How to Install Plex on FireStick and Android TV Box

In this guide, I’ll show you how to install Plex on FireStick and Android TV box. I’ll demonstrate how to sign up for a Plex account, install the app on your device, and use it to watch content. These steps apply to all Fire TV devices, including FireStick Lite, FireStick, FireStick 4K, FireStick 4K Max, and Fire TV Cube.

What is Plex?

Plex is a software application that lets you watch movies, TV shows, and music. For the longest time, this service was known as a one-stop media server for organizing and managing local files. These included personal TV shows, movies, cartoons, music, videos, and music.

However, over the years, Plex has leaned more towards online streaming. Today, it’s one of the best free ad-supported television (FAST) streaming services.

I have been using Plex for a while now, mostly to watch free movies. It’s easy to access, and I don’t even need to register to access content.

Plex also includes a live TV tab that offers hundreds of free TV channels. These include news, kids and family, comedy, daytime, sports, and music channels.

I like Plex for its versatility. Whatever device you use for streaming, from mobile devices, computers, and TVs to streaming sticks, they are compatible with Plex. The app is official, and you can download it directly from the respective app stores for these devices.

That’s not all that Plex offers. If you like to organize, manage, and access your media in one place, let me introduce you to the Plex Media Server. Plex Media Server organizes your local files into a Netflix-like library.

Suppose you have old movies, cartoons, music, and TV shows on your computer. With Plex Media Server, you can access all this content in one place. The application scans media files and adds finishing touches, including posters, cast, season, and episode details, ratings, and more.

Plex offers additional pro features you can access for a fee. With a Plex Pass subscription, you can access remote streaming, hardware transcoding, and downloads.

Read: How to Install and Use the Best VPN for FireStick

How to Sign Up for a Plex account

While it’s possible to access some Plex content as a guest, signing up for a free account is better. You can create watchlists and sync your library across devices.

Here’s how to sign up for a Plex account:

1. Go to https://www.plex.tv on your computer or mobile (you may also use a FireTV-supported browser such as Silk Browser or Firefox) and click Sign Up Free.

2. You may sign up with your existing Google or Apple credentials or use an email address to create an account. I used an email address, created a password, and selected Create Account.

3. After successfully creating an account, you’ll land on this Plex welcome page. Click Sign In.

4. Verify your account details and click Sign In.

5. This is how the Plex home page looks after signing in.

That’s all, you have successfully signed up for a Plex account.

How to Install Plex on FireStick

The Plex app is available on the Amazon App Store. Here’s how to install Plex on FireStick:

1. Click Find>Search on the FireStick home screen.

2. Use the on-screen keyboard and your remote to type Plex in the search bar. You can also press the Alexa button on your remote and voice the word Plex. Select Plex in the suggested results.

3.  Select the Plex app tile on the next window.

4. If you’re installing the app for the first time, click Get. Otherwise, choose Download.

5. Wait for the Plex app to download and install on FireStick.

6. Click Open to run Plex once it is installed.

This is how you install Plex on FireStick.

How to Stream on FireStick with a VPN

Your internet provider and many websites/apps can see your IP address and some details about your connection. Using a VPN encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address, which helps protect your online privacy.

I recommend ExpressVPN. It’s a reputable VPN with strong encryption and fast connections, and it’s straightforward to install on Fire TV/FireStick and other devices.

Next, I’ll show you how to set up and use ExpressVPN on your Fire TV/Stick. 

Step 1: Subscribe to ExpressVPN HERE. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Meaning, you can use it for free for the first 30 days, and if you are not satisfied with the performance (which is highly unlikely), you can ask for a full refund.

Step 2: Power ON your Fire TV Stick and go to Find, followed by the Search option.

Step 3: Now type “Expressvpn” (without quotes) in the search bar and select ExpressVPN when it shows up in the search results.

Step 4: Click Download to install the ExpressVPN app on Fire TV / Stick.

Step 5: Open the app and enter the login credentials that you created when you purchased the ExpressVPN subscription. Click Sign in.

Step 6: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That’s all. Your connection is now secure with the fastest and best VPN for FireStick.

How to Install Plex on Android TV OS & Android TV Box

There are two Android TV boxes – one with the stock Android OS and the other with true Android TV OS. They are similar in some ways and different in others.

The two share the common feature of supporting Google Play services. You can install apps directly from the Google Play Store, and Plex is available there.

Here are the steps to install Plex on an Android TV Box (works more or less the same way on both types of boxes):

1. Open Google Play Store.

2. Look up Plex by either typing in or using a voice command (if supported).

3. Click the Plex icon when it appears in the search results.

4. Click Install.

Wait for the app to install. That’s all! You have successfully installed Plex on Android TV. Click Open to run the app.

Plex Review

I’ll review the Plex app on FireStick to show you what the app offers. However, the same applies to Plex on Android TV and other devices.

This is what the Plex home screen looks like on FireStick. If you want to explore the app as a guest, select Skip Sign Up. Otherwise, click Sign In.

Note the activation code on the FireStick screen. You’ll use the code to link your existing Plex account.

On a web browser, go to https://plex.tv/link. Enter the activation code and select Link.

A notification appears in the browser confirming that your account has been successfully linked.

Return to the FireStick screen and wait for the content to load. This is what the Plex home screen looks like after signing in. The Home tab features What’s On, showing various live programs on live channels.

Plex’s user interface is straightforward. The main menu features categories like Live TV, Watchlist, Movies and Shows, Rentals, and Discover.  I began exploring the library in the Live TV section,  featuring the free Plex channels. Channels are organized by genre, such as Sports, Hit TV, True Crime, Drama TV, News, and Comedy.

One of my favorite features on Plex is the Add to Watchlist feature. It lets me add movie and TV show titles to watch later. I can then access all my added titles in one place, the Watchlist tab.

The Movie & Shows tab is self-explanatory. This is where I discover new arrivals on Plex, binge-worthy shows, the most popular, and even new releases. In fact, the latest releases sub-section informs me of new movies, TV shows, and trailers.

Plex has also introduced a new section, Rentals. It seems Plex is tapping into the movie-renting business to compete with the likes of YouTube and Fandango at Home. You can now rent newly-released titles and exclusive movies on Plex.

Navigating this platform is easy. You can explore content by categories like Action, Comedy, Western, Crime, Drama, and Romance. Additionally, you can browse content by brands, such as Magnolia Pictures, AMC, Hallmark Movies, Lionsgate, and more.

Plex’s Discover tab is a good tool for discovering the latest movies, upcoming title trailers, trending shows, and more.

Another feature that I like on Plex is suggested watch locations. If a title is available on Plex, it will have a Play button. However, if it’s unavailable on Plex, the platform has a ‘watch from these locations’ section that shows where to watch the title.

The watching options also include Rent with Plex now, after the platform introduced the Rental section. If you’d rather watch it on another platform, such as Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube TV, select other services.

I tested a few titles on Plex. Playback starts immediately, but there are a few ads at the beginning. However, the ads are not disruptive. Most titles stream at 720p. Unfortunately, not all Plex titles feature closed captions and subtitles.

Lastly, I would like to talk about the Plex Media Server. When you navigate to Your Media in the main menu, you can add your media to Plex. This includes local media files like videos, movies, TV shows, music, and photos.

To make this work, you need to download the Plex Media Server software separately on your device. Let’s talk about how to install and set up the Plex Media Server below.

How to Install and Set Up the Plex Media Server

While Plex offers plenty of online content, its true potential lies in turning your computer into a media center by converting it into a media server. As I mentioned earlier, Plex is a client-server service. It has client apps for almost every device platform you could think of, including FireStick, mobiles, computers, etc.

You can set up the server on your computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) and use other devices as servers.

Important!! The computer you are using as the Plex server must remain on to allow media access from client apps installed on devices like FireStick or mobile devices.

Here is how you do it:

1. Go to https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ on your computer. Click the Plex Media Server option, then choose your computer’s operating system. To start the download, click the Choose Distribution button on the same webpage if you’re using Windows or Linux. If you’re a macOS user, you’ll see a Download button.

2. The installation file will be saved in the Downloads folder. Please navigate to the folder, locate the Plex installation file, and run it. Follow the instructions specific to your operating system to install the server. For instance, the window below appeared when I ran the file. Click Next at each step until you reach the Ready to Install window.

3. Under the Ready to Install window, click Install.

4. You should see the below window when the installation is complete. Click Finish.

The following steps will now be in a web browser.

5. You will now be redirected to a webpage in your computer’s default browser. If you haven’t already, you will be required to sign in to your Plex account.

The next screen provides a quick overview of how Plex works. Click the Got It! button.

6. You will now be asked to name the server. Make it something relatable and identifiable. Click Next.

Note: If you want to access media on your server (your computer) from external clients (such as your FireStick), make sure the option “Allow me to access my media outside my home” is checked.

7. During setup, you may add the Media Library by clicking Add Library. This lets you add movies, shows, videos, music, images, etc., to the server and allows you to access them from external devices

Click Next to proceed.

8. Click Done to finish the server setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

Plex is a great free streaming platform and media server. It offers thousands of free movies and TV shows and hundreds of free TV channels. It is compatible with most home streaming devices, including mobile, desktop, and TV devices. This post explained how to install Plex on FireStick and Android TV. Have you used Plex? Share your experience below in the comments section.

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