How do I delete "Collections" from Library?

[FormulaFox 5]

Hello. I've been having this issue since I last rearranged my library, but had more important issues to fix first(as some may recall). Now that everything has died down I figured I'd look into this.

When I last rearranged my library, a second library entry titled "Collections" appeared next to it. I never set it to create this, the section is completely empty, and there is no option to delete it. It's just a waste of space on my home screen. How do I get rid of this?

[GrimReaper 4740]

You can't delete (virtual) Collections library by regular means, you can either hide it from Home Screen (user app settings) or delete it altogether via below procedure:

 

[FormulaFox 5]

Hiding it will be sufficient for me, thanks. I don't feel like having to wipe out and re-scan my video library. (it's quite large - takes HOURS for Emby to get everything done)

[Doonz2019 3]

Awesome feature

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 minute ago, Doonz2019 said:

Awesome feature

Yes it is and without context I do not see an issue.

[Luke 42078]

I’m guessing they had media, removed everything, and now they expect the collections library to go away.

 Yes it makes sense.

[Embodiment 28]

This looks like a Windows path, ""C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\root\

I am trying to start fresh having tested a few folders so see how it would impact my Media. I want to therefore get rid of the collection entirely as it was setup 1) not realizing I could turn if off and 2) it was a folder of duplicate movies I do not need in the main collection.

I am assuming there is some way to delete this on a QNAP setup? Otherwise, Uninstall the entire Emby server and re-install?

[Happy2Play 9780]

13 minutes ago, Embodiment said:

This looks like a Windows path, ""C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\root\

I am trying to start fresh having tested a few folders so see how it would impact my Media. I want to therefore get rid of the collection entirely as it was setup 1) not realizing I could turn if off and 2) it was a folder of duplicate movies I do not need in the main collection.

I am assuming there is some way to delete this on a QNAP setup? Otherwise, Uninstall the entire Emby server and re-install?

Assuming none of your media has nfo files with there <set> node already if you write nfo file as Emby will alway created Collections if information exists.

By yes that is a Windows path but Emby programdata folder is the same across all platforms just in different areas.

Emby Server Data Folder | Emby Documentation

So If Emby has collections within the Collections tab or Collections library the library cannot be deleted only hidden per user settings.

 

[Embodiment 28]

Thank you for the quick help. So curious, if I were to go into those NFO's for those few movies in the collection, and delete the proper entry, would that take them out of the collection?

 

[Embodiment 28]

And I checked my Windows system under my username, AppData, Roaming, there is no Embry-Server entry. 

I think I answered my own question. Looking at my NFO file for one movie collection, the NFO was dated prior to this project. So changing that would not help. 

If I delete the complete Emby-Server installation,  would that clean up the Collection? IE. the Nuclear option.

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 minute ago, Embodiment said:

Thank you for the quick help. So curious, if I were to go into those NFO's for those few movies in the collection, and delete the proper entry, would that take them out of the collection?

 

Theoretically but ideall you want to do this before media in imported into Emby if it exists.  Otherwise easiest route in Emby is got the Collections library and multi-select and delete every Colllection and Emby will remove the data from nfo file also.

But not you need nfo saver enabled on each library.

If done outside of Emby yes you need to remove the <set> node from the nfo file or at least clear its value <set /> or <set></set>.  Since Emby does not have a high enough value to truly ignore the field via library settings discussed elsewhere.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Just now, Embodiment said:

And I checked my Windows system under my username, AppData, Roaming, there is no Embry-Server entry. 

Then I would check your server dashboard to show the location.

2 minutes ago, Embodiment said:

If I delete the complete Emby-Server installation,  would that clean up the Collection? IE. the Nuclear option.

Maybe depending on if you write nfo files with media as it about this value in a per movie nfo file.

[Embodiment 28]

I've deleted every library in Emby, but the collection lingers. I do not see a way to delete it. 

[Happy2Play 9780]

5 hours ago, Embodiment said:

I've deleted every library in Emby, but the collection lingers. I do not see a way to delete it. 

Well once the library is created it will never automatically remove itself as Emby just isn't coded that way

But if you have removed your libraries then you have to use the API to remove the Collections library or start over with a new library.db.

Now for anyone wanting to remove this Virtual library or accidently recreated duplicate libraries here are the steps

May need an example of what you see.

In this example all items in this test will contain the <set> node and deleting the Collection will remove the node from each item unlinking them to this Collection.

View from within the Collection

 

[Embodiment 28]

Very nice. Before I saw this response, I ended up uninstalling my QNAP Emby installation and did a complete re-install and scan. My library is about done re-scanning (I only did duplicate movies earlier as a 'test.'). The three volumes of TV shows has taken about 8 hours to scan.

I am going to add back my duplicates as a separate library. I believe it was stated earlier, during initial setup I can turn of that library from being added to the collection. I have to step out for a bit, but I will look for that setting so my duplicates are not included in the collections.

Thank you for your assistance!

[podonnell 47]

Couldn't quite pick up if it is possible to just remove a single collection from this thread.
Is that something that is achievable? I like the auto collections but there are a few I want to remove, but would not want the auto collection to be recreated again.

[Happy2Play 9780]

13 hours ago, podonnell said:

Couldn't quite pick up if it is possible to just remove a single collection from this thread.
Is that something that is achievable? I like the auto collections but there are a few I want to remove, but would not want the auto collection to be recreated again.

Yes/No you can delete any collection you like but you will probably have to lock the items metadata afterward so if ever refreshed it does not recreate the deleted collection.  But dependent on library settings if you are getting this info from provider.

[Håkon 3]

On 7/12/2024 at 6:57 PM, Doonz2019 said:

Awesome feature

It IS an awesome feature. But it fails massively in awesomeness if you can create but NOT REMOVE collections as one see fit.

Please developers, can u fix??
Imagine if you are using MS Word, but you can only create word documents but not delete them.
Or you can only add stuff (tables, graphs and so on) to a document but you are not allowed to remove any of them...

Apart from that, i can't think of anything else (at the moment) that I am dissatisfied with. Well, apart from Emby Connect which never worked for me.

Apart from that, I will say Emby is awesome!!

Edited February 26, 2025 by Håkon

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

My main suggestion involving collections is to turn off the very poor automatic collection feature in each library. I find that Emby's automatic collection feature is very bad and only rarely produces anything resembling decent collections. It also does not even make sense in a lot of cases. You turn that off under the library settings and I think it is part of the advanced settings and, unless something has changed, defaults to on. 

When I create a new library one of the first things I do is turn that stupid feature off. 
I do have collections but I do not want some ignorant AI type of engine creating bad collections for me. I create all the collections i use manually. it is a lot easier that way than cleaning up the mess that Emby tries to force on us.

[bakes82 167]

On 2/26/2025 at 6:05 PM, Gilgamesh_48 said:

I do not want some ignorant AI type of engine creating bad collections for me.

It uses the collection meta from like tvdb etc which really only makes collections where the movie has multiple films.