JellyBridge

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Common questions about JellyBridge, installation, playback, compatibility and more.

What is JellyBridge?

A native desktop client for Jellyfin, the free media server. It looks and works like Jellyfin's web app but runs as a real desktop program instead of a browser tab, and plays your files with a built-in mpv player.

How is it different from Jellyfin Media Player?

Jellyfin Media Player wraps the web app in an embedded browser. JellyBridge draws its own interface natively in Rust, so it starts in about a tenth of a second, uses around 120 MB of memory while browsing and uses next to no CPU while idle.

Does it support direct play?

Always. mpv plays the original file, with hardware decoding where your graphics card supports it, so your server's CPU stays idle and the picture is never re-encoded. JellyBridge never asks the server to transcode.

Which platforms are supported?

Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, Arch and any other distribution with glibc 2.35 or newer), Windows 10 and 11, and macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon or 15 or later on Intel. See Download.

Do I need to install mpv or FFmpeg?

No. Every package includes the player and the codecs it needs. The Arch package is the one exception: it uses Arch's own mpv package, which pacman installs for you.

Where are settings stored?

Your Jellyfin preferences (Home sections, playback and subtitle choices) are saved on your server, like in the web app. The sign-in and a few local settings are files in your user folder; File locations lists them.

Is there any telemetry?

No. JellyBridge talks only to the Jellyfin server you sign in to. It sends no usage data, crash reports or analytics anywhere. See Privacy.

Is JellyBridge free?

Yes. It is free software under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later: free to use, study, change and share.

Can I use it with my existing Jellyfin server?

Yes. Enter your server's address, sign in with your Jellyfin account or Quick Connect, and your libraries, progress and favorites are all there. Nothing needs to change on the server.

A video will not play, or the picture is black. What can I do?

Start JellyBridge with JELLYBRIDGE_HWDEC=no to rule out hardware decoding. Troubleshooting covers this and other common problems.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Open an issue on GitHub. For a playback problem, include your system, the file's format and what the player's status line shows.

When will the first public release be available?

Version 0.1.0 is built and tested on every supported system, and is being prepared for release. Until then you can build it from source.