Plex is a popular way to organize and stream movies, TV shows, and music. It works on a wide range of devices, from smart TVs and streaming players to phones and tablets. Many people use it to build their own media library and enjoy their content anywhere.
If you care about sound quality, you’ve probably heard of Dolby Atmos. It’s one of the best audio formats for home theaters, creating a more immersive experience. But can Plex actually support it? That’s a question we get all the time.
The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. It depends on your setup, the devices you use, and the type of Atmos audio in your files.
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What Is Plex?
Plex is a media server and app that lets you organize and stream your personal collection of movies, TV shows, music, and photos. Instead of switching between different services, you can keep everything in one place and access it from almost any device.
With Plex, you set up a media server on a computer, NAS device, or external drive. This acts as the main hub for all your content. Then, you use the Plex app on devices like smart TVs, streaming players, phones, and tablets to watch or listen from anywhere.
Plex also has a free library of movies and live TV channels, but most people use it to manage their personal media. It supports high-quality video and audio formats, but features like surround sound depend on the device you’re using. That’s why Dolby Atmos support isn’t always guaranteed.
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What Is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that adds height channels to audio, creating a more immersive experience. Instead of just hearing sound from the front, back, and sides, Atmos lets you hear effects from above, like rain falling or a plane flying overhead.
Atmos works with home theater setups that include compatible AV receivers, soundbars, and speakers. It’s also available on some streaming services, Blu-ray discs, and personal media files. However, not every device can play Atmos correctly, and the way it's delivered depends on the audio format used in the file.
Since Plex supports high-quality audio, many users want to know if it can handle Atmos. The answer depends on the file format, your playback device, and whether your sound system supports it.
How Plex Supports Dolby Atmos
Plex can support Dolby Atmos, but only if every device in your setup is compatible. If one part of the chain doesn’t support Atmos, you'll only get regular surround sound instead.
For Atmos to work, you need:
- A media file with Dolby Atmos audio.
- A streaming device that supports Atmos passthrough.
- A Plex app that allows Atmos passthrough.
- A sound system, AV receiver, or soundbar that can decode Atmos.
Plex doesn’t process Dolby Atmos itself. Instead, it passes the audio to your device, which then sends it to your receiver or soundbar for decoding. If passthrough isn’t enabled or your device doesn’t support Atmos, the audio will likely be downgraded.
There are also two types of Dolby Atmos audio formats, and which one you have can affect whether it works in Plex:
- Dolby TrueHD with Atmos – Lossless audio found on Blu-rays and high-quality rips. Requires passthrough and won’t work over remote streaming.
- Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) with Atmos – Compressed audio used by streaming services. More compatible and can work over Wi-Fi.
If your file, device, and sound system all support Atmos, Plex can pass it through correctly. If something isn’t compatible, you may need to adjust your setup.
How To Enable Dolby Atmos on Plex
To get Dolby Atmos working on Plex, you need the right devices and settings. Not all streaming devices support Atmos passthrough, so you’ll need one that does, like the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, Apple TV 4K, or Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Some Smart TVs also support Atmos, but compatibility depends on the model.
- Use an Atmos-supported streaming device.
- Enable passthrough in Plex app settings.
- Check if your receiver or soundbar supports TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus.
- Use HDMI, not optical or Bluetooth.
- Make sure your file has Atmos audio.
Check the Plex app’s audio settings and enable passthrough or bitstream. If this is off, your device may downmix the audio. Your AV receiver or soundbar also needs to support Atmos. Some soundbars only work with Dolby Digital Plus, while others support Dolby TrueHD.
Atmos is stored in either Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus. TrueHD offers the best quality but requires passthrough and won’t work over remote streaming. Dolby Digital Plus is compressed but works on more devices.
If Atmos still doesn’t work, check your device settings or file format.
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Configuring Plex for Dolby Atmos
Plex can support Dolby Atmos, but everything in your setup must be compatible. Your streaming device, Plex app, AV receiver or soundbar, and media file all need to support Atmos for it to work.
If you’re having trouble, check your settings. Make sure passthrough is enabled in Plex, use a device that supports Atmos, and be sure to use an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable. Dolby TrueHD requires passthrough and won’t work over remote streaming, while Dolby Digital Plus is more flexible.
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