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Jellyfin offers two ways to protect a server: create an archive from the Dashboard, or stop Jellyfin and copy its data and configuration directories. The built-in method is available from Jellyfin 10.11 and can run while the server is online; a manual copy requires a clean shutdown to avoid copying a locked database. In either case, identify the paths your installation actually uses and store a copy somewhere that will survive loss of the server’s active storage.
Choose a backup method
| Method | Service availability | What it backs up | Restore route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in archive | Jellyfin can remain online; choose a quiet period with no active library scan. | Database is always included. Metadata, subtitles, and trickplay data are selectable. | Dashboard Backups tab or command line with --restore-archive PATH_TO_BACKUP_ZIP. |
| Manual copy | Jellyfin must be stopped cleanly before copying. | Copy both the configured data and configuration directories. | Stop Jellyfin, replace the relevant directories with the saved copies, then start a compatible server version. |
Jellyfin’s Backup and Restore documentation says the built-in feature was added in version 10.11. Use it for a convenient archive without taking the service offline; use the manual approach when you want a complete copy of the directories or need to follow a controlled file-level recovery process.
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Use Jellyfin’s built-in Backup feature
- Open the Jellyfin Dashboard and select Backups.
- Choose Create Backup, then select whether to include metadata, subtitles, and trickplay data. The database is always included.
- Create the archive and note where it is saved under the Jellyfin data directory.
The backup process checks that the backup folder has at least 5 GB of free space. Jellyfin cautions that this may not be enough when subtitles or trickplay data are included, so check available storage before starting. Run the backup during a quiet period, particularly when no scan is in progress.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDo not assume the archive directory is at the same absolute path on every installation. For example, Jellyfin documents /var/lib/jellyfin/data/backups for Debian/Ubuntu and RPMFusion package installs. For the official Docker image, the location is beneath the host path mapped to /config; the LinuxServer.io image documents a different nested location. Windows, macOS, and portable installs also have their own defaults. Check the actual data path and Docker volume mappings in Jellyfin’s platform-specific backup instructions.
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Make a manual backup
- Stop Jellyfin cleanly. For Docker, the documented example is
docker stop jellyfin; for Debian/Ubuntu packages, usesudo systemctl stop jellyfin. Follow the appropriate service or container procedure for your installation. - Copy both the Jellyfin data directory and configuration directory to another destination. Use the configured locations if you changed the defaults.
- Name the copy with a date and the Jellyfin version it represents, then verify that the copied files are present before relying on it.
- Start Jellyfin again once the copy is complete.
Do not copy only jellyfin.db. The default SQLite library metadata database is <Data Directory>/jellyfin.db, but Jellyfin’s manual-backup guidance calls for the data and configuration directories, not just that database file. The configuration guide explains how command-line options, environment variables, and platform defaults determine those paths.
A destination of your choice can be a separate disk or another storage location, provided it has room for the selected contents and is independent of the server’s active storage. A second copy on the same failing drive does not protect against that drive’s loss.
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Know what “metadata” includes
Jellyfin’s default library metadata database is stored at <Data Directory>/jellyfin.db. Metadata can also exist as local .nfo files, which Jellyfin can read and write, and chapter images are stored in the metadata directory within the server configuration directory. Jellyfin also supports metadata providers including TMDb, OMDb API, and local NFO files; those sources are described in its metadata documentation and chapter images documentation.
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Find the paths Jellyfin is actually using
Installation type affects defaults, and custom settings take precedence. Jellyfin’s configuration documentation gives the precedence as command-line --datadir and --configdir options, then relevant environment variables, then platform defaults. On non-Windows systems, XDG paths are used when applicable.
- For Docker, inspect the host-to-container volume mappings; the path inside the container is not necessarily the host path you must copy.
- For package, Windows, macOS, or portable installs, use the defaults in Jellyfin’s backup guide only if you have not customized the paths.
- Do not confuse the cache directory with the data and configuration directories required for a manual backup.
Restore a backup safely
Restore a built-in archive
From the Dashboard’s Backups view, choose the archive to restore. Alternatively, start Jellyfin with --restore-archive PATH_TO_BACKUP_ZIP. A web-interface restore restarts the server and makes it unavailable while the restoration runs. Follow the version guidance in Jellyfin’s restore instructions.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Restore a manual copy
- Stop Jellyfin.
- Move the current data and configuration directories aside rather than immediately deleting them.
- Copy the saved directories into the paths Jellyfin is configured to use.
- Start Jellyfin with a compatible version and check the server and library before removing the old directories.
Jellyfin does not provide a downgrade mechanism. Releases can apply database migrations at startup, so preserve a backup before upgrades, especially before trying an unstable release. If a downgrade is necessary during recovery, Jellyfin advises using the same version represented by the backup.
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