The whole “new experience” debacle looks very very similar to the “new” outlook vs the legacy outlook.
Change just for the sake of change, lacking major features, and introducing previously solved bugs.
Such a same
8 Likes
I hadn’t thought about this until i read this post, but this really hits home. I have $,$$$ invested in primarily delivering a stellar Plex experience. A pretty high end Qnap setup with a hard wired house and more internet bandwidth than I could ever use just to make sure I, family, and friends, can watch my stuff with maximum enjoyment.
I’ve been using the new experience to make sure I’m not just pitching a fit for no reason. Also spun up the Emby server and have been poking around there as well. It also has horizontal menus, but i realized something while i was in there. Sure, its not as flashy and slick looking as Plex… but it also doesnt have any bloat in it.
Best part… music and photos… still there.
5 Likes
Time for my monthly check-in on the app experience (using bld 2025.17 using android mobile client) to see what if anything has changed:
New Issues Since Last Review:
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CW on the home page can no longer be selected and seems to be now limited to 20 items
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cast & crew is now scoped per library and does not use discover credits - this has been broken since they attempted to fix the omission of crew from the credits list
Still not resolved to my satisfaction:
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removed the ability to play music videos from within music library - I can no longer play this content from my server (https://support.plex.tv/articles/205568377-adding-local-artist-and-music-videos/)
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removed the ability to play music on a TV device
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removed tmdb ratings
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removed tv themes
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removed external player support
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removed tv episode thumbnail from main episode page which is replaced with show level fanart/backdrop
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forced logo support on its users without the ability for server admins to disable, change or use local assets
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added the list of streaming services under settings/services (adware) even though its disabled on my account - previous app has these removed
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after months of playing with the new app I still hate it - too glossy, total eye candy, way too much wasted space with the oversized artwork, badly formatted backgrounds, clunky to use and is noticeably slower than its predecessor
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on mobile the bottom bar is awful and deserves its own special mention, it doesn’t even auto hide when scrolling, IMO this bar has designed to advertise live tv, discover and watchlist over application usability
Needless to say I’m staying on the legacy client, just look at the list above, why would anyone willingly move to the new one.
11 Likes
My server is telling me there’s an update (v1.41.7.9823). My ipad app is on the old version (not new experience nonsense). I am wondering if it’s safe to update the server or will it not work with the old app? Will it force me to install the new experience to connect to the server?
I have updated the server today and it still works well with the old Plex android app.
2 Likes
Latest build on iOS v2025.17.0
Still fraught with the same problems with casting as the previous two versions, especially trying to watch a different file version which still plays on the local device instead of the casting screen. Subtitles still not working. Many many UI flaws and terrible performance.
Please Plex give me the option of opt-out from this truly awful experience until you’ve worked out how to remedy these fatal flaws.
4 Likes
When starting to use Plex from my Samsung tablet with local media:
- On first use each time, it tried to get access to whatever media I tried to open and - since the server needs to spin HDDs up, showed a timeout screen (something along the lines: media not accessible). On the second try, the server was awake and everything worked like a charm.
- The new app crashes instead. Screen goes dark for a moment, then the app restarts. My dear Josef… this is not cool.
- Moving the playback progress dot in the new app pauses the playback (and I had a one-time crash on this, too - but not everytime. Maybe too much action for that part of the UI)…
- Oh, cannot tell you how much I hate the horizontal display of my favorite libraries on the home screen.
- Icon of the libraries do not show library type (movie, tv show) any longer. I only access my own server, so I see my own icon instead (and loose info). I can unserstand the need to display the server - how about a smaller second line for that - or for the library type instead?
4 Likes
So I have been “testing” the new experience on my Android phone and the Roku pre-release. Many of the issues cited I consider personal preference, in that so long as I can watch my content, I can navigate around the nonsense Plex has added. On the Roku app, the experience is pretty good. And LIVE TV works. The guide is displayed and selecting a channel is as quick as before. However, on my Android phone, LIVE TV just does not work. Loading the guide is slow, Favorites don’t load at all, and if you try to switch days, the app hangs. Android implementation of their consolidated platform is poorly done. I suspect the IOS platform is also suffering the same issue. A common code base for multiple platforms sounds elegant, but success will be dependent on the builders for each platform and the architectural environment and constraints for that platform. Just once, I would like to hear from a Plex insider to respond. Without a formal tech support channel, this forum is our only means to communicate. We are intelligent users - treat as that way. We can work together if you meet us half way.
3 Likes
Has anybody mentioned “Other Videos” libraries ?
Specifically Mobile footage taken in portrait mode
This new experience seems to always rotate the video rather than play full screen
NOT a great experience 
2 Likes
I reverted to the old-school Android app last night, but wonder if this functionality will be reintroduced to the “new experience” version, namely, that if the server software has an update, the mobile player used to tell you as much and let you approve the update remotely (of course you had to be signed into the same account). Is that coming to the new app? Because it was super convenient.
2 Likes
For iOS/iPad OS, until v2025.17, the following issues still exist:
- Unable to select audio tracks or subtitles before playback starts;
- The application becomes unresponsive after switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks;
- Subtitles are always at the bottom of the video, not at the bottom of the screen, so they are invisible after switching display modes;
- The damn “Offline Mode” is always displayed in mainland China, even when Live TV is playable;
- There are no subtitles while playing in picture-in-picture mode.
3 Likes
Another issue with current iOS version:
- can’t pause, jump forward or backward when casting.
- after ending casting in desperation to find a solution to above, can’t re-initiate casting.
- even if they did work, the controls for navigation are hidden when casting by the program I want to cast. Sometimes hiding the program does not reveal those controls. The only solution is to end casting and force close and reopen the app
3 Likes
Something broke horribly in both the iOS and Android apps since the last major update.
Especially when it comes to Chromecast.
I will queue up an episode of whatever and while casting it will first be slow as can be, then go through 10-20 episodes without ever running a single episode when casting from my phone.
On iPad it’ll go to the end of an episode and either replay the same episode again, or flash the Plex logo at the end and then skip an episode.
Direct play from client works just fine.
Playing from browser works just fine.
It’s just casting or playing on Android and iOS.
And it’s become sooooooo slow.
like 20-30 seconds for it to actually playing an episode being cast.
And don’t even try to resume something.
It’s watch it all or don’t watch it at all.
And none of that addresses the features that were removed or UI elements getting moved around.
This was a huge step back in all areas except for flashiness.
Please fix this and bring the removed features back.
4 Likes
And the IOS App store rating continues to fall.
15 Likes
The fact that we’ve been left high and dry for more than 3 month’s now with chromecast and AirPlay casting issues, proves that they’re not going to fix it or bring back removed features anytime soon. 
Bug: Cannot AirPlay or Chromecast in New App
2 Likes
Crazy that they removed the ability to change the size of the subtitles
I already started to delete all plex service in my home
Nobody in plex department take this forum seriously, you can clearly say that the service is dead
4 Likes
OMG!!!
1 Like
just downloaded 2025.18 beta and yet again downloads still instantly fail
2 Likes
Out of curiosity, as I’m troubleshooting downloads as well, are they actually “failing” or just remaining stuck in the queue? Are they from your own local server, your own remote server, or a server someone is sharing with you?
I’ve got downloads working if it is from my own local (same wifi) server. However, if I queue up a download from a shared server or my own server when remote, those items get stuck as queued. With stuck items in the queue, even if I return to my home wifi, I need to remove the stuck items and force re-launch the app before my local items can be downloaded again.
my server over local wifi and it says download failed. been doing this since they released the new experience, no matter what settings i use it never works and ive already sent my logs atleast twice from both the server and the app on my iphone
2 Likes
