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The most reliable NAS setup is Jellyfin in a supported container, with its configuration and cache stored outside the container and separate media folders for Movies, Music, and Home Videos. On Synology, use Container Manager on DSM 7.0 or newer, mount those folders into the container, then test direct play before configuring hardware transcoding.
What you need before installing Jellyfin
Jellyfin is a self-hosted media server: it indexes files stored on your NAS and presents them through web, mobile, television and streaming-device clients. The server does not make every file universally compatible. Each client reports the codecs, resolution, bitrate, subtitle capabilities and other limits it supports; Jellyfin then chooses direct play, direct stream or transcoding for that particular session.
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Prepare the NAS and your library before creating the container. Your decisions about storage, permissions and client compatibility have more impact than the installation clicks.
NAS requirements
- A container runtime supported by the NAS firmware. On Synology, the documented route is Docker through Container Manager on DSM 7.0 or newer.
- Enough capacity for the largest source files, future additions, Jellyfin metadata, the transcode cache and filesystem overhead. Estimate from your actual library rather than a generic “media server” number.
- A CPU or integrated GPU appropriate for the number of streams you expect to transcode. Direct-play-heavy households can often use modest hardware; frequent 4K or HDR conversion needs more capable, supported video hardware.
- Reliable storage redundancy and a backup plan. RAID or a similar arrangement can reduce downtime, but it is not a replacement for a separate backup.
- A wired network connection for the NAS where practical, especially when serving high-bitrate 4K files.
Client inventory
List every device that will play media: browser, phone, smart-TV application, games console and streaming box. Note whether each device supports HEVC, HDR, multichannel audio and the subtitle formats in your collection. A file that direct-plays on a recent television may transcode on a browser or older streaming stick.
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Plan the folders and permissions
Keep the three content types in separate top-level folders. A simple share might look like this:
Media/Movies/ Movie folders and film files
Media/Music/ Artist and album folders
Media/Home Videos/ Family recordings, preferably grouped by date or event
Docker/jellyfin/config/ Jellyfin database and configuration
Docker/jellyfin/cache/ Temporary artwork and transcoding dataThe names are examples; use paths that match your NAS shares. The important properties are stable paths, separate libraries and persistent storage outside the container’s writable layer.
Why separate libraries matter
Movies and personal recordings need different metadata behavior. A movie scanner can identify a commercial film from its title and year, while a family recording may have no match at all. If both are in one folder, a provider can attach the wrong poster, cast list or description. A dedicated Home Videos library lets you browse those files without asking movie databases to identify them.
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Music also has its own scanner and expected hierarchy. Preserve an artist/album structure where possible, for example Music/Artist/Album/01 - Track.ext. For home videos, filenames such as 2024-07-18 - Summer holiday - beach.mp4 are more useful than movie-style titles.
Set access deliberately
Give the container identity read access to the media share and read/write access to the Jellyfin configuration and cache directories. Do not grant broad write access to the media tree unless you have a specific reason. Read-only media mounts reduce the chance that an application mistake or compromised service can alter your originals.
Create the configuration and cache directories before deployment. If they are left inside the container, deleting or recreating that container can remove the database, users, library definitions and artwork.
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Install Jellyfin with Synology Container Manager
Synology’s documented installation method is Docker through Container Manager on DSM 7.0 or newer. Labels and screen layouts can vary between DSM releases, so treat the current Jellyfin container instructions and the image’s current settings as the authority for any field that differs on your system.
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- Update DSM if necessary and confirm that the NAS is running DSM 7.0 or newer.
- Open Package Center and install Container Manager, or verify that it is already installed and running.
- Confirm that the NAS has enough free space for the image, configuration database, artwork and cache.
2. Download the official image
In Container Manager, use the registry or project instructions to obtain the official Jellyfin image. Official images are published for multiple CPU architectures through Docker Hub and the GitHub Container Registry, but the image architecture must still match your NAS. Do not assume that an image built for an x86 NAS will run on an ARM model.
3. Create persistent storage mappings
Create a container project or container and map the NAS directories as bind mounts. A typical mapping is:
| NAS folder | Container path | Access | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Docker/jellyfin/config |
/config |
Read/write | Database, users, settings and metadata state |
Docker/jellyfin/cache |
/cache |
Read/write | Temporary cache and working files |
Media |
/media |
Read-only where possible | Movies, Music and Home Videos |
Jellyfin’s container documentation recommends bind mounts for a straightforward deployment and supports mounting multiple media libraries. Keep the container paths stable: changing /media to another path later can require correcting every library definition.
4. Configure networking and restart behavior
Expose the web port selected by the image; HTTP commonly uses port 8096. Bind it only to the local network unless you have deliberately designed a secure remote-access setup. Set the container to restart automatically after a NAS reboot, and leave enough CPU, memory and storage headroom for normal NAS services.
Do not publish more ports than you need. Remote access introduces authentication, TLS, firewall and update responsibilities that are separate from getting Jellyfin working on your home network.
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5. Start the container and open the wizard
- Start the container and wait for its status to become running.
- From a computer on the same network, open the NAS address and the mapped Jellyfin web port in a browser.
- Create the administrator account, select the display language and choose metadata preferences.
- Create three libraries: Movies, Music and Home Videos.
- For each library, choose the matching content type and select its folder under
/media(for example,/media/Movies). - Allow the initial scan to complete before judging whether titles or artwork are missing.
Organize files so scans and metadata work
Movies
Use one folder per film when practical and include the title and release year in the folder or filename, such as Movies/Example Film (2023)/Example Film (2023).mkv. Keep alternate cuts, subtitles and related files together. Consistent naming gives the movie scanner enough context to distinguish similarly titled releases.
Music
Use an artist/album hierarchy and preserve track numbers. Jellyfin can then group tracks into albums and artists instead of presenting a flat list of files. Compilation albums and multiple-disc releases may need more careful tagging; correct embedded tags are useful when filenames alone are ambiguous.
Home videos
Group recordings by year, event or family member, and use dates in filenames. Avoid placing home videos in the Movies directory. If you want custom artwork or descriptions, add them within the Home Videos library rather than relying on commercial movie metadata providers.
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Jellyfin has three relevant playback outcomes:
| Mode | What happens | Typical server load |
|---|---|---|
| Direct play | The client receives the original video, audio and subtitles without conversion. | Lowest; mainly file serving and network I/O. |
| Direct stream | The video may remain unchanged while Jellyfin repackages the container or converts an incompatible audio or subtitle component. | Usually lower than video transcoding, but not zero. |
| Transcoding | Jellyfin converts video and/or audio to a format the client can use. Subtitles may be rendered into the video. | Potentially high CPU/GPU use, storage I/O and bandwidth. |
Direct play is determined by the client, not by the file extension alone. Codec support, container support, resolution, bitrate, audio format, subtitle type and network conditions all matter. A client can direct-play one HEVC file and transcode another because the second has a different audio track, bitrate or subtitle format.
Test before changing settings
- Play a typical 1080p movie on every important client.
- Play a 4K file and an HEVC file.
- Play a file with subtitles, including the subtitle format your household uses most.
- Play a representative home video recorded by your phone or camera.
- Open the Jellyfin dashboard during playback and record whether the session is direct play, direct stream or transcoding.
If a file is incompatible, Jellyfin may convert the video or audio. Subtitle burn-in is especially demanding because the subtitle graphics must be rendered into each video frame. Disabling subtitles or choosing a client-compatible text subtitle can change the outcome, but it is better to test the real files and clients than to rely on assumptions.
When and how to enable hardware acceleration
Hardware acceleration is optional when nearly everything direct-plays. It becomes valuable when multiple clients transcode at once, when older devices cannot decode your files, or when 4K/HDR material must be converted for an SDR or lower-resolution display.
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Supported acceleration families
Jellyfin documents paths for Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV), AMD VA-API, Nvidia NVENC, Apple VideoToolbox and Rockchip RKMPP. The correct choice depends on the hardware actually present in the NAS, the host operating system and the drivers available to the container.
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|---|---|---|
| Modern Intel integrated graphics | Intel QSV | Supported iGPU, host drivers, device mapping and compatible FFmpeg support |
| AMD graphics | VA-API | Supported GPU, correct device permissions and VA-API drivers |
| Nvidia GPU | NVENC | Supported GPU, host driver/runtime and container access to the device |
| Apple hardware | VideoToolbox | Supported Apple platform and operating-system integration |
| Rockchip hardware | RKMPP | Supported Rockchip device, kernel support and container access |
NAS manufacturers often restrict kernel drivers, device access or third-party packages. A model with a large number of drive bays is not automatically a good transcoding server. Check whether the firmware can expose the GPU or integrated GPU to containers before buying or configuring around hardware acceleration.
Enable it safely
- Identify the NAS processor or GPU and confirm that Jellyfin documents a matching acceleration method.
- Configure the container’s device permissions and mappings as required by that method.
- In Jellyfin, open Dashboard → Playback and select the matching hardware-acceleration backend.
- Enable only codecs and features that the hardware and bundled FFmpeg build support.
- Test a known transcode and watch the dashboard, NAS resource monitor and playback for errors.
A setting selected in Jellyfin cannot compensate for a missing kernel driver or a device that was never passed into the container. If the option is unavailable, playback fails, or the server falls back to software conversion, undo the unsupported setting and verify the host and container permissions first.
HDR limitations
Jellyfin documents hardware tone-mapping from HDR10 and HLG to SDR. Its documentation also states that HDR-to-HDR tone mapping is not currently supported. Therefore, a household that expects HDR conversion between different HDR formats should verify the client path rather than assuming the NAS can perform it.
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Capacity and transcoding are separate decisions. Calculate the space occupied by your current files, then add room for new media, artwork, databases, cache files and filesystem overhead. Keep the largest individual file in mind when evaluating storage throughput and network performance.
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| Planning question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How large is the largest file? | Determines storage headroom, read throughput and the effect of network interruptions. |
| How many people may watch simultaneously? | Sets the potential number of concurrent sessions. |
| How many sessions require transcoding? | Determines CPU/GPU acceleration needs. |
| Will 4K or HDR be common? | Raises bandwidth and conversion requirements, especially for older clients. |
| Can the firmware run containers and expose video devices? | Determines whether the intended Jellyfin deployment is practical. |
| How will data be backed up? | Protects the database, users and library configuration as well as the media. |
Backups, upgrades and maintenance
Back up the Jellyfin configuration and database directories, not only the media files. The configuration contains users, library definitions, preferences and other state that would otherwise have to be recreated. Include the cache if your recovery procedure expects it, although cache data is generally less valuable than the database.
- Schedule backups of
/configto storage separate from the live container. - Document the NAS paths, container paths, image architecture and port mapping.
- Before changing paths or permissions, stop the container or follow Jellyfin’s documented migration and backup procedure.
- Update the NAS firmware and Jellyfin image on a planned schedule rather than during an urgent playback problem.
- After a major update, test library access, user login, direct play and hardware-accelerated transcoding again.
Keep at least one recovery copy that is not permanently mounted to the NAS. A ransomware event, failed storage pool or accidental deletion can otherwise affect both the media and its backup.
Troubleshooting common problems
The container starts, but no media appears
- Check that the NAS folder is mapped to the exact container path used in the library, such as
/media/Movies. - Verify that the container identity can read the share and traverse every parent directory.
- Confirm that the library type is correct and run a manual scan.
- Look for case-sensitive path differences or a mount that was removed after a NAS restart.
Movies have wrong posters or titles
- Move personal recordings out of the Movies path.
- Use a folder and filename containing the title and year for commercial films.
- Correct the match from the item’s metadata menu after confirming the file is in the right library.
Playback constantly transcodes
- Check the dashboard for the exact reason: unsupported video codec, audio codec, container, bitrate, resolution or subtitle handling.
- Try the same file without subtitles and on another client.
- Compare the client’s documented codec support with the file’s actual media information.
- Do not enable hardware acceleration until the server can access a supported GPU or integrated GPU.
Hardware acceleration is selected but unused
- Confirm that the NAS has the expected Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Apple or Rockchip hardware.
- Verify host drivers, device permissions and container mappings.
- Check that the selected codecs are supported by the hardware and Jellyfin’s FFmpeg build.
- Test with a conversion that the hardware is expected to handle, then inspect the dashboard and system monitor.
The server becomes slow during playback
Check whether several sessions are transcoding, whether subtitle burn-in is occurring, and whether the transcode cache is on slow or nearly full storage. Reduce unnecessary conversions by using clients that support your files, while keeping hardware acceleration available for sessions that genuinely need it.
Choosing or upgrading NAS hardware
Compare NAS options on more than raw capacity. The relevant axes are container support and firmware restrictions, CPU or integrated-GPU codec support, expected simultaneous transcodes, storage expandability and drive redundancy, network speed, noise, power use and backup convenience.
A high-capacity NAS with no usable hardware acceleration can be a poor fit for a household that regularly converts 4K HDR video. A smaller appliance with a supported Intel integrated GPU may better match that workload, provided it has enough bays and storage for the library. Conversely, paying for a powerful GPU brings little benefit if every client direct-plays the original files.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- DSM and Container Manager meet the supported version requirements.
- The Jellyfin image architecture matches the NAS.
/configand/cacheare persistent bind mounts.- Media is mounted at a stable path and the container can read it.
- Movies, Music and Home Videos are separate Jellyfin libraries.
- A representative file plays on each important client.
- The dashboard confirms whether sessions direct-play, direct-stream or transcode.
- Hardware acceleration is enabled only after the required device and drivers are available.
- HDR10/HLG-to-SDR expectations account for Jellyfin’s documented HDR-to-HDR limitation.
- Configuration and database backups have been tested, not merely scheduled.
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