can do that at my house in two seconds flat.
that did create the .Plex ignore file.
is there anything else that it needs to ignore the show.
…
So @JuiceWSA can move 1.2TB of files in two seconds flat…
was going to say I would like that network, but maybe not…
…
No - that might take 4 seconds…lol
Same hard drive? Easy 
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I was just going to say that…
It won’t take 2 seconds - that’s certain.
so just putting the .plexignore in the top level folder will keep the scanner from scanning it?
Just the contents as described by the Help page.
That shows how to ignore diffrent type of files.
I want it to ignore the whole show, would just an * do that.
I don’t know. Why not just try it?
Reason is I don’t what to start a scan unless I have to…
It takes hours,
but if I could exclude very large shows that don’t have any changes to it, I could cut that way down…
If Plex doesn’t scan a show anymore because of the ignore does it remove it?
It seems with Plex that just getting good information is always a challenge.
Yes. In my experience, when removing something, whether by .plexignore or relocating the files, the scan is pretty quick relative to adding something new. Don’t know why.
These don’t work for you?
Over here - when I add something - only the new is scanned.
Disclaimer:
I did spend, recently, an enormous amount of stored calories putting ALL my Movies into their own folder to prevent unnecessary scans of the Movies - Movies in their own folder that don’t change aren’t scanned.
TV Shows are easier - they’re already in folders.
My movies are in their own folders… Plex seems to like to scan everything for some reason… it takes over fourteen (14) hours to scan my movie library.
I have a lot of shows that have 300+ episode +extras, mostly real old shows that are complete that just don’t need to be scanned.
What’s your OS and storage system?
If Plex is scanning everything - with those features enabled - something is wrong.
A ‘New Media’ scan at my house takes about 5 seconds. <—'cause ONLY the new media is scanned.
So is that Yes, Plex scan will remove my TV Show from Plex so it is no longer available to users?
Unless your files are hosted remotely (gdrive or whatever), then it should not be taking 14 hours to scan any existing media.
if you move a show out of your library, then plex will remove it from the library after the scan+empty trash.
as far as ignored shows, this makes it invisible to plex, so it would make sense if plex also removed any ignored content.
the ignore is not to necessarily to prevent scanning.
ignore is to prevent/keep something from being added to the library.
