---
title: "Try the Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance in a virtual machine\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Install and setup the Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance on your Ubuntu
  desktop with KVM.
url: https://ubuntu.com/appliance/plex/vm?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# Setup the Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance in a virtual machine

---

## Installation instructions

### What you'll need

* A PC running Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or later

---

### How to install

We will walk you through the steps of setting up your Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance in a vm with Multipass and get logged in.

1. #### Install Multipass

   ```
   sudo snap install multipass
   ```
2. #### Launch your Ubuntu Appliance

   Launch your appliance image. Multipass gives your appliance an instance name like `happy-frog`. To name it yourself add `--name <name>`.

   ```
   multipass launch appliance:plexmediaserver
   ```
3. #### Find your appliance

   Find your appliance VM's IP address:

   ```
   multipass list
   ```
4. #### That's it

   Your appliance is now running in a virtual machine. Start and stop it with `multipass start <name>` and `multipass stop <name>`. To access the command-line:

   ```
   multipass shell plexmediaserver
   ```

### What you'll need

* A PC running Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise/Education Update 1803 or later, or any version of Windows with [VirtualBox](https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html).

---

### How to install

We will walk you through the steps of setting up your Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance in a vm with Multipass and get logged in.

1. #### Install Multipass

   1. Make sure the network you're connected to is marked Private, otherwise Windows will prevent Multipass from starting.
   2. [Download Multipass for Windows](https://multipass.run/download/windows)
   3. Run the installer. You will need to allow the installer to gain Administrator privileges.
2. #### Launch your Ubuntu Appliance

   Launch your appliance image. Multipass gives your appliance an instance name like `happy-frog`. To name it yourself add `--name <name>`.

   ```
   multipass launch appliance:plexmediaserver
   ```
3. #### Find and connect to your appliance

   ##### Hyper-V instructions

   On Hyper-V, find your virtual appliance IP address:

   ```
   multipass list
   ```

   ##### VirtualBox instructions

   On VirtualBox, forward the appliance port to the outside world with this command in an Administrator PowerShell:

   ```
   env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\PSTools\PsExec.exe -s
   $env:VBOX_MSI_INSTALL_PATH\VBoxManage.exe controlvm "<instance
   name>" --natpf1 "plexmediaserver,tcp,,32400,,32400"
   ```

   For more information about this command see the [Multipass documentation](https://multipass.run/docs/using-virtualbox-in-multipass-windows#port-forwarding).
4. #### That's it

   Your appliance is now running in a virtual machine. Start and stop it with `multipass start <name>` and `multipass stop <name>`. To access the command-line:

   ```
   multipass shell plexmediaserver
   ```

### What you'll need

* A Mac running macOS and [VirtualBox](https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html). To use Multipass on macOS [this is required](https://multipass.run/docs/using-virtualbox-in-multipass-macos).

---

### How to install

We will walk you through the steps of setting up your Plex Media Server Ubuntu Appliance in a vm with Multipass and get logged in.

1. #### Install Multipass

   1. [Download Multipass for macOS](https://multipass.run/download/macos)
   2. Activate the downloaded installer in an account with Administrator privileges.
   3. To start Multipass with VirtualBox use this Terminal app command:

      ```
      sudo multipass set local.driver=virtualbox
      ```
2. #### Launch your Ubuntu Appliance

   Launch your appliance image. Multipass gives your appliance an instance name like `happy-frog`. To name it yourself add `--name <name>`.

   ```
   multipass launch appliance:plexmediaserver
   ```
3. #### Find your appliance

   To use VirtualBox's port forwarding run:

   ```
   sudo VBoxManage controlvm "<instance name>" --natpf1
   "plexmediaserver,tcp,,32400,,32400"
   ```

   You can find more information about what this command means in the [Multipass documentation](https://multipass.run/docs/using-virtualbox-in-multipass-macos#port-forwarding).
4. #### That's it

   Your appliance is now running in a virtual machine. Start and stop it with `multipass start <name>` and `multipass stop <name>`. To access the command-line:

   ```
   multipass shell plexmediaserver
   ```

---

## Start using your Plex Ubuntu Appliance

When you start Plex Media Server for the first time you make an account and go through some initial configuration. To do so, open a browser and go to:

```
http://<IP-of-your-appliance>:32400/web
```

Then just follow the instructions on the screen. For more information or more [documentation](https://support.plex.tv/articles/), the [Plex Media Server website](https://www.plex.tv/) is the best place to go next.