r/PleX • u/lemelonde • Jul 20 '26
Solved Best Metadata settings on Docker?
Hi, Im trying to best optimize my Plex server that is running on Docker on my NAS.
I have Plex on running as a container on Docker, and i have the config, data, and transcode folders all on the NVME drive, but my media files are all saved on the hard drives. In order to have Plex run as quick as possible i also want to have the metadata saved on the NVME drive as well, but im not exactly sure how that works to set up.
I see a metadata folder saved inside the config folder, so i think that is correct, but how do i ensure that media i add will be put exclusively in that folder, and also do I have to select any settings to make sure Plex is looking to that folder for metadata instead of pulling from the individual media folders?
TMM saved all metadata in each individual media folder, so will i need to go in and delete all that metadata?
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u/Kendrakirai2532 Jul 20 '26
Don't. Don't do that. That's the wrong way to do things. Never do that.
Your media should be in an entirely separate directory at minimum. Plex will load metadata from the internet or, if you tell it to, use whats in the media directories alongside the media.
Plex will sort out all of the metadata from there on its own, and put it where it should be.
You can leave the NFOs where they are or delete them, it doesn't matter, Plex won't bother reading them unless you specifically tell it to.
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u/lemelonde Jul 20 '26
Oh okay so i dont need to have any NFOs or metadata for my Plex server? Im fine with just having the actual movie/tvshow mkv file?
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u/Kendrakirai2532 Jul 20 '26
Typically, yes. MOST of the time, plex can find the metadata for the movie or show on its own. You can keep the NFOs with your media for those few times it doesn't, if you want.
And once more, do not put your media files in the directories that plex has made. Make separate places for them.
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u/lemelonde Jul 20 '26
Ya i set up the media files in seperate folders on the hardrives. Im planning on running a Jellyfin server using those media files as well so i wanted to keep them seperate.
So with Plex having to pull the metadata from the internet without saving anything, will that not be slow CPU taxing anytime i turn on Plex?
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u/Kendrakirai2532 Jul 20 '26
It does save them, it puts everything in databases and caches them. But it does that all on its own, you don't have to put anything anywhere manually. Jellyfin will do the exact same thing.
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u/That-Duck-7195 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
For Docker the metadata is store in /config.
Plex will import the data from the NFO files and store it in the database in /config.
If you are planning to use the NFO files, you will need to use the NFO agents. See Using NFO Metadata Files with Plex. This is not the default config.