How to uninstall Plex on Windows

Plex Media Server is the app that scans, organizes and streams your library, not the desktop player you might also have installed. Its data folder holds your library database, metadata and server settings, so back it up before you remove anything if you might reinstall and want your library, watch history and server settings back. This guide covers Plex Media Server installed machine-wide from the Plex.PlexMediaServer winget package.

Quit Plex Media Server first

Quit Plex Media Server from its tray icon. It also runs a background "Plex Update Service"; both stop when the uninstaller runs, but check Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) for any Plex Media Server.exe still listed before you uninstall.

Remove the app with its own uninstaller

Go to Settings › Apps › Installed apps, find Plex Media Server, and choose Uninstall, or run:

winget uninstall --id Plex.PlexMediaServer

The uninstaller runs silently and does not ask you anything.

Back up before you remove data

Copy %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server before you touch it. Plex's own uninstall instructions note that removing this folder deletes your library metadata and watch state, so keep the copy until you are sure you do not need it.

Where the data lives

Location	What it holds	What to do
`%LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server`	Library database, metadata, watch history and server settings	Back this up first; the uninstaller does not remove it
`HKCU\SOFTWARE\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server`	The server's claim token and sign-in state	Keep it if you plan to reinstall and want the server to reconnect on its own; remove it for a clean start
`Program Files\Plex\Plex Media Server`	Program files	Removed by the uninstaller

Check the result

Run these read-only commands after the uninstall finishes:

Get-Process "Plex Media Server" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Get-Service "Plex Update Service" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
winget list --id Plex.PlexMediaServer
Test-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Plex\Plex Media Server"
Test-Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Plex Media Server"

No output from Get-Process only means this query observed no matching process; a suppressed error leaves the running state unknown. A listed process means it, or a helper, is still running.
If Get-Service succeeds without suppressed errors, no match means the update service is gone; a result means it is still registered.
A completed winget list query with no match means the package record is gone; a matching row means the uninstall did not finish.
The first Test-Path returning False means the program folder is gone; True means files remain there.
Test-Path "...\Plex Media Server" returning True means your library database and settings are still there, which is expected unless you removed them yourself.

If you installed it with winget

winget uninstall runs the same silent uninstaller Settings › Apps uses and removes the same program files; it does not touch %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server or the registry key above on its own.

Account and subscription

Uninstalling does not cancel Plex Pass or delete your Plex account. Signing back in after a reinstall reconnects to your account separately from whatever server data you kept or removed on this PC.

What Mole lists

For Plex Media Server installed machine-wide from winget:

The program folder, the Start Menu shortcut, the Run entry that starts the tray icon, and a row grouping Windows' own records of when you opened the program are selected by default.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server is listed but not selected, since it holds your library database and settings.
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server is listed but not selected.
The uninstaller leaves an empty Program Files\Plex folder and an empty HKCU\Software\Plex, Inc. key; both are empty and Mole leaves them.

What this test covered

Tested with Plex Media Server 1.43.4.10903 installed through winget, machine scope, with no media library configured. Signing in, adding a real library, and reinstalling to check that a kept data folder reconnects were not tested.