How to host an Emby media server on Windows Server
Emby is a media server application for Windows and Linux. It is an elegant alternative to Plex and allows users to manage their Movies, Tv shows, and other media. In this guide, we’ll show you how to set up the Emby media server on Windows Server.
How to install Emby on Windows Server
Emby is available to download for both Windows Desktop and Windows Server users. To get your hands on it, head over to the “Emby Server for Windows” page. Once there, find the green “Download Emby Server” button.
After selecting the “Download Emby Server” button, it will download the Emby Server to your Windows system. When the download is complete, open up Windows Explorer, and select the “Downloads” folder.
Inside the “Downloads” folder, double-click on the Emby Server EXE file to open up the installer. Then, use the installer to set up Emby Server on your Windows Server system.
How to configure Emby on Windows Server
Configuring Emby on Windows Server is done in the web browser. Once you install the server application on your system, it will automatically launch the setup wizard. First, you must select your language from the drop-down menu.
Note: if Emby doesn’t auto-launch, access the setup via http://localhost:8096.
After choosing a language, press the “Next” button. On the next page, you will be required to configure the Admin user account. This account is used to administer your Emby server in Windows Server.
Once you’ve created your admin account, you will need to set up your media library. On the “Setup Media Libraries” page, find the “New Library” button, and click on it with the mouse.
After selecting the “New Library” button, find the “Content type” button, and set it to the type of content you’ll be adding to your Emby library. For movies, select “Movies,” for TV, select “TV,” etc.
Once you’ve set the content type, find the “Folders” button, and click on it with the mouse. When you’ve added your files, find the “Library Settings” area, and configure your preferred library settings. When done, click on the “OK” button to add it to Emby.
When you’ve added all of your library locations, you must configure your metadata language. Choose the language you speak and the country you prefer. Then, click on the “Next” button to move to the next page.
With metadata language configured, you’ll have to configure your remote access. To do this, check the “Enable automatic port mapping” box. This button will enable remote access to your Emby server. If you don’t want remote access, uncheck the box. Click the “Next” button when done to move to the next page.
You’ll now need to agree to the Emby Terms of Service. Check the box that says “I accept the terms of service.” Then, click on the “Next” button to move to the next page of the setup wizard.
How to use Emby
To use your Emby server, connect your computer to the same network as the Windows Server hosting Emby. Once your computer is connected, open up a web browser, and access the following URL to play your media.
http//windows-server-ip:8096/web/index.html#!/home
Once the URL is loaded, you’ll see your media library. From here, select the media to play it in the browser directly from your Emby instance.
Emby Desktop app
If you’d prefer a dedicated app on your Windows Desktop to watch your media, check out Emby Theater. To get your hands on Emby Theater, head over to the official download page.
Once on the Emby Theater download page, click the “Download” button to download the EXE. Then, open up the Windows Explorer app on your computer. Select the “Downloads” folder with the mouse, and double-click on the installer EXE to install the software.
With the Emby Theater app open, add your server information, and sign into your account. When you’ve signed in, you’ll be able to access your Emby media library.
How to access your Emby Server on other devices
If you’re planning on watching Emby Server on a device other than a computer (phone, smart TV, video game console, etc.) To get your hands on alternative apps for your Emby media server, head to the official website.
Once on the official Emby website, click on the “Download” button. When you select the “Download” button, scroll down past “Emby Server” down to “Emby Apps & Devices.”
Under the “Emby Apps & Devices” area, there’s a list of apps for a wide variety of platforms, including smart TV, Android TV, Kodi, Roku, and everything in between.
