This guide walks you through each screen of the Jellyfin setup wizard and explains what to configure at every step so you can finish the initial setup with confidence.
You can complete the wizard in just a few minutes and fine tune advanced settings later from the admin dashboard.
Server name and language selection
When you first open Jellyfin, the setup wizard starts with basic server identification and language settings.
Do not change the server name
The server name is prefilled and defaults to the system hostname. Leave this value unchanged. It helps identify the server internally and changing it is not required for normal operation.
Select your preferred display language. This setting only affects the client you are currently using. Server wide language preferences are configured later.
Click Next to continue.
Administrator account setup
This step creates the main administrator account used to manage Jellyfin.
Create the admin user
Enter a username and choose a strong password. This account has full control over server settings and libraries.
You can create additional users and administrator accounts after finishing the setup wizard.
Click Next to continue.
Add media libraries
Media libraries define where Jellyfin looks for your movies, shows, music, and other content.
Add or skip libraries
Click the + button to add a new library.
In the popup window:
Select a content type from the Content type dropdown.
Set a friendly name in the Display name field.
Add one or more media folders using the + button.
If your folders are not visible, this usually indicates file permission issues on the server.
You can also click Next without adding anything and configure libraries later from the dashboard.
Preferred metadata language
This page controls how Jellyfin fetches metadata such as titles, descriptions, and artwork.
Set metadata language and region
Choose your preferred language and region. These settings act as the server wide default.
If metadata is unavailable in your selected language, Jellyfin may fall back to other languages. You can override these settings individually for each library later.
Click Next to continue.
Networking settings
Basic network options are configured here.
Recommended networking options
For most users:
Enable Allow remote access to this server so Jellyfin is reachable from outside your local network.
Disable Enable automatic port mapping and handle port forwarding manually if needed.
These settings can be changed later from the admin panel.
Click Next to continue.
Final steps and recommendations
You have now completed the Jellyfin setup wizard.
Recommended next actions
To get the best experience:
Configure remote access so you can use Jellyfin outside your home network.
Enable hardware acceleration to improve playback performance and reduce CPU usage.
For more information, please refer to the official Jellyfin documentation.