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Long Promised — Long Awaited — Finally Here! We are excited to announce the first release of our all-new range of Emby apps, starting today with Windows and Xbox. With a fully redeveloped native foundation, this update delivers improvements across the board: from remote control and gamepad support to background downloading (Windows), as well as refresh and HDR mode switching, and most importantly, enhanced video playback. The new app also comes with a name change from Emby Theater to simply Emby. The name is the only simplification though: On Windows it supersedes and replaces both current apps, "Emby Theater Desktop" and "Emby Theater" from the Windows store, combining the best of both in a single app. It provides enhanced video playback driven by MPV player under the hood, like and even better than "Emby Theater Desktop", and the Download features which were previously available in the Windows store app only. A primary design goal has been to ensure that users of either previous app encounter no drawbacks when moving to the new version. Video Playback (Windows) Video options in the previous ET Desktop app were not always straightforward. The new Emby app adopts a fundamentally different approach to video playback configuration, which accommodates to a range from least to most knowledgeable users by boiling quality options down to three simple and easy understandable presets alongside a custom mode which allows to control all the underlying options in detail. The main presets are: High Quality A no-compromise choice for the best possible quality, regardless of resource usage. Recommended for powerful PCs with high-end GPUs. Video decoding and filtering occur in software for optimal quality, and output scaling uses custom GPU shaders. Balanced The default and recommended choice for most users. Similar to ET Desktop and a standalone MPV player with default settings. Efficiency Mode MPV player is generally focused on quality rather than power saving, and even with the Balanced preset, you can get short of energy rather quickly when running on batteries. This mode is not built-in or available in the regular MPV player. All video operations are fully performed in hardware while scaling at the video output (no shaders/gpu kernels) gets disabled. Too simplistic for you? Enter the Customize mode where you can control all options in detail to find your perfect setup. Video Playback (Xbox) In the new Xbox app, we have a new playback implementation which is based on ffmpeg and takes place of the HTML video playbaback which which had limited codec and format support. By combining ffmpeg decoding with elements from Windows Media capabilities, it combines the best of both worlds: The rich format and codec support from ffmpeg and the built-in hardware acceleration of the Xbox for playing 4k and HDR videos in the best possible way Automatic Refresh and HDR Mode Switching (Windows & Xbox) Refresh rate switching is now as simple as enabling or disabling a single option. The new app can track its window position across multiple monitors and adapt the refresh rate accordingly. On both Windows and Xbox, it can also automatically toggle HDR mode based on the video content and the capabilities of your monitor and graphics hardware. Download Feature (Windows) With the download feature, you can transfer media from your Emby Server to your client device in a suitable format and size, so you can enjoy your media when you're on the road or without an online connection and even automatically synchronize items based on the watched status. The new Windows app implements this with a completely different approach. Instead of periodically polling and running in the background, it uses Windows Push Notifications for server-side activation and the Windows BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer) service for downloads. As a result, the app runs only briefly whenever the server notifies it about newly available items or when BITS reports a completed download. If you don't use this feature, nothing runs in the background at all. Enhanced Support for Remote Control and Gamepad Input (Windows & Xbox) Remote Control support has been extended to cover almost all functions defined in the Windows Media Center remote button schema. For game controllers, mapping has also been expanded to assign functions to all available controls. New options pages provide a reference for button assignments and allow you to test inputs to ensure everything works as intended. Windows Theme (Windows) As a visual highlight, the Windows app features a new and exclusive Windows theme with Mica material background (Win 11) and seamless integration with your Windows desktop appearance, matching theme colors and dark/light switching accordingly. High Contrast Themes (Windows) As part of the Windows theme, the new Emby app also supports the Windows High Contrast settings. Fonts adjust in size and weight for better visibility, and fewer — but thicker—lines are drawn to enhance readability for those who need it.

EMBY HOW TO BLOGS We will be releasing a variety of how to blogs over the next few weeks during the holidays. A lot of people will be home and have some time to "tinker" with their home servers and these little entries will be a great starting point to working more closely with your server. For more in depth knowledge that these blogs do not cover, or any questions that may pop up, please reach out to any of the staff members on the forums in the appropriate channels and we will be glad to assist you. What Is Emby Connect? Emby Connect is a cloud-based service that simplifies remote access by linking your Emby account to your home server. Instead of manually entering your server's IP address, Emby Connect lets you log in using your Emby account and automatically connects you to your server. This allows for a easy interface to share with your family members who may not even know what an IP address is! It is important to note, though, that Emby Connect is entirely optional. It is not required for remote access as you can always use the address of your server and the local credentials you setup. Setting Up Emby Connect Here’s how to configure Emby Connect for seamless remote access: 1. Link Your Emby Server to Your Account Log in to your Emby Server: Open your browser and navigate to the Emby Server dashboard (e.g., http://localhost:8096). Go to the Users section: On the sidebar, select Users. Link to Emby Connect: Find your user account and click the More button (three dots). Then, choose Connect to Emby Connect. Sign in to Emby Connect: Enter your Emby Connect account credentials. If you don’t have an account, create one at emby.media/connect. 2. Enable Remote Access Navigate to Settings: From the sidebar, select Settings > Network. Verify Remote Access: Ensure the box labeled Allow remote connections to this Emby Server is checked. Test your connection: Use a device outside your home network to log into your Emby account via the Emby app or web interface. Your library should appear automatically if configured correctly. Tip: Emby Connect still requires port forwarding or UPnP, as discussed next. Setting Up Manual Port Forwarding If Emby Connect doesn’t meet your needs or you prefer direct control, you can manually configure port forwarding on your home router. This ensures your server is accessible from outside your local network. What Is Port Forwarding? Port forwarding allows specific incoming traffic (ie, requests to your Emby Server) to bypass your router’s firewall and reach your server directly. It’s a secure and efficient way to enable remote connections. How to Set Up Port Forwarding Step 1: Access Your Router Settings Find your router’s IP address. Commonly, it’s 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. You can confirm this by typing ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig (macOS/Linux) into the command line. Open a web browser and enter the IP address to log into your router. Log in using your router’s username and password (check the router’s manual or sticker if you’re unsure). Step 2: Set Up Port Forwarding Locate the Port Forwarding section: It may be under labels like NAT, Virtual Server, or Advanced Settings. Create a new rule: Service Name: Enter a descriptive name like "Emby Server." Internal IP Address: Enter the local IP address of your Emby Server (find this in Emby > Settings > Network > LAN IP). Internal Port: Use 8096 for HTTP or 8920 for HTTPS (if you have SSL configured). External Port: Match this to the internal port (8096 or 8920). Protocol: Choose TCP or TCP/UDP. Save the rule: Apply the changes and restart your router if necessary. Step 3: Test Remote Access Open a browser and enter your external IP address and port (e.g., http://<Your_External_IP>:8096). If configured correctly, you’ll see your Emby login page. Best Practices for Security While remote access is convenient, it’s important to secure your Emby Server: Use a strong password for your Emby account. Enable HTTPS: Configure an SSL certificate to encrypt your traffic (via Let's Encrypt or another provider). There are a lot of posts on the forums on how to set this up and a lot of different options in which to do so. Restrict access: Use the IP whitelist/blacklist feature in Emby’s Network settings to limit who can connect. Common Issues and Troubleshooting Can’t access the server remotely? Verify the external IP address matches your public IP (use whatismyip.com). Check for typos in your port forwarding rule. Confirm your firewall isn’t blocking the connection. Dynamic IP issues? If your ISP frequently changes your public IP, consider setting up Dynamic DNS (DDNS) to link a domain name (e.g., emby.myserver.net) to your IP. Conclusion Setting up remote connections in Emby is straightforward with options like Emby Connect and manual port forwarding. Whether you prefer the simplicity of Emby Connect or the control of direct address access, you can enjoy your media library wherever you go. Happy streaming!