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Back up two things separately: the media files on your NAS and the Plex or Jellyfin data that records your library’s watched status, matches, artwork, users, and settings. Keep copies beyond the NAS itself, include at least one offline or isolated copy, and test that you can restore both parts.
What a complete media-server backup must contain
Your media files and your server’s library state are different data sets. A copy of the films, episodes, music, and photos does not necessarily preserve watch history, artwork, matches, users, or configuration. Conversely, a copy of Plex or Jellyfin’s application data cannot recreate media files that have been deleted or lost.
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- Media: the video, audio, and image files stored on the NAS.
- Server state: the application database, metadata, configuration, and any other application data you need to re-create the library experience.
Plan coverage for both. If you run Plex or Jellyfin in a container, include the persistent host data and configuration volumes you rely on; a path inside a container is not automatically a durable backup.
Choose copies that can survive different failures
Snapshots on a healthy NAS can help roll back accidental changes, but snapshots stored only on that NAS are not an independent copy if the device is lost or damaged. Keep another copy on a separate destination, and make at least one copy offline or otherwise isolated from the NAS and its normal network credentials.
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CISA recommends offline, encrypted backups and regular checks that backups are available and intact. Its cited 3-2-1 strategy is three copies of the data, on two different media types, with one copy off-site. An external drive disconnected between backup runs is one approachable offline option; choose a capacity and connection type that fit your NAS and workflow. A remote copy can also provide off-site protection, but ensure it is protected from the same account or network threat as the NAS.
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| Check | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Does the plan include media files, server database, metadata, configuration, and necessary container or package settings? |
| Separation | Can the same account, device, or network incident damage both the NAS and the backup? |
| Off-site protection | Would theft, fire, or another site-level event affect every copy? |
| Retention | Can you restore an older clean version after corruption or unwanted deletion? |
| Capacity and cost | Is there room for the media collection as well as the smaller but important server-state data? |
| Restore time | Can you retrieve and reassemble the data within a timeframe you can accept? |
| Compatibility | Do you know the server version, installation method, paths, ownership, and permissions needed for a restore? |
| Verification | Have you checked that the backup can be read and restored? |
Back up Plex server data and scheduled databases
Plex recommends backing up the main Plex Media Server data directory. It contains server-side information such as view states, metadata, and settings. The directory location depends on the operating system and NAS platform, so identify the actual path for your installation before configuring a job. On Windows and Linux, Plex says the Cache directory may be excluded to reduce storage and transfer needs. Do not save a zip or tar archive inside the same Plex data directory that the archive is copying.
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Restore a scheduled Plex database copy
- Stop Plex Media Server.
- Move the current database files aside, including any present temporary files with
-shmand-walsuffixes. - Copy the selected scheduled backup into the correct directory under the expected filename, following Plex’s instructions for your platform.
- Confirm that Plex has read/write permission to the files, then start the server.
This restores the database copy, not necessarily every metadata file or the media itself. Keep a separate backup of the full Plex data directory and of the NAS media.
Back up Jellyfin, including its database and metadata
Jellyfin’s built-in backup feature is available starting with version 10.11. In the dashboard’s Backups tab, Database is always included; you can also select Metadata, Subtitles, and Trickplay data. A restore can be started from the dashboard or with --restore-archive. Allow enough space in the backup destination, especially if you include subtitles and trickplay data. Follow the Jellyfin backup and restore documentation for the version and installation type you use.
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Manual Jellyfin backup
If you copy Jellyfin’s files manually, stop the server first. Copying while the database is locked or being written can produce a backup that cannot be recovered. Paths vary by operating system, package, container image, and portable installation. For Docker, back up the host volume mapped behind /config; do not assume the in-container path alone is a persistent backup.
The default Jellyfin library metadata database is jellyfin.db in the data directory, but custom database settings and release behavior can change where or how data is stored. Confirm the paths for your installation rather than treating one path as universal. See Jellyfin’s configuration documentation.
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Set a schedule based on what you can afford to lose
There is no single ideal backup frequency for every media NAS. More frequent runs reduce the amount of newly added media, edited metadata, and watch history you could lose; less frequent runs reduce backup activity and storage use. Decide separately how often to copy the usually large media collection and the smaller server-state data, based on how often each changes and how much rework you would tolerate.
Use versioned retention where possible, so a recent backup that captured a deletion or corruption is not your only recovery point. Protect the backup destination with access controls and encryption, and disconnect an offline drive when it is not actively being used.
Test a restore before you need one
A successful backup job is not proof that the files are usable. Periodically restore to a separate location or test instance, where possible, instead of overwriting the working server. Check that the server can read the restored data and that it sees the expected media paths, metadata, users, and watched status.
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Keep track of the application version and installation details needed for recovery. Jellyfin warns that once a newer version has applied database migrations, the old data may not work with the older version unless you restore a backup. A restore drill helps surface version, path, permission, and capacity problems while the original server is still available.
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