iOS Offline media struggles to display library and play, also crashing frequently

[introv3rt]

Server Version#: 4.129.1
Player Version#: 8.36
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

I live in an area where cell reception is spotty. I’ve downloaded about 35GB of music to my iPhone (12 Pro, 256GB) so I can play it offline. If I put my phone in airplane mode and fire up the Plex app, it can instantly display my offline content and let me play it. But if airplane mode is off, even with the “Prefer Downloaded Content” option turned on, it will often take one or two minutes to display my local library. Then it will take another one or two minutes after selecting an artist for the albums to display. Then another minute or two after picking an album for the songs to display, then another minute or two after picking a song for it to actually play. Sometimes I will have to force close the app (swipe up) and reopen it to get it to play.

I obviously don’t know for sure what’s happening, but I strongly suspect it’s trying and struggling to reach out to my server. Also, if it helps, when I finally do get content playing, it displays a waveform for the song, just as it would when I’m in an area with good reception or playing over wifi. Usually when I’m in airplane mode, it doesn’t display that waveform while the song is playing.

It would be great to either fix this issue, or provide an “offline mode” for the Plex app that doesn’t require me to have my iPhone in airplane mode to access my downloaded content. You know, so I can still use my phone for other things.

Also the app is crashing multiple times a day with no really obvious reason. It just happens. I can be halfway through a song. I could just be starting a song. I can open it and it will crash immediately. It’s very intermittent, no clear repro, and very frustrating.

I love Plex on Apple TV, and I love this app when it works. But I need it to work more reliably. Help? Thanks!

[introv3rt]

No reply. I found a sort of fix, although it’s not elegant. In iOS Settings for the Plex app I don’t allow it to have internet access via cellular connection. That has completely fixed the issue. I can only see the content I have downloaded, but the app behaves well and crashes far less.

[jruffini]

Im not sure they will ever fix this - I have reached out many many many many many times to note this problem.

It somewhat destroys the use of the app and I cannot even understand WHY this happens except that they were too stupid to realize that downloaded / offline content should not try to pull any online info EVER.

I also have to just put phone in airplane mode before playing content and then turn it back to cell. OR I just block internet access to plex on cell service. Its an absurd work around for an app that should have basic functionality.