There was an unexpected error - Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems - I'm here!

flipp-the-bunny · June 8, 2019, 1:09pm

Server Version#: Version 1.15.8.1198
Player Version#: Version 3.100.1

Sooo… this started the other day. New stuff added to my library is generating errors but only in Plex Media Player and in the web app. I can access all this media fine on my Roku Plex or my Android Plex App.

I have my libraries shared with a friend and they were the one who pointed this out initially.

I added 5 new TV series to my library. Trying to browse to the season on PMP or the web app brings up a full screen error in plex (Before playing, just browsing) saying “There was an unexpected error Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems”

If I just hit the Play button for the show in the recently added list, “Playback Error
There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.”

Now, as I said, this works fine on my Roku and my Android. It just fails repeatedly in Windows PMP or on Windows (Chrome or Firefox) in the web app. The Server itself can’t play the files either, I get the same errors. I have my libraries shared with a friend, they get the same errors.

What I’ve tried -
moving files out, re-scanning library, empty trash for libraries, clean bundles, moving files back in and re-scanning. didn’t work. i can see that it’s pulling the right metadata, it’ll often let me browse it while it’s scanning, but then after the scan is done the browsing stops working.

i’ve tried creating a new library (called TV #2) and moving the files to a new folder and scanning them there. i thought it worked, last night i was able to play all 5 of the shows i added no problem and browse to them without issue. today i went to do so and i couldn’t, the errors returned.

i’ve watched the plex server logs, attempts to play don’t even generate text in the server log as far as i can tell. i can’t decipher the player logs at all, they’re completely arcane.

is this really the way to get help? is there someone from plex helping? the error told me to go to the forum, so i’m hoping this doesn’t end up like my last thread and ignored.

flipp-the-bunny · June 8, 2019, 4:46pm

Downgraded Plex Media Player to Version 3.83.2 (installer file PlexMediaPlayer-2.32.0.973-62b2e27f-windows-x64)

Works for both of us.

So it looks like this is not a technical support request more than a bug report haha

DrewTewb · June 10, 2019, 12:05pm

I’m having the exact same issue. At first, I thought my hard drive was failing. I was getting that same error for newly added TV shows, but movies and music seemed fine.
I actually ended up scrapping my library, then re-uploading it, and it seemed fine - but then I put up a new show, and started getting the error again.
Hope you’re right, and its just a bug.

gsemia · June 10, 2019, 12:45pm

Same Problem here i have added a new Series and if i click on it the first time after restart of plexmediaserver it loads the first screen but shows a loading spinner for ever. If i go back to home and try to open the series again, i get the “unexpected error” screen with no helping error message.

I have
Server Version #### Version 1.15.5.994
Player Version #### Version 3.95.2

I checked for errors in the server logs but could only see debug output which looks normal

on the client i see the following pup up in the browser console:

after downgrading to plexmediaserver_1.15.2.793-782228f99_amd64.deb it works again with works again.

DrewTewb · June 10, 2019, 7:11pm

My issue seems to be getting stranger. So, same issue: I add a new TV Show, and get the error message: "“There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.” when trying to play-back in either Chrome or Firefox… This is on my desktop. I tried on my laptop and got the same issue.

Next, I logged into my account via my roommate’s desktop, and the TV Show played completely fine. I initially thought this might be a network issue… But I don’t see how it would work on his desktop, but not on mine or my laptop.

I did downgrade the server to an earlier version, but I was still getting the same error message - so I’m not sure what to think.

Another issue we both ran into was in the Plex App for Windows. It seemed like any video that displayed in 1080p, would have some sort of codec problem. We were both getting sound on our respective machines, but no picture. If we bumped the quality down, we’d get picture back… but we’ve never had this issue before.

Is anyone else having these issues? Do we know if this is a current server issue??

flipp-the-bunny · June 10, 2019, 8:08pm

In my case I didn’t touch the server, I had to downgrade the player. I found a thread with old versions and I went back 2 releases and it works fine for me again.

If the tech folks want logs I can make some. The server logs don’t even update when you attempt to play so they wouldn’t help, but the player logs fill up quick.

DrewTewb · June 11, 2019, 11:45am

Ohh?? I didn’t even know you could downgrade the player itself. How do you/where do you do that?
Would you be so kind as to link to this thread you speak of?

LKT · July 1, 2019, 12:49am

Same issue here using latest version of the player and server.

DeXTeR927 · July 16, 2019, 1:40am

I am also having the same issue. Cant play any plug-in.
Playback Error
There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.

PC app Version 1.16.2.1297
Server side 1.16.2.1297

Had the plex for 6 months and now trying to get plug-in to work.

flipp-the-bunny · July 16, 2019, 2:11am

No that’s not the same problem, this has nothing to do with plugins.

MoxxieMedia · August 25, 2019, 11:54pm

I am having the same issue when adding new shows to my library. It’s been going on for a couple of weeks.

I just updated to 1.16.5.1488 and the issue persists.

I downgraded to 1.15.2.793 like a previous commenter and it is working now.

Snowak187 · August 31, 2019, 9:49pm

This Is broken as hell and needs to be Fixed ASAP.
Same Problem as above.

plugh99 · September 3, 2019, 6:45pm

Same problem: falls over when attempting playback with PMP for Windows, works fine with Web.

Snowak187 · September 7, 2019, 8:31am

This Is Why I will not pay for plex pass any more.

nibbles · September 7, 2019, 10:02am

If you or anyone else gets the OP’s error message,

There was an unexpected error - Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems

then search the website articles for your problem. The above is a generic error message, not what you search. Instead be specific, like library in the case of the OP.

After you get your bearings, read the website articles on

and follow that up by searching the forum for your problem. It’s not easy to guess the right words to search. When you get stuck, make a new post. Follow the advice of the above articles.

Or you could just come into a random thread and swear.
Good luck!

Snowak187 · September 10, 2019, 12:20am

@nibbles You say that like its the magic button I have posted on this forums be for and Have never received a response. And if hell is a cuss word to you, you should wake up and get out of your shell.
I have posted many times on this forums and have never received help… This is why I am so distasteful.

nibbles · September 10, 2019, 7:13am

I appreciate your reply. It feels to me like it’s getting better here every day.
I get no replies too. It’s why I try to help rather than ask stuff.

Below are some thoughts on getting replies.

It’s not a small thing to get a guru’s attention.
When I used to post on Doom9 around 2004 about remastering VHS to DVD
using avisynth, I never got a guru to help me. They were too busy in outer space.
Man I tried so hard!

Like a judge in court, guru’s tend to find any reason to skip over a case.
It lowers their workload, but it’s not about the merits.

If however, you treat that case as one of the most important things you’ll ever write,
and that’s obvious from the amount of care, research, layout, correct spelling,
and detail you put in there, you’ve got my eye. As I read it, in my mind I keep
thinking, “oh nice he added that too.”

Emotion, exasperation, they aren’t bad, but if you imply that the things
a guru likes are “hell,” you’re trolling.

Snowak187 · September 10, 2019, 8:57pm

Your to much fun!

pnw_3507 · November 8, 2019, 3:47pm

Same error message when I click on the “Live TV & DVR” tab.

Server version 1.18.1.1973-0fabfbcc running on Synology NAS. Windows client version 1.3.1.916-1cb2c34d.

Anyone find a solution?

darcilicious · November 8, 2019, 3:59pm

Yes upgrade to the preview release of version 1.4:

Topic		Replies	Views
Plex there was an unexpected error please visit our forums Desktop Players server-linux , plex-web	13	548	September 10, 2019
An unknown error occurred (4294967283) Desktop Players player-mac , player-windows	49	8977	October 27, 2022
"There was an unexected error" Desktops & Laptops server-windows	2	162	December 6, 2019
Unexpected error - PC Windows 10 Plex Media Player Desktop Players plex-media-player	2	183	March 26, 2020
"There was an unexpected error during playback" on all media (MacOS v1.87.2.87-87488d5a) Desktop Players player-mac	65	2161	June 10, 2024

There was an unexpected error - Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems - I'm here!

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