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EmbyWatch - A brilliant app built by a community user! One of the best things about the Emby community is the creativity that comes from it. Every so often, one of our users takes their love for media servers to the next level and builds something that makes life easier for the rest of us. Today, we’re excited to share EmbyWatch, a brand-new Android app developed by community member @asgard25It is an an incredible example of what happens when passion and innovation meet. A User-Built Tool, Made for Admins What makes this story special is that EmbyWatch wasn’t created by a company or a professional app studio. It was created by one of YOU! — just someone who wanted to make managing a server more intuitive and accessible from anywhere. Want to be even more impressed? This is only the second Android app that asgard25 has developed! EmbyWatch is designed to help server admins and advanced users keep track of what’s happening on their Emby setup in real time. It’s not about playback or browsing media, it’s about giving you the tools to monitor, manage, and control your server, all from your phone. Powerful Features at a Glance EmbyWatch brings a surprising amount of functionality for such a young app. Here’s what it can do: Real-time monitoring: See who’s watching what, where they’re streaming from, and how much bandwidth they’re using — all live. User management: View your users, check activity history, and even send messages directly to connected users. Device overview: Identify every connected client, from smart TVs to mobile apps, with connection times and device info. Library insights: Quickly review all your media libraries with detailed counts and metadata. Task control: Run or schedule maintenance tasks like library scans and metadata updates remotely. Plugin visibility: See your installed plugins and available updates. Logs and server details: Access logs, CPU load, uptime, and more — wherever you are. Notifications and widgets: Stay informed with live alerts and optional Android widgets for quick monitoring. For anyone managing a shared server, EmbyWatch feels like having a live dashboard in your pocket. A True Example of Community Ingenuity We love seeing users like asgard25 take their experience with Emby and turn it into something that benefits everyone. EmbyWatch really is a reflection of how open and flexible the Emby ecosystem can be when people put their ideas into action. This project shows exactly what makes our community special, a shared passion for improving and creating! So whether you’re managing your own home setup or running a multi-user server, EmbyWatch offers a simple, powerful way to stay connected to your system. Huge thanks to asgard25 for sharing EmbyWatch with the community and for showing what’s possible when creativity meets passion. We’re proud to see our users building tools like this that make Emby not just a media server, but a thriving ecosystem shaped by its fans. If you’re an admin or an advanced user, check out EmbyWatch on Google Play and see how it can make managing your server easier than ever. We can’t wait to see what asgard25 — and others in our amazing community — build next.

Keeping Entertainment Family-Friendly: Setting Up Kid Accounts and Parental Controls in Emby One of the most powerful features of Emby is the ability to create individual user accounts. This becomes especially useful for families as parents can give kids their own profiles while keeping control over what content they can access. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up kid accounts and enable parental controls in Emby, step by step. Why Create Kid Accounts? Age-appropriate viewing: Ensure younger family members only see content suited to them. Personalized experience: Kids can have their own watchlists, progress tracking, and favorite shows. Peace of mind: Parents maintain control over what media is available while keeping the main library unrestricted. Step 1: Create a New User Log into your Emby Server Dashboard. Go to Users in the left-hand menu. Click + Add User. Give the account a name (e.g., “Kids” or your child’s name). Choose whether it will be a local user or linked to an Emby Connect account (for remote access). Step 2: Assign Libraries When setting up the account, you’ll have the option to choose which libraries the user can access. For example: Allow access to “Kids Movies” and “Cartoons.” Block access to “Horror,” “Adult Shows,” or any other unsuitable libraries. This ensures your child only sees the content you approve. Step 3: Enable Parental Controls Within the user’s settings, navigate to Parental Controls. Here you can: Set movie and TV show ratings (e.g., allow only PG or below). Restrict unrated content if you prefer. Block specific titles that you don’t want accessible, even if they meet rating criteria. Step 4: Add Playback Restrictions Emby also lets you manage how and where kids can watch content: Limit streaming devices (e.g., only the living room TV, not mobile). Set time restrictions for viewing. Disable certain features like live TV or external plugins. Step 5: Test the Account Once set up, log into the kid’s account yourself to confirm: Only age-appropriate content is visible. The playback settings behave as expected. The account has a fun, personalized feel for your child. This way, you can make adjustments before turning it over to your kids. Conclusion By creating dedicated kid accounts and using Emby’s robust parental controls, you’ll give your children a safe and customized experience while maintaining control over the family media server. It’s simple, effective, and ensures that everyone enjoys Emby their way.