Maximized Plex Media player app is stuck maximized and can't be minimized, resized, or moved

Plex Players Desktop Players
1

I’m running the Plex Media Player on my Windows 10 machine.
I have 2 monitors attached to my PC.
I maximized the Plex Media Player app onto my secondary monitor (clicked on expand arrows on bottom/right) and now it’s stuck in maximized mode and won’t minimize anymore.

I’ve tried disconnecting the second monitor, but all that does is move the Player app to the primary monitor, always maximized and stuck.

I’ve tried uninstalling the app, download the latest version (PlexMediaPlayer-2.1.0.74-8e24a8f4-windows-x64.exe) but after installation, the app always starts in maximized STUCK mode.

Are there any secret settings I can delete so that the app comes out of full screen mode?

1 Like
2

Tried typing “”

3

@trudge what does that mean? Where do I type “” ??

4

Alt+F4 will close any window/program in Windows.

Have you tried to press Esc to leave the full screen mode?

5

Hi, @OttoKerner yes I’ve tried the escape key repeatedly.
I can successfully close the app (with alt-f4) but then it always relaunches in full screen mode.

6

Are you in the ‘tv fullscren mode’ or in the ‘windowed’ mode (which looks like the default web app)?
Try making a screen shot.

Anyway, copy the shortcut to PMP (for instance on your desktop)
then right-click on it
Properties
Shortcut
Target
in there, go to the end of the file path and append some parameters, so the full content looks like this
"C:\Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Player\PlexMediaPlayer.exe" --desktop --windowed

Then start PMP using this shortcut.
Is there a change?

Do you see these icons?
Try clicking them, maybe 2 or 3 times successively, but leave a few seconds inbetween clicks.

ecvexju5qb1i.jpg1916×336 131 KB

2 Likes
7

@OttoKerner
I had never entered the “tv fullscren mode’” before. Never even noticed it existed. I’ve tried toggling it as you requested, and the app switches form “tv fullscren mode’” to “windowed full screen mode”, but give me no chance to come out of it (escape key and whatnot).
I launched the app with the “–desktop --windowed” parameters but nothing changed either. It always starts in “windowed full screen mode” no matter what.
Where are the “windowed full screen mode” setting saved on my computer? Registry? Some configuration file somewhere? I can delete them from there then uninstall/reinstall and try again.

8

it is the file named plexmediaplayer.conf
located in this folder
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Local\PlexMediaPlayer

You need to edit with an editor able to handle Unix-style linefeeds, like wordpad or notepad++

seek in the “main” section for
"fullscreen": true, and change this to false,

do also take a look at these settings - here are their default contents. If they are set to something different on your system, restore them to their defaults.
"forceAlwaysFS": false,
"forceFSScreen": "",

you may also want to check
"useOpenGL": false,
and
"webMode": "tv",
(the above are the values they have on my system)

5 Likes
9

Thanks @OttoKerner !
I just uninstalled the app and deleted the whole AppData\Local\PlexMediaPlayer folder and that solved the problem.
For reference here are the content of my old plexmediaplayer.conf file

{
    "sections": {
        "appleremote": {
            "emulatepht": true
        },
        "audio": {
            "channels": "2.0",
            "device": "auto",
            "devicetype": "basic",
            "exclusive": false,
            "normalize": true,
            "passthrough.ac3": false,
            "passthrough.dts": false,
            "passthrough.dts-hd": false,
            "passthrough.eac3": false,
            "passthrough.truehd": false
        },
        "cec": {
            "activatesource": true,
            "enable": true,
            "hdmiport": 0,
            "poweroffonstandby": false,
            "suspendonstandby": false,
            "usekeyupdown": false,
            "verbose_logging": false
        },
        "main": {
            "alwaysOnTop": false,
            "automaticUpdates": true,
            "clientUUID": "",
            "disablemouse": false,
            "forceAlwaysFS": false,
            "forceFSScreen": "",
            "fullscreen": true,
            "hdmi_poweron": false,
            "layout": "auto",
            "logLevel": "debug",
            "manualUpdateCheck": true,
            "minimizeOnDefocus": false,
            "preventSystemScreensaver": false,
            "remoteInspector": false,
            "sdlEnabled": true,
            "showPowerOptions": true,
            "updateChannel": 0,
            "useHelper": true,
            "useOpenGL": false,
            "useSystemVideoCodecs": false,
            "webMode": "desktop",
            "webserverport": 32433
        },
        "manualServers": {
            "ip1": "",
            "ip2": "",
            "port1": "32400",
            "port2": "32400"
        },
        "openelec": {
            "systemname": "PlexMediaPlayer"
        },
        "path": {
            "helperprogram": "",
            "startupurl_desktop": "bundled",
            "startupurl_tv": "bundled"
        },
        "privacy": {
        },
        "subtitles": {
            "color": "#EEEEEE,#000000",
            "placement": "center,bottom",
            "size": 32
        },
        "video": {
            "aspect": "normal",
            "audio_delay.24hz": 0,
            "audio_delay.25hz": 0,
            "audio_delay.50hz": 0,
            "audio_delay.normal": 0,
            "cache": 75,
            "debug.force_vo": "",
            "deinterlace": false,
            "directPlay": true,
            "directStream": true,
            "hardwareDecoding": "disabled",
            "refreshrate.auto_switch": false,
            "refreshrate.avoid_25hz_30hz": false,
            "refreshrate.delay": 3,
            "sync_mode": "audio"
        }
    },
    "version": 4
}
10

Weird, the only difference was you were using the ‘windowed’ display mode.

11

I know its been a while, but thanks, this just helped me with the same issue.

12

This also helped me, the fix was updating the fplexmediaplayer.conf as @OttoKerner suggested.

Key settings was “fullscreen”:true changed to false.

ESC, Alt-enter, TV mode, and double-clicking title bar all failed.

Appreciate the help.

13

To resolve this I hit Alt+Space on my keyboard, selected maximize and I got the windowed mode back.

2018-09-01_12h16_50

19 Likes
14

this is the real solution - thanks!

15

I’ve had this issue repeatedly, ongoing - on several machines. All are Win 10, and all are dual monitor, with non-identical monitors. Kudos to @OttoKerner for the original fix.

FWIW, the problem comes back after Player updates - every time. The quicker/easier fix that also seems to “stick” better, is simply close Plex Player, delete entire AppData\Local\PlexMediaPlayer folder, then start player again. No uninstall or edit necessary.

16

This just happened again to me today after updating my nVidia drivers and editing the config file was (again) the only work around.

17

this is the only workaround for me.
but sadly, after every update, i have to re-apply this

PLEX PLS FIX ALREADY!!!

1 Like
18

Same here, its a kind f weard that PLEX wont resolve this after more than a year.
Why?

Used the newest Updates, different devices with Windows 7.
Just one Windows 10 Device worked fine.

Ones you hit the Full Screen Mode you will get 2 PLEX Windows overlapped and if you click somewhere, the hidden windows behind will response.
(I guess its the same as here, the hidden PLEX Window behind will response but the PLEX Windows in front stays frozen).

19

IF you find that Plex keeps returning to forced fullscreen mode, or if you change the config file and plex insists on changing it back. one thing I found that forces PMP out of fullscreen is hold Alt and hit space in the menu that pops up in the top left corner go to move and with the arrow keys move the window a little it will snap to the mouse cursor, then move the window so it is split between monitors and drop it then go to the taskbar and end the Program. When you re-open Plex it will force it’s self back into windowed mode. I found this also cures the fullscreen on update issue, also helps if you close PMP in windowed mode before updates.

20

Hey had the same issue… uninstalled and deleted the files in
C:\Users\Userame\AppData\Local\PlexMediaPlayer

working now again , whoop whoop