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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.

Metadata is the backbone of any Emby server. Accurate metadata not only helps you organize your media but also enhances the browsing experience by providing details such as posters, cast information, and plot summaries. In our next how to guide, we’ll explore how to get the best metadata for your media library in Emby and customize metadata to suit your preferences. Why Metadata Matters Metadata turns a bland file list into an engaging media library. Instead of scrolling through filenames, you can browse visually stunning posters, read synopses, and see ratings or actors at a glance. This makes it easier to find what you want to watch and enjoy your media library to its fullest. Step 1: Setting Up Metadata Agents Metadata agents in Emby are responsible for fetching the information about your media. To configure them: Navigate to Metadata Settings: Go to your Emby Server dashboard. Click on Library, then select the library you want to configure. Choose Metadata Providers: Select metadata providers like TheMovieDB (for movies), TheTVDB (for TV shows), or MusicBrainz (for music). Drag and drop the providers to prioritize which one Emby should use first. Enable Automatic Updates: Make sure "Download metadata from the internet" is checked. This ensures Emby fetches metadata when new content is added. Language Preferences: Specify the language for metadata and artwork to match your preference. Step 2: Organizing Media for Better Metadata Matching Metadata accuracy heavily depends on how well your media files are named and organized. Follow these tips: Use Proper File Naming Conventions: Movies: MovieName (Year).ext (e.g., Inception (2010).mkv) TV Shows: ShowName/Season XX/ShowName - SXXEYY.ext (e.g., Breaking Bad/Season 01/Breaking Bad - S01E01.mkv) Organize Media into Folders: Separate movies, TV shows, and music into different folders. Group collections (e.g., trilogies) into subfolders for easier management. Avoid Extra Characters: Remove unnecessary text like resolution (e.g., [1080p]) or release group names. Step 3: Fixing Mismatched or Missing Metadata Even with proper organization, mismatches can happen. Here’s how to resolve them: Manually Edit Metadata: Open the Emby web app and locate the mismatched media. Click the three-dot menu next to the item, then select Edit Metadata. Correct the title or year and let Emby re-fetch the metadata. Use the Identify Tool: On the Edit Metadata page, use the Identify option to manually search for the correct entry in the provider’s database. Replace Incorrect Posters or Images: From the Edit Metadata page, go to the Images tab. Browse and select new images from the metadata providers or upload your own. Step 4: Customizing Metadata If you’re a power user, customizing metadata allows you to make your library uniquely yours. Enable NFO File Saving: In the Metadata settings, enable saving metadata as NFO files. These are XML files stored alongside your media, allowing you to edit them directly. Create Custom Metadata: Open the NFO file with a text editor. Add or modify tags such as <title>, <plot>, or <cast> to change how the media appears in Emby. Bulk Metadata Management: Use tools like Media Companion or TinyMediaManager to batch edit metadata and export it to NFO files for use with Emby. Step 5: Optimizing Metadata for Large Libraries If you’ve got a large collection, metadata fetching can strain your server. Optimize the process with these tips: Schedule Metadata Updates: In the Library settings, schedule metadata scans during off-peak hours to reduce server load. Use Local Metadata: Preload metadata by saving it as NFO files or by downloading artwork to local folders. Getting the best metadata in Emby doesn’t have to be complicated. By setting up metadata agents, organizing your media files properly, and learning to fix common issues, you can transform your library into a stunning, easy-to-navigate collection. For power users, customizing metadata opens up even more possibilities, making your Emby experience truly unique. Start fine-tuning your metadata today and enjoy a richer, more immersive Emby server experience today!