this post was submitted on 20 Mar 2025
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Tools to migrate from Plex to Jellyfin? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)
submitted 3 days ago by MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world
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Given the recent news about Plex soon charging for remote access, I wanted to finish up my switch to Jellyfin.

What tools/methods have you all used to migrate watch history to Jellyfin?

I have a few family members in there, and would like to get everything switched over without resetting their watch history.

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[–] fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

I used this: https://github.com/arabcoders/watchstate

It works, really, really well. You just connect it to the servers, and it syncs them by user. You can even let it run regularly while you are in your transition phase as a docker container right next to Plex and Jellyfin.

Mine's even a bit more advanced, as I used samba-domain to set up an LDAP active directory for my fam, then the above to sync the Plex users to those users in Jellyfin, and it still worked great.

Edit: The WebUI is also pretty intuitive, but I did have to run it twice for my user the first time for it to get 100% in sync. Everything was fine after that.

@BakedCatboy@lemmy.ml

[–] MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 hours ago

Thanks! Sounds like the best option

[–] octobob@lemmy.ml -3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think jellyfin offers remote access to your media

[–] capybara@lemm.ee 1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

The entire point of jellyfin is being able to remotely access media (with an good interface and functionality). What do you mean by remote access?

[–] octobob@lemmy.ml 1 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

As in watch the media not on my own network or have other users do the same from their homes.

Music is another big one that jellyfin can't compete with Plex with in its current state. I currently have 718 GB of music that I stream with plexamp when I'm driving.

[–] merthyr1831@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 hours ago

You may have to use port forwarding or a reverse proxy but the end result is functionally identical to plex. IMO the server detection feature of Plex is overengineered for what it is, and I just sit it behind my reverse proxy and connect to it that way.

As for music and apps yeah Plex is pretty nice, but even for audio you could use other services if Jellyfin didn't fit your needs like Navidrome

[–] capybara@lemm.ee 1 points 17 hours ago

You simply expose jellyfin to the internet like you would with any other service. Why did you think it specifically wouldn't work over the internet for jellyfin?

[–] MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It does, just not thorugh their servers like Plex does.

[–] octobob@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Do you have a guide somewhere on how to set it up? I've poked around online and didn't see anything short of tailscaling your container to a web browser which I don't want to do for a few different reasons (opening ports / security mostly)

[–] merthyr1831@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 hours ago

I use nginx proxy manager and expose it behind a subdomain entry on cloudflare (though you can use any DDNS service i bet). NPM handles the security so I get HSTS and HTTPS on Plex and Jellyfin without either needing it set themselves.

From there anyone can access Jellyfin/Plex via my subdomains (plex.mydomain.com or watch.mydomain.com at the mo)

[–] MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Tailscale doesn't require any ports open, or using a web browser with a container, it's just a VPN which is a good way of doing it.

Or you can just open it up with a reverse proxy like any other web server, but I prefer not to do that.

[–] octobob@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I get that it may be technically possible but that is leaps and bounds different than having my senior dad make a Plex account on his fire stick so he can watch movies with his niece, or my fiance's boss is in the hospital with cancer right now and is watching things on his iPad.

I already have a hard time getting people to just make a Plex account and watch on my server and that's the "easy" route.

[–] MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 20 hours ago

Yeah I don't bother with other people on my server unless they really want to, I've long ago given up trying to convince anyone to change their ways, it's up to them.

[–] HappyTimeHarry@lemm.ee 99 points 3 days ago (26 children)

All the folks saying "just buy the lifetime pass" gonna be in for a big disappointment in about 5 years

[–] okamiueru@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago

I got the lifetime pass 5 years ago. I've switched to JF because of the disappointment so far about a year ago.

JF is exactly what I wanted and needed plex to be, and everything added since is a worsened product. The lifetime pass was an attempt at getting the peace of mind of "then you just have it". If anything, only FOSS can give that.

[–] Eldritch@lemmy.world 28 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yep. Enshitification behavior doesn't cease once you're technically a paying customer. If they hadn't made a habit of enshitification. Clawing features away to put behind a paywall I'd give them some support. But I prefer foss anyhow. And for myself, I'm not missing anything.

[–] Obelix@feddit.org 10 points 3 days ago

And those lifetime subscriptions are also a trap. They know that you have the money and are willing to pay and that you're using their service. Do you really think that some business suit will be satisfied by your onetime payment back in 2022?

[–] droolio@feddit.uk 8 points 3 days ago

Won't take that long before the enshittification is complete.

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[–] tron@midwest.social 32 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I think you're looking for https://github.com/arabcoders/watchstate Watchstate will pull from Plex and migrate it into a Jellyfin instance. Emby is also supported. Works with multiple users as well, just do yourself a favor and make sure all usernames match up!!!

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[–] BakedCatboy@lemmy.ml 40 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I think this is the tool you are looking for: https://github.com/luigi311/JellyPlex-Watched

I haven't used it myself but I plan on it eventually when I do make the switch.

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[–] kitnaht@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I sync my watch history with trakt.tv -- I believe there are plugins for both Plex and Jellyfin which can transfer those watch histories via that service. I don't know of any other way.

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[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 9 points 3 days ago (3 children)

If someone wants my Lifetime Plex account they can have it.

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