# Smart Collection is not Being Smart (Bug)

**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-linux, plex-web
**Created:** [February 23, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641 "2026-02-23T21:52:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![bashbash2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@bashbash2000](https://forums.plex.tv/u/bashbash2000)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641/1 "2026-02-23T21:52:34Z")

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Server Version#: 1.43.0.10492  
Player Version#: 4.156.0 (Plex Web)  
\<If providing [server logs](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only [debug logging](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201643703-reporting-issues-with-plex-media-server/#toc-1) should be enabled\>

I created a Smart Collection, which was meant to only show movies that are unwatched for the user viewing the collection. As far as I know I have the correct settings (see two pics attached)

I know this isnt working correctly because I checked on my account and saw I had 1,133 movies in the collection, and when I asked my cousin to check for me on his own account he has the same 1.133. I have plex pass, we both only use my server, I have watched over 160 movies and he only watched about 4.

 ![Screenshot 2026-02-23 at 22.49.39](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/f/d/0/fd04378c9eca3f3b11e22a626bd986453a42fc52.jpeg)

 ![Screenshot 2026-02-23 at 22.50.15](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/4/0/c/40cb3fae3bf47ff02e61f04a633148084a5bae56.png)

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### Author: ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2026, 10:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641/2 "2026-02-27T22:21:02Z")

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Out of curiosity, is your cousin a managed user, or a member of your Plex home?

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### Author: ![bashbash2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@bashbash2000](https://forums.plex.tv/u/bashbash2000)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641/3 "2026-02-27T22:35:00Z")

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nope, he just has his own account that I shared my libraries to.

I dont have any managed or plex home accounts under my account

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### Author: ![Insomnic\_1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/insomnic_1/32/215416_2.png) [@Insomnic\_1](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Insomnic_1)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2026, 11:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641/4 "2026-02-27T23:21:44Z")

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The smart collection “number” lies sometimes depending on where\how you’re looking at it. Or at least it used to be inaccurate and I’ve learned not to trust it. 🙂

When you go into the collection itself, are titles showing the right watched\unwatched titles for each of you? This might be tricky with so many so maybe try creating one that’s sorted by release date and compare recent releases that you and they have different watch status on maybe.

You can also test by using the built in Library filter for Unwatched.

 ![Screenshot 2026-02-27 at 17.08.29](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/5/c/6/5c69f1060bb72734a9db139f8044e7d047f78ab9.jpeg)

And see how it compares. That should DEFINITELY be following the user and not the admin.

I use an “unwatched recently released” smart collection as a home row and as far as I know it’s still working for my users but they don’t pay that close attention so might not notice if it wasn’t working - but I can hit them up to test to try and corroborate depending on what these additional checks find (or other folks come up with). 🙂

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### Author: ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2026, 11:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/smart-collection-is-not-being-smart-bug/936641/5 "2026-05-28T23:22:37Z")

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