A standalone command-line interface for controlling Plex Media Server and remote clients through direct API integration.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install plex-ctl
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install plex-ctl using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Plex Media Server Control (plexctl)?
The plexctl skill provides a robust, developer-centric way to interact with Plex Media Server. Unlike vision-based tools, it uses direct API calls to search libraries, trigger playback, and manage transport controls across multiple clients on your local network. This makes it an essential tool for those building media automation workflows or using Openclaw Skills to manage home entertainment.
By bypassing the need for GUI interaction, it ensures high-speed execution and reliable metadata retrieval for movies and television shows. It serves as a backend powerhouse for AI agents, allowing them to interpret natural language requests and translate them into precise server actions without the latency of screen scraping or computer vision.
Plex Media Server Control (plexctl) Use Cases
- Triggering movie or TV show playback using fuzzy search logic
- Managing playback controls such as pause, resume, and skipping tracks across devices
- Discovering recently added content or continuing in-progress shows via the on-deck feature
- Retrieving detailed metadata and information for specific media titles
- Orchestrating multi-client setups by targeting specific players like an Apple TV or Web Client
How Plex Media Server Control (plexctl) Works
- The user provides a command or natural language trigger like "play Inception on Plex."
- The skill performs a fuzzy match search against the Plex Media Server library to identify the best media candidate.
- A direct API connection is established with the target Plex client on the local network.
- Playback is initiated or transport commands are sent to the client's active session.
- The agent receives a status confirmation, including the specific device and media title being played.
Plex Media Server Control (plexctl) Setup
First, install the required library:
pip install plexapi
Then, run the interactive setup to configure your server URL and token:
plexctl setup
You will need your Plex server URL (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:32400) and your X-Plex-Token, which can be found in your Plex Web account settings under Authorized Devices.
Plex Media Server Control (plexctl) Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill stores its configuration locally in a JSON file to maintain privacy and speed. Communication is handled via direct API calls to your local server.
| Configuration Key | Description |
|---|---|
| plex_url | The local network address of your Plex Media Server |
| plex_token | The authentication token used for API requests |
| default_client | The name of the client device used for playback by default |
Configuration is located at ~/.plexctl/config.json.
Plex Media Server Control (plexctl) Advanced Features
- Multi-client targeting to control different screens throughout a home
- Fuzzy matching for titles, allowing for natural language variations and partial names
- Local GDM discovery for ultra-low latency response times (~100ms)
- Comprehensive library introspection for on-deck and recently added media streams
- Seamless integration with the Openclaw Skills framework for autonomous agent playback
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