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Plex works best with the FUSE mounting method, which mounts your TorBox media as a virtual filesystem. This makes files appear as if they’re stored locally on your system, allowing Plex to scan and play them like any other media.

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Why use FUSE for Plex?

The FUSE mounting method is recommended for Plex and other media players that don’t support STRM files:
  • Native filesystem - Files appear as real files to Plex
  • Broad compatibility - Works with Plex, VLC, Infuse, and any media player
  • Zero storage - Virtual files take up no disk space
  • Direct streaming - TorBox Media Center handles streaming in the background
For Plex, VLC, Infuse, and most other media players, use MOUNT_METHOD=fuse

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System requirements

The FUSE method requires:
  • Linux/Unix/BSD based system
  • FUSE kernel support - Most Linux systems have this built-in
  • MacOS - Supported via MacFUSE
  • Not Windows - Windows doesn’t support FUSE natively
If you’re unsure whether your system supports FUSE, try running the container. It will give an error if FUSE is unavailable.

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Setup steps

1

Configure TorBox Media Center for FUSE

Set the MOUNT_METHOD environment variable to fuse and add required Docker capabilities:
docker run -it -d \
    --name=torbox-media-center \
    --restart=always \
    --init \
    -v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox \
    --device /dev/fuse:/dev/fuse \
    --cap-add SYS_ADMIN \
    --security-opt apparmor:unconfined \
    -e TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY> \
    -e MOUNT_METHOD=fuse \
    -e MOUNT_PATH=/torbox \
    anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
Or with Docker Compose:
name: torbox-media-center
services:
    torbox-media-center:
        container_name: torbox-media-center
        stdin_open: true
        tty: true
        restart: always
        volumes:
            - /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox
        devices:
            - /dev/fuse:/dev/fuse
        environment:
            - TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY>
            - MOUNT_METHOD=fuse
            - MOUNT_PATH=/torbox
        cap_add:
            - SYS_ADMIN
        security_opt:
            - apparmor:unconfined
        image: anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
The --device, --cap-add, and --security-opt flags are required for FUSE to work in Docker.
2

Configure Plex volume mapping

Add the TorBox Media Center path to your Plex container. Use the host system path:
-v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox-media-center
This makes the files available inside your Plex container at /torbox-media-center.
3

Add libraries in Plex

In your Plex web interface:
  1. Go to Settings > Libraries
  2. Click “Add Library”
  3. For Movies:
    • Library type: Movies
    • Add folder: /torbox-media-center/movies
  4. Click “Add Library” again
  5. For TV Shows:
    • Library type: TV Shows
    • Add folder: /torbox-media-center/series
  6. Save and scan libraries
4

Configure library scanning

Configure Plex to scan for new content:
  1. Go to Settings > Library
  2. Set “Scan my library automatically” based on your needs
  3. Consider your MOUNT_REFRESH_TIME when setting scan intervals

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Understanding the FUSE mount

FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) creates a virtual filesystem that:
  • Emulates a real filesystem on your computer
  • Makes files appear as if they’re stored locally
  • Handles streaming from TorBox in the background
  • Presents zero-byte placeholder files that expand when accessed

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Read-only filesystem

The FUSE mount is read-only by design. You cannot:
  • Rename files
  • Delete files
  • Move files around
  • Modify file metadata
To delete a file, remove it from your TorBox account. The mount will update automatically on the next refresh.

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Performance considerations

The FUSE method can have some performance impacts:
  • Slower file listing - Reading directory structures can be slower than physical files
  • Higher resource usage - Emulating a filesystem uses more CPU and memory
  • Docker compatibility - May not play well with some Docker setups
For most users, these impacts are minimal and worth the trade-off for Plex compatibility.

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Troubleshooting

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FUSE mount fails to start

Check that:
  1. Your system supports FUSE (Linux/Unix/MacOS only)
  2. Docker has the required capabilities (--cap-add SYS_ADMIN)
  3. The /dev/fuse device is mapped (--device /dev/fuse:/dev/fuse)
  4. AppArmor isn’t blocking FUSE (--security-opt apparmor:unconfined)

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Plex can’t see files

Verify:
  1. Volume mapping uses the correct host system path
  2. Plex container has the same mount path configured
  3. File permissions allow the Plex user to read the mount path

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Playback is slow or buffering

Consider:
  1. Your internet connection speed to TorBox
  2. Enabling the proxy option if your connection is slow
  3. Checking TorBox service status

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Cannot modify files error

The FUSE mount is read-only by design. To manage files:
  1. Use your TorBox account to delete/modify downloads
  2. Wait for the next mount refresh
  3. Plex will see the updated library

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