How to Name TV Shows and Movies in Plex

On Plex, you can watch movies and TV shows, stream 130 live TV channels, and listen to music. Plus, you can name and organize all your TV shows and movies for easier access. You can do this on various devices – Windows, Apple, Android, PlayStation, Chromecast, etc.

In this article, we'll show you how to name your TV shows and movies on Plex on various devices. We'll also discuss the best naming conventions to use so that Plex can find your video files without issue.

How to Name TV Shows and Movies in Plex on Windows PC

Plex has a wide selection of TV shows and movies that you can stream for free. Another useful feature that comes with a Plex account is the ability to organize all of your TV shows and movies by naming each video file. In fact, Plex strongly recommends that you organize your media library to improve your streaming experience.

The reason knowing how to name your media on Plex is useful is that sometimes you won't be able to find your TV shows and movies. It may also happen that titles are formatted differently by default, so that they do not appear in your media library. Fortunately, there is a simple solution.

For starters, there should be separate folders for TV shows, movies, and music. When uploading a TV show or movie to your Plex media server, the best thing to do is to use a specific naming convention. This will help Plex correctly categorize the media file.

To do this on a Windows PC, we will rename the video files before uploading them to Plex. Follow the steps below to name TV shows and movies in Plex on your Windows:

1. Create a folder on your Windows PC and name it "Movies" or "TV Shows".
   
2. Create a subfolder for a specific movie/TV show (e.g. "Game of Thrones").
   
3. For TV shows, create a subfolder for each season (for example, "Game of Thrones Season 01").
   
4. Name the episodes like this: “Game of Thrones s01e01”.
   
5. Open the Plex app on your Windows PC.
   
6. Next to "Device name", click the "+" button.
   
7. Click on the “Movies” icon or the “TV Shows” icon.
   
8. Select the "Next" button.
   
9. Choose the "Search for Media Folder" button.
   
10. Add the movie/TV show and go to "Add Library".
    

As for the naming convention you should use, Plex suggests a specific format for TV shows and movies. The best way to name a movie is to use this format: "Movie Title (Year of Release)". So, for example, here's how you might name a movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)".

For TV shows, it's a bit trickier, because you usually have multiple seasons and lots of episodes. One of the best ways to name a specific episode is like this: "TV show name (release year) s*e*". So for the first season and episode of "Sherlock" it would look like: "Sherlock (2010) s01e01". This system is particularly useful for different TV shows with the same title.

How to Name TV Shows and Movies in Plex on a Mac

To do this on a Mac, we will use the web application. We'll show you how to rename video files that have already been downloaded. Follow the steps below to name TV shows and movies in Plex on your Mac:

1. Open the web app on your Mac.
2. Sign into your account.
   
3. Go to the "Your Media" tab on the left sidebar.
   
4. Find the TV show or movie you want to name.
5. Hover over the thumbnail and click the pencil icon in the lower left corner.
   
6. This will open the "Edit" window.
7. Go to the “General” tab and type in whatever you want it to be called under “Title”.
   
8. Click the "Save Changes" button.
   

That's all we can say about it. Use the same naming conventions we explained for the Windows PC method. When naming TV shows, it's important to use the "0" before the season and episode. For example, instead of using this name – “New Girl (2011) s1e3” – you should use “New Girl (2011) s01e03”.

How to Name TV Shows and Movies in Plex on a Firestick

To change the name of a TV show or movie in Plex on a Firestick, the best way to do this is to use the web app on your computer. Here's what you need to do:

1. Go to the Plex web app.
   
2. Sign into your account.
3. Switch to "Your Media" on the left side of the screen.
   
4. Find the TV show/movie you want to rename.
   
5. Click the pen icon in the lower left corner of the poster.
   
6. Go to the “General” tab.
   
7. Under 'Title', enter the name of the movie/TV show.
   
8. Select "Save Changes".
   

Now that you have changed the name of the movie/TV show, you can stream the video file to your Firestick. Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Open Firestick and go to home screen.
   
2. Go to the "Search" section in the left sidebar.
   
3. Use your navigation pad to type "Plex".
   
4. Press "OK" on your navigation pad to open Plex.
   Notes: You can also find Plex in the Applications section of your Firestick.
5. Sign into your account.
6. Go to the "Your Media" folder in the menu.
7. Continue to the "Movies" or "TV Shows" folder.
   
8. Select the movie you want to watch.
9. Press PLAY. »
   

How to Name TV Shows and Movies in Plex on a Roku

To even use Plex on a Roku, you first need to create an account and download it to your computer. You can download and name the video files on your computer before connecting your Plex account to your Roku, as you cannot do this directly on your Roku. This is how it's done:

1. Open the Plex web app on your computer.
   
2. Go to "Your Library" and switch to the "Movies" or "TV Shows" folders.
   
3. Find the video file you want to rename.
4. Click the pen icon on the poster.
   
5. In the “General” tab, go to “Title” and type in the required naming convention.
   
6. Select the "Save Changes" button.
   

Now it's time to watch the video file on your Roku. Since you renamed the video file, it will be easier to find. Here's what you need to do:

1. Turn on your Roku.
2. Go to "Streaming Channels" in the left menu.
   
3. Continue to "Search for Channels".
4. Locate "Plex" using the arrow on your remote.
   
5. Select “Add channel”.
   
6. Log in to your Plex account.
7. Go to your computer and enter the code you will receive on your Roku.
   
8. Launch Plex on your Roku.
9. Go to the “Movies” or “TV Shows” folder.
10. Find the video file you want to stream.
11. Press PLAY. »

That's all we can say about it. Now you can stream any TV show or movie you want.

Organize your media library in Plex

While you can't name TV shows and movies directly on your Firestick or Roku, you can either name video files before uploading them to your Plex Media Server or do it directly on the web app. Not only is this process helpful, but it's also necessary for Plex to locate your files and play them for you in an instant.

Have you ever changed the name of a TV show or movie in Plex? Did you use the same method explained in this guide, or did you try something new? Let us know in the comments.