@BigWheel it’s early days, however I’ve just gone through multiple days of use without a single crash. This hasn’t happened in months. I had started using my MacBook Pro for Plex content so was just checking in on my iPad.
I’m using the beta version 8.23 via TestFlight, so it is possible this has resolved my issue of iPad app crashing several times a day with Plex with no specific conditions/triggers identified.
I’m going to downgrade to 8.22 from the App Store to see if the crashing returns. Will update here.
Sadly my hope was nothing more than hope. I’m now back to paying $1.49 a month for Infuse just to be able to watch videos without a client crashing at least once every session.
It’s been 118 days since I raised this issue, without any apparent progress at all.
The issue existed for quite a while before I posted, so in reality this has been an issue for over half a year (and widely reported in these forums and elsewhere).
Come on Plex, this isn’t at all good enough, PLEASE can I just have an app that opens and runs without crashing.
Updated environment details
MacOS Server Version#: 1.32.5.7349
iPadOS Player Version#: 8.22
Another week of crashing, time to give up on Plex on iPad and just stick to Infuse. This can’t be the best example of Plex customer service, but will live in hope of a fix.
Yes I agree 100% @DarrDon, I honestly can’t believe the absolute lack of any kind of help from Plex on this topic. I’ve provided no less than 10 rounds of logs (I proactively shared even when they didn’t’ ask) and responded to every single question or query they had.
Does anyone know if we have another contact or escalation path?
As I posted in my own Topic I created on this issue, I refuse to pay for Infuse when I’ve paid for a Plex subscription. I’m slowly moving towards the Web App to use Plex comfortably on the iPad. At least this way I can watch content with PiP, Stage Manager, etc. without the fear of constant crashes. And I get no errors on bandwidth, etc that I tend to get on the iPadOS Plex App. I’ll even start downloading from the Web App too - but annoyingly this means that it won’t sync my watch status.
Hi @ozsmac and @DarrDon . You all were looking for an escalation path? Let me see what I can do. For what it is worth, you all have the honor of being recipients of my first post here in the forums (but it definitely won’t be my last) - its a case of super long time lurker, first time poster. If you are wondering who I am, my role here is Director of Engineering and I work directly with the Personal Media team. I am going to get this on track for a deeper dive to see what we can find here. While this may not the exact messaging with a solution that you want to hear, I think I can help. No promises on timeline other than to say that it is receiving attention and I can add context to this thread as we work the problem.
Thank you for continuing to provide feedback here as you have done the past few months, and I apologize that our response hasn’t been pretty minimal. Our support team like @BigWheel have done great work and have escalated this, but some of the rest of us have dropped the ball. It is something we need to improve. I will be back with more information as soon as I have it. While it isn’t much, I will personally say thank you for this information and for loving Plex (even if the latter feels like a challenge right now)!
@ozsmac cringe or not, I appreciate the sentiment very much. This is my most used emoji and feels appropriate here:
And to keep the ball rolling, I wanted to provide a quick update on progress. This was looked at by some members of our team here that work on the iOS client. The good news is that based on the information here and some internal logs and issues in our tracker, the team feels like they might have pinpointed the actual error that is occurring here and will look to find ways to address. As one of the engineers put it, this looks like “one or more crashes that are rare on a per-user basis but common for certain users in certain conditions”.
I can also confirm that the issue tracker has the logs previously reported here in it and those are being looked at. While we aren’t ready to call out a fix and a target release, things are definitely moving!
Hi!
Great to know that we’ve got the top dog breathing down the neck of the engineers!
I know that feeling, and I feel for them.
I was thinking about this a few days ago (still use Plex, but have been migrating to PlexAmp (why wasn’t THIS the music player in the main app?).
I remember that occasionally I’d hear a second audio feed at a lower volume when I connect in my car over bluetooth and am rapidly trying to get the audio running.
(playful voice) I think something needs to be a multithread-protected singleton!
This might explain the crashes with syncing, or at the very least why Plex crashes on me when I move from WiFi to 5G when I leave the house.
Another day, another few crashes of the most unreliable (by a long way) app on my iPad. Oddly the iOS beta version via TestFlight works fine on my MacBook, not once crash at any time.
just checking in on this thread and I see it is still active. @ozsmac it might be worth checking versions and grabbing some logs to get a current state here. Are you still primarily using the testflight beta or the released version?
Currently have the normal App Store version installed and iOS 17.1 (non beta). Tested last week and it was crashing.
Just had to renew my Infuse subscription for another year because of this ongoing issue, I should probably just get the lifetime option at this point.
Given the number of complaints about stability in iOS / iPad / iPhone, at this point it is clear that Plex doesn’t intend to focus on basic functionality, instead adding new features that we can’t actually use.
You’ve worn me down, how many rounds of logs do you want, across how many years & how many hours of my time?
Per above, the team have identified the issue, and working on it, perhaps we could get an update on that?
@McWanke I’ve been using Infuse exclusively as the Plex client on iPad was so unreliable, however this weekend I’ve changed back to Plex and just with basic navigation I’ve had two app crashes within the first few minutes, just whilst I was trying to navigate to get the debugs in the app. I shared the in app crash reports, however will shoot the log files to you via a DM).
Updated details of my setup:
Hardware and OS: iPad Pro 12.9" M1 running iOS 17.1.1
Plex Player: v8.28 (7384) installed from TestFlight, currently same version as App Store
Plex Server: 1.32.7.7621 (public update channel)
Time range of issues 10:50 & 11:10 ish local time (Melbourne EST) / 00:00 UTC / 04:00 PST
My iPad wasn’t doing anything else, no audio or video playback and everything is working just fine with it. I’ve experienced the crash with the following conditions in the past (and yes I’ve tested all of these):
Crashed after re-install Plex app from App Store
Crashed after re-install Plex app from TestFlight
Crashed with re-setup iPad (factory defaults) setup only with Plex
Crashed with only LTE
Crashed with only Wifi
Crashed whilst in FlightMode
Crashed with external keyboard disconnected & connected
Crashed with universal control turned off and on
Crashed with downloads setup to run
Cashed with downloads not setup to run
Crashed with Background App Refresh enabled or disabled
Crashed with Stage Manager enabled or disabled
Crashed with video playback and without video playback (ie today, just whilst getting debug files)
Any chance of an update on this issue, I’ve provided round after round of logs and other diagnostic information. I’ve escalated via these forums and also via direct and personal emails to key executives, yet not a single suggestion or bit of actual information about the issue from Plex since March, for an issue that has been occurring for quite a bit longer.
I’m now using Infuse again on my iPad, and haven’t had a single crash in all this time. Plex this is simply pathetic.
Understand the business is having some challenges, however basic stability of an app (whilst it is doing very little) shouldn’t be optional.
I suspect many folks (given the topics here that have been raised and not actioned/resolved and also Reddit and other sources) are just living with crashing app, or choosing other options.
Perhaps it’s time just to make sure the basics work, ie app can run and playback a video, before pushing into new features.
