If an account has managed users, it should ask which user you want to access before just jumping right into the admin account (which can require a pin). Otherwise, each time a device needs to log in, you go right into the admin account which doesn’t have the restrictions that you may have intended for a child (for instance).
Yes, once you are logged in, you can switch users, which then requires a pin for the admin account, or you can choose the restricted/managed user. But a child won’t do that.
That’s by design.
If you’re using a managed account, you’re initially signing in as the admin of the Plex Home – only then can you switch to a managed user. Subsequently you can bypass this by configure the client to automatically sign-in (needs to be triggered from the admin account).
The problem with that is if the browser gets logged out, then if they log in, they get access to the full library.
The thinking is probably, well, the admin should be logging in. However, if I want kids to have access and it gets logged out, I can give them the password…but they could not get into the admin area unless they also know my pin. By asking when you log in, it allows a home user to log back in without the actual admin right there to log back in. The pin ensures security. If there is no pin, well then all you are doing is allowing for separate syncing or something, but not really preventing a child from accessing all content.
Well, I’m still needed to log in when life happens and cookies get cleared/corrupted or another browser/device is used. I understand what you are saying, but that’s not what I’m getting at.
If there is a pin per user, then the individual home user accounts are secure.
It seems like a pin is secure enough if I’m ok with family members logging into the account and then getting prompted with “which user”…and then a pin if desired.
I have found an inconsistency:
If I log into the plex.tv/web, it will ask you every time you log in…“Select user”. However, if you type the IP address of the server and go directly, it will automatically log you into the admin account, then you have to switch users to go to a managed user/home account.
The login interface is basically the same. Is this a (sort of) bug?
You have probably checked/enabled Settings > Plex Web > General > Automatically Sign In when using the bundled web app (via the server’s local IP address). While they look the same, the bundled and hosted web apps are technically 2 separate clients.
Perfect, yes, that is what I was looking for. Looks like the feature existed in the first place, I just needed to change a few settings. Now, whether you are logged in (with cookies set) or not, when you go to plex.tv/web or the ip address directly, it will ask which user.
