Server Version1.42.1.10060: Player Version1.110.0.351-4e48eb83: I am not sure if this is a feature issue or that something is wrong. On my windows app in the download settings I choose something other than original quality but when I download a movie the system does not transcode the file, it jus…

Downloads and optimized file errors might have been fixed in the latest beta: [image] Plex Media Server Announcements Plex Media Server 1.42.2.10122 is now available to Plex Pass users in the Beta update channel. NEW: (Playback) Better caching of codec testi…

Thanks for the suggestion. Just tried that but it did not help.

Darn, well I don’t have a Windows box to test with, either. Perhaps what you want is to first Optimize a video to a lower quality, e.g. 4K to 1080p, which stores that on your server, then try to download the optimized one if your goal is offline playback?

You can’t download optimized versions so that won’t work. What quality setting did you set and what is the bitrate of the file? Maybe a transcode isn’t needed. I’ve tested and it does transcode for me. If you are sure transcoding should be happening, recreate and provide both the server and client …

I set the app settings to medium quality for both video and audio. Thanks Plex Media Server Logs_2025-09-16_05-59-31.zip (3.8 MB) Plex.log (238.1 KB)

Your client logs don’t show any downloads. Are you sure you git the correct log? Can you download something again and grab new logs. I just need the first minute of the download, you can cancel after that.

Plex.log (145.7 KB) How about this one?

Same problem here. I have “Video Quality” set to “Medium”, but Plex on Windows is downloading the original video file. Player version: 1.110.0.351-4e48eb83 Server Version: 1.43.0.10162 (on Mint Linux) Even if I set the quality to Low and tell Plex to download a 1080p Blu-ray rip, it still downloa…

Still not seeing any download activity in your log. Can you try again but get me your server log this time? Let’s try looking there.

@MovieFan I’m able to replicate this bug using Plex for Mac on a Mac Studio M1. Client: Plex For Mac - v1.110.0.351 on macOS Sequoia 15.7.1 Server: QNAP PMS - v1.42.2.10156 on QTS 4.5.4-2957 * 21:50:00 started PMS * 21:55:00 started Plex for Mac * 21:57:00 on Plex for Mac Navigate to Settings -> …

Windows app does not transcode downloads

Plex Players

nibbles September 15, 2025, 6:33am 2

Downloads and optimized file errors might have been fixed in the latest beta:

Topic		Replies	Views
Downloads not transcoding Plex Players player-mac , player-windows , downloads	8	177	December 9, 2025
Plex for Windows doesn't transcode when downloading Movies / Shows Plex Players player-windows , downloads	2	60	April 6, 2026
[FEATURE] Download transcoded files from Plex/Web Feature Suggestions	1	63	June 26, 2021
Can't download any video with quality other than Original Plex Media Server server-windows , ios-legacy	6	107	March 19, 2025
Download troubles. Pre Optimized video Plex still transcodes when downloading Plex Media Server server-windows , ios-legacy , downloads	1	157	November 7, 2022

Windows app does not transcode downloads

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