Updated April 2025: Stop these error messages and fix common problems with this tool. Get it now at this link
This guide will show you how to fix the Plex error: There was an unexpected error loading this library. Plex is a handy platform for watching live movies, streaming online content, and can even play media files stored locally on your device. Thus, it works as both a viewing device and a local media player. It claims to offer more than 80 free live TV channels and about 14,000 free on-demand content. However, many users are currently reporting one or two bugs with the service.
The most common error is a problem with the library. Complaints are also piling up on many Plex support forums. Even on Reddit, users have shared this Plex problem. In this regard, this tutorial will be very useful for you. Today we will show you how to fix the Plex error: An unexpected error occurred while loading this library. We will also explain why you are facing this error. So, without further ado, let’s move on to the manual.
Table of Contents:
What is the cause of the error message “There Was an Unexpected Error Loading this Library” in Plex?
Unoptimized Plex database: one of the most common causes of this particular problem is a non-optimized database that indicates faulty resources. Fortunately, you can easily solve this problem by performing database optimization directly in your Plex account’s server settings.
Incomplete metadata: Another possible case that causes this problem is when the server struggles with inconsistent metadata. This problem is somewhat less common than an unoptimized database and can be resolved by updating all metadata in your Plex account’s server settings.
The Plex server does not have administrator access: it turns out that this problem can also occur when the main server program does not have the necessary permissions to access all the necessary dependencies. In this case, you can solve the problem by making the main program run with administrator privileges.
Adblock or uBlock interference: If you use extensions such as Adblock Plus or uBlock, be aware that they usually conflict with locally hosted Plex servers. In this case, you can solve the problem by disabling or uninstalling the problematic extensions.
Damaged Plex database: In some cases, this problem may arise due to corruption of your Plex server database. To fix this problem, you need to use the extended command line to run a series of SQLite3 commands that will automatically resolve the problem.
How to fix the “There was an unexpected error loading this library” error message on Plex?
This tool is highly recommended to help you fix your error. Plus, this tool offers protection against file loss, malware, and hardware failures, and optimizes your device for maximum performance. If you already have a problem with your computer, this software can help you fix it and prevent other problems from recurring:
Updated: April 2025
Cleaning the bundles
Some users have noted that clearing packages help them.
- Go to the library.
- Then click on the three dots to open a menu.
- Select Clean bundles from the drop-down menu. Make sure that the error is gone.
Database optimization
- Start Plex and log in.
- Navigate to the menu in the left pane. Select the action icon.
- Then select Server Management.
- Then select Optimize Database.
- Confirm your selection. Wait for the process to complete.
- This should not take more than 10 minutes.
Update your metadata
Metadata issues can also cause various Plex-related problems, including library errors. Perform a metadata update for the affected partition.
- Log in to your Plex account.
- Then go to the left pane and select the problem library.
- Choose Update all metadata.
- Wait for Plex to update the metadata.
- Restart the connection to the server. Verify that this method worked.
Turn off security and privacy extensions
If your browser has security and privacy extensions installed, disable them. They can interfere with the Plex. Perhaps Ad Block, uBlock, Ghostery, or other similar extensions prevent you from downloading libraries.
- Click on your browser’s menu.
- Go to More Tools -> Extensions. Or select Extensions directly (depending on your browser).
- Turn off the extensions.
- Repeat the action that caused the library error.
Launch the Plex server as an administrator
You may not have the necessary permissions to load the libraries. Try running Plex as an administrator.
- Right-click the Plex server icon.
- Then select Run as administrator.
- Try downloading the problem libraries again. Or repeat the action that caused the error in the first place.
APPROVED: To fix Windows errors, click here.