Plex App macOS - Only Shows on External Displays

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Server Version#: 1.25.9.5721
Player Version#: 1.43.4.2971-aa2133cc (Latest as of 4/19/2022)

I have the Plex app installed on a M1 Macbook Pro. The app launches fine when I’m connected to external displays via a docking station. If I try to launch the app undocked (just on the laptop), it launches but no window appears. The Plex icon shows along the menu bar but a window does not appear, and nothing happens when I select Plex>Preferences. If I launch the app while docked (which works) and then undock, the same issue happens except this time the window was previously open and disappears.

If I right-click the app and ‘show all windows’, it shows my desktop background. However, if I move the cursor around, it highlights the outline of an invisible window. Selecting this outline does nothing. I uploaded a screenshot of this bizarre window outline.

Everything works fine when connected to the dock. FWIW when I first installed the Plex app, I did so while docked. I have since reinstalled a number of times. Perhaps there are some lingering files - is there a comprehensive way to uninstall vs standard mac app deletion?

Screen Shot 2022-04-19 at 1.01.25 PM
Screen Shot 2022-04-19 at 1.01.25 PM1098×456 161 KB

Appreciate any help, it’s driving me nuts.

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Plex Documentation → Windows & Mac Desktop → Introduction & Installation

Some things to try in MacOS: Move an Off Screen Window Back Onto Active Mac Screen on Mac OS


If those do not work:

On Windows, there is a plex.ini file in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex. There should be something similar on the Mac in ~/Library/Application Support/.

  1. Exit Plex for Mac.
    Edit plex.ini, delete the [ui] section (example snippet from Plex for Windows below).
    Re-launch Plex for Mac.

  2. Exit Plex for Mac.
    Delete plex.ini (this deletes all preferences for the app)
    Re-launch Plex for Mac.

  3. Completely uninstall Plex for Mac, including removing the info in ~/Library/Application Support/.
    Re-install Plex for Mac.

[ui]
windowStates=0
visibility=2
screen=\\\\.\\DISPLAY1
windowX=174
windowY=133
windowWidth=1536
windowHeight=814
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Many thanks FordGuy. Deleting the UI section from the .ini seems to have resolved it. I briefly tried to replicate and couldn’t so that’s promising. Any idea what might have caused this?

Thanks again.

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