New Plex update means you need a pass for remote viewing on your TV

Earlier this year, Plex created a ripple among its fans when it announced a price increase for Plex Pass, along with significant changes to how remote streaming worked. The changes were initially rolled out to mobile devices, and now Plex is expanding them to other platforms, starting with its app on Roku OS.

Plex has announced (h/t How-To Geek) that starting this week, Plex users will need a Remote Watch Pass or a Plex Pass to stream remotely to the Roku app. This requirement change for remote streaming will be introduced to the Plex TV apps across various platforms, including Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, and even third-party clients, in 2026.

The Roku app update will also introduce improvements to navigation that were previously released in the preview build a few weeks ago.

Once the changes take effect, you will need a Plex Pass or Remote Watch Pass to access a Plex server outside of that server’s home network. Alternatively, the server owner can subscribe to Plex Pass to enable remote streaming for non-subscribers. The Plex Pass costs $7 per month, $70 per year, or $250 for a lifetime subscription, before any seasonal or festive discounts. The Remote Watch Pass costs $2 per month or $20 per year.

While Plex’s price increase rubbed many fans the wrong way, others argued that a price increase after over 10 years is justified, especially given the service’s significant growth. With the changes soon reaching more users, it remains to be seen how they react: whether they grin and bear it, or they explore a Plex alternative like Jellyfin.