As a tech blogger deeply integrated into the world of self-hosted media, Jellyfin is my go-to. It smartly manages my vast collection of movies and shows. Yet, one persistent challenge remained: watching YouTube videos directly within Jellyfin. Despite YouTube being a massive content hub, there's no direct way to integrate it with Jellyfin. This gap always felt like a missing piece in my perfect media setup.

I finally figured out how to bridge this gap, and that's where TubeArchivist comes in. I made watching YouTube in Jellyfin super simple and totally pain-free with this amazing setup.

TubeArchivist works amazing with YouTube

It’s a pre-requisite

I discovered TubeArchivist while I was looking for ways to watch YouTube on Jellyfin. TubeArchivist is a self-hosted application that is a game-changer for anyone who wants to curate and manage their YouTube content locally. I’ve installed the application in my local setup using Docker. I consider it my personal YouTube library, but completely under my control. I use it to archive videos from my favorite channels, save entire playlists, and even download new uploads over there. It's incredibly powerful for keeping a local copy of content that might otherwise disappear or become unavailable.

TubeArchivist integrates directly with YouTube, allowing me to import videos by channel, playlist, or individual URL. It handles all the metadata, thumbnails, making my local library rich with information. The search functionality within TubeArchivist is robust, letting me quickly find any video I've saved. For me, it has become an essential tool for creating a reliable, offline-accessible collection of YouTube videos. Building this robust library with TubeArchivist was the crucial first step, a necessary prerequisite before I could bring that content into my Jellyfin setup. It laid the foundation for a truly painless YouTube experience on Jellyfin.

This plugin connects TubeArchivist and Jellyfin

Bridging TubeArchivist & Jellyfin

Once I had my YouTube library neatly organized in TubeArchivist, the next step was bringing all that content into Jellyfin. This is exactly where the tubearchivist-jf-plugin came to the rescue. It acts as a brilliant bridge, allowing Jellyfin to intelligently integrate and display the videos managed by TubeArchivist, turning my media server into a powerful YouTube hub.

The connection process was surprisingly straightforward. First, I ensured both TubeArchivist and Jellyfin were up and running on my system, as I had installed both using Docker locally. Then, I proceeded to install the tubearchivist-jf-plugin directly into my Jellyfin instance. I used the official and recommended repository method: From the Jellyfin Dashboard, I navigated to "Plugins" and then the "Repositories" tab. There, I added a new repository, naming it "TubeArchivistMetadata" and providing the URL https://github.com/tubearchivist/tubearchivist-jf-plugin/raw/master/manifest.json. After saving, I went to the "Catalog" tab, found "TubeArchivistMetadata" under the "Metadata" section, and initiated the installation. A quick restart of Jellyfin was all it took to apply the changes and activate the plugin.

A super-easy configuration

Bringing it all to life

With the plugin successfully installed, the next step was configuring it to properly communicate with my TubeArchivist instance. Once the TubeArchivistMetadata plugin was installed, I accessed its configuration settings. Here, I specified the Collection display name that shows how my TubeArchivist library would appear in Jellyfin. I also provided the TubeArchivist instance address and my TubeArchivist API key, which enables secure communication between the two.

With the plugin configured, I was ready to start using it, and the process was incredibly simple. I began by going to my Jellyfin Dashboard and selecting "Libraries" to add a new media library.

In the library creation form, I selected "Shows" as the content type, set a display name for the library, and specified my TubeArchivist media folder in the "Folders" section. As I scrolled down, I made sure to uncheck all metadata and image providers except for "TubeArchivist" (you won't find TubeArchivist under season providers, so just disable everything there). After saving, I returned to my Jellyfin Home screen, and there it was—my new TubeArchivist library. Jellyfin automatically fetched all the metadata and images, populating it with my channels and videos, making everything immediately accessible.

YouTube on Jellyfin is a breeze

Pure playback bliss

After getting TubeArchivist set up, connected to Jellyfin, and the plugin configured, the real fun begins: watching YouTube on Jellyfin is incredibly easy and enjoyable on a regular basis! My entire curated YouTube library, complete with all its details and pictures, pops right into my familiar Jellyfin screen. I no longer switch apps or deal with ads. My favorite videos are just another library next to my movies, always there when I want them.

Browsing channels and playlists feels perfectly natural in Jellyfin. I can watch my TubeArchivist collection on any device with Jellyfin; be it my TV, tablet, or phone. Jellyfin’s strong streaming capabilities makes sure that playback is always smooth and reliable. It has totally changed how I consume YouTube content.

YouTube elevated

Having everything organized and in one spot doesn't just simplify my media; it makes it much more fun. This plugin genuinely makes watching YouTube in Jellyfin painless and super-convenient for me every single day. If you're looking to bring your YouTube content smoothly into your own media server, this TubeArchivist and plugin combo is something definitely worth trying and easy-to-use. It's a free, powerful solution that transforms Jellyfin into a truly personalized content hub. It offers an uninterrupted viewing experience. It's definitely worth exploring if you want to enhance your media setup!