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Jellyfin offers two ways to back up a server: create an archive from the Dashboard’s Backups tab, or stop Jellyfin and copy its data and configuration directories. The built-in method can run while Jellyfin is online; a manual copy requires a clean stop so the database is not copied while locked. Choose the method that fits your downtime and restore needs, and save a copy somewhere separate from the server’s active storage.
Choose a backup method
| Method | Availability | What it includes | Restore route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in archive | Can run while Jellyfin is online; a quiet period without an active library scan is recommended. | Database is always included. Metadata, subtitles, and trickplay data are selectable. | Dashboard restore or the --restore-archive PATH_TO_BACKUP_ZIP startup option. |
| Manual copy | Jellyfin must be stopped cleanly before copying. | Copy the complete data and configuration directories. | Stop Jellyfin, replace the relevant directories with the saved copies, then start a compatible Jellyfin version. |
The built-in Backup feature was added in Jellyfin 10.11, according to the project’s Backup and Restore documentation. The Dashboard archive is simpler to create and restore. A manual copy gives you a direct copy of both required directories, but you must find the paths for your particular installation and manage the replacement yourself.
Create a built-in backup
- Open the Jellyfin Dashboard and select Backups.
- Choose Create Backup and select whether to include metadata, subtitles, and trickplay data. The database is included automatically.
- Create the archive. Jellyfin writes it under the server’s data directory, inside
data/backups. - Copy the resulting archive to storage separate from the Jellyfin server so it remains available if the server’s storage fails.
Jellyfin’s backup process checks that the backup folder has at least 5 GB of free space. Its documentation warns that this may not be enough when subtitles or trickplay data are included, so allow additional capacity when selecting those options. The server can remain online during this backup, but avoid running it during an active scan if possible.
Find the archive location
The exact location depends on the installation and configured paths. For Debian/Ubuntu and RPMFusion package installations, Jellyfin documents /var/lib/jellyfin/data/backups. For Docker, the archive is inside the data directory in the host location mapped to /config for the official image. LinuxServer.io’s Docker image uses a different documented nested path. Windows, macOS, and portable installations also have their own defaults. Check the actual volume mappings and configured data directory rather than assuming a default applies. Jellyfin lists the platform paths in its Backup and Restore guide.
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Restore a built-in archive
Restore from the Dashboard’s Backups view, or start Jellyfin with --restore-archive PATH_TO_BACKUP_ZIP, substituting the archive’s actual path. A Dashboard restore restarts the server; Jellyfin will be unavailable while the restore runs.
Make a manual backup
- Identify the server’s configured data and configuration directories. Do not rely on a default if you have changed paths.
- Stop Jellyfin cleanly. For example, Docker users can run
docker stop jellyfin; Debian/Ubuntu package users can runsudo systemctl stop jellyfin. - Copy both the data directory and the configuration directory to a destination of your choice.
- Name the copy with a date and Jellyfin version, then store it separately from the active server storage.
- Start Jellyfin again after the copy has completed.
Stopping first matters because Jellyfin warns that its active database may be locked and might not be recoverable if copied while the server is running. Do not treat jellyfin.db as the whole backup: it is the default SQLite library metadata database at <Data Directory>/jellyfin.db, but the manual procedure calls for both data and configuration directories.
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Locate the right data and configuration paths
Jellyfin’s path precedence is: command-line options such as --datadir and --configdir, then relevant environment variables, then platform defaults. On non-Windows systems, XDG paths apply where relevant. The data directory is the base for several server files; cache has its own path and should not be confused with the data and configuration directories that the backup procedure protects. See Jellyfin’s Configuration documentation for path precedence and platform-specific defaults.
Library metadata is stored in SQLite by default, but metadata can also involve local files and artwork. Jellyfin can read and write local .nfo files, alongside providers such as TMDb and OMDb API; chapter images are stored in the metadata directory within the server configuration directory. These distinctions are why a complete directory backup is safer than copying only the database. Jellyfin documents these details in its Metadata guide and Chapter Images guide.
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Restore a manual copy safely
- Stop Jellyfin.
- Move the current data and configuration directories aside rather than deleting them immediately.
- Copy the saved directories into the expected paths.
- Start Jellyfin with a version compatible with the backup and check that the library, users, and settings are present.
- Keep the moved-aside directories until the restored server has been verified.
Version matters during recovery. Jellyfin applies migrations on startup and does not provide a downgrade mechanism. The Backup and Restore guide advises using the same version represented by the backup if a downgrade is required. Preserve a backup before any major upgrade, especially before trying an unstable release.
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Make the backup useful in a real failure
- Keep at least one backup outside the storage used by the running Jellyfin server; otherwise, a failure affecting that storage may also destroy the backup.
- For a built-in archive, select the optional content deliberately and leave enough free space, particularly when including subtitles or trickplay data.
- For a manual copy, record the server version and the paths copied so you can restore them to the expected locations.
- Before an upgrade, create a fresh backup and retain it until the upgraded server has been checked.
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