Jellyfin is host to dozens of plugins, but they aren't all created equal. Some plugins serve a decidedly specific purpose, while others were originally designed (and later shared) by a single user seeking a solution to a problem. I've tested a lot of these plugins, but if I had to get rid of them all, there's only a single one I'd truly fight to keep: Jellyfin Enhanced. This plugin is kind of like a Swiss Army knife; it does so much, and is easily one of the most versatile plugins I've ever worked with.

Many Jellyfin critics talk about its user interface and how it doesn't compare to Plex, but Jellyfin Enhanced significantly closes the gap. It also adds layers of extra functionality that aren't included by default and improves my overall Jellyfin experience in a big way.

Jellyfin Enhanced is about a dozen different plugins in one

It's a plugin, but it's also a hub

Jellyfin Enhanced gives you incredibly granular control over nearly every aspect of your viewing experience, including what the splash screen looks like. More than that, it enables a wide range of playback control options. If you're watching through the web viewer (which is where Enhanced is most effective), you can set it up to automatically pause your content when you shift tabs and resume when you're back. You can create custom subtitle appearances, tweak the size, and so much more.

Pair it with other plugins like Intro Skipper, and you can set up your shows to automatically skip the intro (and outro). If you don't want to pause when you switch screens, you can enable picture-in-picture mode.

On top of these features, Jellyfin Enhanced makes it easy to connect to various *arr services, Elsewhere, and The Movie Database (TMDB), all of which enable even more functionality.

The keyboard shortcuts alone are worth it

Using a mouse is so yesterday

Jellyfin already uses a few basic keyboard shortcuts. You can start/stop playback by hitting space, mute by hitting "M," etc. Jellyfin Enhanced takes that many steps further with custom keyboard shortcuts that let you navigate around the app without ever touching your mouse. I've used it to set up a search shortcut (previously opened by hitting the "?" key), as well as a quick way to return to home. A fun option for when you're bored and looking to kill time is to set up a shortcut to play a random item. Just hit the keys and Jellyfin will grab a piece of media from your library.

The parental controls are excellent

No risk of kids finding something they shouldn't

I've said it before: I watch a lot of anime, and for a kid, there's little difference between anime and a standard cartoon. That said, The Promised Neverland is absolutely not kid-friendly, and the last thing I need is one of my younger relatives queuing up something I'll have to explain to their parents later. Have you ever tried explaining to an angry parent why a child is traumatized after watching Neon Genesis Evangelion? I don't recommend it. Jellyfin Enhanced allows me to hide content that might not be child-appropriate. I can make it only available to specific profiles, or I can completely hide it and access it from a specific "Hidden Content" tab later.

Something like Fruits Basket is fine, but I keep titles like Ghost in the Shell hidden, just in case.

Setup is a bit of a bear

But the initial time investment is worth it

Jellyfin Enhanced itself is easy to install and get started with, but it doesn't include everything out of the box. If you want to link it with any *arr services, you'll need to do that after the fact. You may also need to install secondary plugins like Intro Skipper, Custom Tabs, and others to unlock the full potential of the plugin. That kind of goes against the "one and done" idea, but thankfully, installing plugins in Jellyfin is simple — and the expanded functionality of Jellyfin Enhanced is well worth the time it takes to get it set up and running. Plus, you can customize your media player's appearance however you want.

I won't lie and say Jellyfin Enhanced is easy to configure. Installation might just be a few clicks, but learning the ins and outs of the various services, how to tweak everything just how you want, and how to keep it all working properly? That takes a bit of time. Sometimes I feel like I spend more time tweaking my Jellyfin setup than I do actually using it. Despite that, I appreciate that Jellyfin Enhanced largely works out of the box, and it offers a lot of powerful functionality that's easy enough to figure out even if you aren't deeply immersed in the platform.

But this is just for heavy web interface users

Jellyfin Enhanced works on the web UI of Jellyfin. If you usually just stream content to your TV, then it probably isn't necessary for you to figure out how to use. Plugins don't always work on built-in Jellyfin TV apps, so your best bet for changing the appearance on that front is to look into something like Moonfin or Dune.