User Settings - Server vs Device

[Thomas64 40]

Could the way User Settings are handled be changed so that:

1 - Every setting that is changed via the Admin/Server - Users settings page becomes the new default for that particular user (instead of the Emby supplied default).

2 - Any setting that is changed appropriate for an end user to change from within that particular user account being signed in is saved at the local device level, and would be used instead of Server specified defaults.

This wouild:

A - Allow us to adjust the default behavior when NO local settings exist.

B - Still have local device specific settings override what have been set as Server defaults. (Allowing the same User to have different settings per Device - as it is now.)

It doesn't seem like the logic would be that much different than it is now. Assuming if no local settings already exist today, the Server has to pass along what it has them as for a starting point.

The change wouild just be allowing us to alter what any of those base default settings are.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Thomas64
altered #2

[Luke 42077]

Hi, yes at some point we'll revamp the way we do settings and we'll be able to have these kinds of cascading abilities. Thanks for the feedback.

[CBers 7450]

Seeing as my newly posted request has been deemed a duplicate of this and has been locked, how close are to getting this implemented please?
 

[Rocoteptron 2]

That would be a great feature. Because at the moment every new user has not activated the "backdrop" function by default. It would be very good if I could turn on the "backdrop" feature by default for all users.

[Luan kaique 1]

On 22/11/2021 at 11:25, Luke said:

Olá, sim, em algum momento vamos reformular a maneira como fazemos as configurações e poderemos ter esses tipos de habilidades em cascata. Obrigado pelo feedback.

Teria como ter a opção de colocar quantos dias o usuário pode usar e após esses dias de uso ser bloqueado AUTOMATICAMENTE?

 

On 22/11/2021 at 11:25, Luke said:

Olá, sim, em algum momento vamos reformular a maneira como fazemos as configurações e poderemos ter esses tipos de habilidades em cascata. Obrigado pelo feedback.

 

[Luke 42077]

1 hour ago, Luan kaique said:

Teria como ter a opção de colocar quantos dias o usuário pode usar e após esses dias de uso ser bloqueado AUTOMATICAMENTE?

 

 

HI, é possível para o futuro, obrigado.

[chef 3810]

Are the user settings saved in local storage on the browser, or are they saved in a user xml somewhere?

[Luke 42077]

15 hours ago, chef said:

Are the user settings saved in local storage on the browser, or are they saved in a user xml somewhere?

It varies per option.

[Dan833 7]

According to this i don't think it will happen.

 

 

[Spritzup 3]

I'd like to lend my support to this idea, specifically the ability to have collections show by default or not, see here -->

 

 

[warrentc3 47]

100%

Sometimes it's an adventure just to help some family get logged in when I'm not physically there.  Let alone the needful tweaking of some of the UI elements and transcode settings to ensure a consistent experience.

At least being able to do things like disabling direct play of live tv at a server level... is a sorely needed option.

[OnyxUK 84]

i will re quote 

Hey i have tried looking but cant see anyone asking for this yet unless i have missed it somewhere. would it be possible to have an added control to the admin pre-sets for other users for the way there layout is set up. this would be for users that use the tv mode vertical or horizontal. 

currently admins can pre-setup certain configurations for users but one that cant be done is to have a default setting for horizontal or vertical layouts.

@Luke 

Hi, currently you can set settings on the server that are saved across devices.

 The layout is device specific as you may want it set differently on various screens. So that’s why you don’t see it there.

yes i know you can set certain settings but no all of these work and the only one that isnt available is to change the vertical or horizontal settings. i personally dont see the need to have settings different on 3 tv's because they are different devices? surely it would make more sense to have a phone, tablet, tv, web and theatre. also just to add that users can change the settings anyway when they launch the app if they wish too but all my family like the horizontal layout as it feels less cluttered and to set this on the admins end will save me so much time trying to change or explain on how to  change it 

 

Onyx

[Luke 42077]

Actually the horizontal home screen option is already saved across devices for each user, so you're good to go there.

[DMazer 7]

I really hope this feature becomes a reality.  I am having issues with some of my users, and how things are displayed depending on when a user is added. I would like the user experience to be identical for all my users.  I have had some mention that it looks different for them.  I did some checking, and it turns out when I make a change to the Admin (add new category) it is placed at the bottom, when I want it in a specific order... IE.. I added a SPOTLIGHT section to highlight new additions, and they don't see it unless they scroll across.  I would like it in the front, first thing they see.  I have no way to do this for existing users.  New users adopt the default layout.  I went so far as to put a number ie... 01. Spotlight, 02. 2000-Present ect... thinking it would put them in alphabetical order automatically, but it doesn't even do that.  That idea was a bust.

Thank you for all the hard work you do on this project.... i do love to use EMBY. 

[ebr 16169]

16 hours ago, DMazer said:

I have no way to do this for existing users

Hi.  You can change a user's settings from their setup screen.

[DMazer 7]

12 hours ago, ebr said:

Hi.  You can change a user's settings from their setup screen.

Hi, Thank you for your quick reply..... That would mean, I would have to visit each user to fix any setup issues from there device.  That doesn't make much sense.  I have family out of state, I can't travel to them to fix it.  Most of my family are not savvy enough for me to even attempt to walk them through settings.

Edited December 1, 2025 by DMazer

[Luke 42077]

1 hour ago, DMazer said:

Hi, Thank you for your quick reply..... That would mean, I would have to visit each user to fix any setup issues from there device.  That doesn't make much sense.  I have family out of state, I can't travel to them to fix it.  Most of my family are not savvy enough for me to even attempt to walk them through settings.

Hi, no, you don't see to be on site with them in order to do it:

Users

[DMazer 7]

14 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, no, you don't see to be on site with them in order to do it:

Users

Hi, I think you don't understand my original post.... I use the USERS section to create users, but I cannot manage what they see and the order they see it within the admin section user profile.  If the Dev team updated the Admin section to include the ability to re-arrange (re-order) the categories within each user profile, that would solve my issue.  That ability appears only within the users profile once they login to the web interface.  Which would mean I would have to visit each users device or ask them for their Emby Connect password to fix.  Here is my original post....

Quote

 

I really hope this feature becomes a reality.  I am having issues with some of my users, and how things are displayed depending on when a user is added. I would like the user experience to be identical for all my users.  I have had some mention that it looks different for them.  I did some checking, and it turns out when I make a change to the Admin (add new category) it is placed at the bottom, when I want it in a specific order... IE.. I added a SPOTLIGHT section to highlight new additions, and they don't see it unless they scroll across.  I would like it in the front, first thing they see.  I have no way to do this for existing users.  New users adopt the default layout.  I went so far as to put a number ie... 01. Spotlight, 02. 2000-Present ect... thinking it would put them in alphabetical order automatically, but it doesn't even do that.  That idea was a bust.

Thank you for all the hard work you do on this project.... i do love to use EMBY. 

 

 

[GrimReaper 4739]

31 minutes ago, DMazer said:

I use the USERS section to create users, but I cannot manage what they see and the order they see it within the admin section user profile.

Yes, you can. Click on the link previously advised:

On 11/30/2025 at 7:33 PM, ebr said:

Hi.  You can change a user's settings from their setup screen.

and also referenced here:

14 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, no, you don't see to be on site with them in order to do it:

Users

Quote

User Profile and Preferences

These can be set now or later, through the link "Edit this user's profile, image and personal preferences@.

https://emby.media/support/articles/images/server/users48.png

The link takes you to the following screen which is the same screen that the user gets on selecting App Settings, if granted permission to edit the profile and preferences.

https://emby.media/support/articles/images/server/users49.png

 

31 minutes ago, DMazer said:

If the Dev team updated the Admin section to include the ability to re-arrange (re-order) the categories within each user profile, that would solve my issue.

It is already included, as per above. 

Edited December 1, 2025 by GrimReaper

[Luke 42077]

Yes you can edit most user preferences directly from the server !

[DMazer 7]

53 minutes ago, Luke said:

Yes you can edit most user preferences directly from the server !

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

Yes, you can. Click on the link previously advised:

and also referenced here:

 

It is already included, as per above. 

Neither of you "Luke" or "GrimReaper" understand what I am saying...

The only place I can reorder the categories is under ADMIN PREFERENCES, which affects only my Admin Account, or any NEW accounts I create (uses as default) for new users. If I reorder under ADMIN PREFERENCES  or ADD new categories after a user has been created, it does NOT reorder preexisting user's category list.  It puts the new categories at the bottom of there list.

When you login using as ADMIN and go to the USER... this is what I See:  You cannot re-order the categories for the user as an admin. Notice the 03.Movies - 2000-Present is not in the correct order.  You can only select which categories they can see. There is not double line to re-order (move) the category to reorder it.

When you login as a USER on via the Web interface, the user can Re-Order as seen below.... they can drag and move the categories around.  Most users don't do this or even mess with these settings.  But, As an admin of my server, I would like to keep it clean for my users.  Again, I tried adding a number to see if it would auto alphabetize, but it doesn't do that either. This would require me to know the users EMBY Connect ID/Password to fix via the user web interface.

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2025 by DMazer

[GrimReaper 4739]

5 minutes ago, DMazer said:

When you login using as ADMIN and go to the USER... this is what I See:  You cannot re-order the categories for the user as an admin. Notice the 03.Movies - 2000-Present is not in the correct order.  You can only select which categories they can see. There is not double line to re-order (move) the category to reorder it.

You are looking at the wrong place. 

Again: CLICK this link on the first page of user settings, just below their username:

On 11/30/2025 at 7:33 PM, ebr said:

Hi.  You can change a user's settings from their setup screen.

You will get their preferences from where you can reorder their Home Screen - this:

8 minutes ago, DMazer said:

 

 

[Cr8iveLosr 97]

If i am reading this correctly in my limited understanding the user is asking for....

A simple “set it and forget it” server-side default settings template. The server admin sets **their** recommended options once, and all users automatically start with those same defaults. Users can still change their own settings afterward, but the baseline should come from the server without the admin needing to manually configure each user one by one.

It saves the admin from manually configuring every new or existing user, keeps the every user experience consistent, and reduces support or confusion for less-tech-savvy users.

[GrimReaper 4739]

13 minutes ago, Cr8iveLosr said:

If i am reading this correctly in my limited understanding the user is asking for....

A simple “set it and forget it” server-side default settings template. The server admin sets **their** recommended options once, and all users automatically start with those same defaults. Users can still change their own settings afterward, but the baseline should come from the server without the admin needing to manually configure each user one by one.

It saves the admin from manually configuring every new or existing user, keeps the every user experience consistent, and reduces support or confusion for less-tech-savvy users.

You are reading it correctly, for it to be done programmatically/automatically; we're just trying to provide some insight to the user which is under the impression that it cannot be achieved in any way currently (it can be done manually):

On 11/30/2025 at 3:23 AM, DMazer said:

I have no way to do this for existing users.

 

2 hours ago, DMazer said:

I use the USERS section to create users, but I cannot manage what they see and the order they see it within the admin section user profile.

2 hours ago, DMazer said:

If the Dev team updated the Admin section to include the ability to re-arrange (re-order) the categories within each user profile, that would solve my issue.

Hopefully they'll get there. 

Edited December 1, 2025 by GrimReaper

[DMazer 7]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

You are looking at the wrong place. 

Again: CLICK this link on the first page of user settings, just below their username:

You will get their preferences from where you can reorder their Home Screen - this:

 

I have clicked on this link and then HOME SCREEN and all I get is the Media list and then a spinning circle.  Doesn't seem to work, there either.  But thank you for trying to help me.  This seem convoluted to have to update each users profile whenever I make a change to the structure.  I guess I will give up on this.

Edited December 1, 2025 by DMazer