Jellyfin, the popular free and open-source media system beloved by self-hosting enthusiasts, has officially released its much-anticipated version 10.9, promising an array of enhancements designed to refine user experience and expand its functionality.
Over two years in the making, this release has integrated more than 1100 pull requests, so let’s see what has changed.
Jellyfin 10.9 Highlights
Jellyfin 10.9.0 introduces a host of new features, from “trickplay” which allows live video scrubbing with preview, to more reliable web redirection handling, and support for AVIF and WEBP formats in picture libraries. The administrative UI also received a significant revamp to enhance usability.
Significant enhancements have also been made to handling audio codecs within the HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) engine. More specifically, Jellyfin 10.9 introduces improved support for the Opus, FLAC, and ALAC codecs, which are widely recognized for their high-quality audio performance.
A substantial update in the API and security field includes improvements in parental ratings, discrete and configurable LiveTV and Collection permissions, and a unified approach to user permission management.
Additionally, the server has detached DLNA support, moving it to a plugin to improve security and update flexibility. The backend has also shifted to using .NET version 8, optimizing performance and streamlining the codebase, and the minimum supported FFmpeg version is now 4.4.
Continuing on the backend side, the SQLite database now supports connection pooling, thus improving performance for database operations. Moreover, the added support for the HappyEyeballs engine improves dual-stack IPv4/IPV6 network support.
But there’s more! The new version further advances Jellyfin’s transcoding capabilities with support for newer codecs and improved audio handling. Hardware acceleration has been enhanced across various platforms, including support for Vulkan-based tonemapping and complete acceleration on Apple devices.
On top of that, the new features like direct stream playback of DVD and Blu-ray data folders and hardware acceleration support for the RK3588 are set to improve the overall media handling experience.
Jellyfin 10.9 also brings updates to scanning and displaying local lyric files, improved handling of music libraries through a better MusicBrainz interface, and enhanced subtitle support, including options for hearing-impaired users.
For users planning to upgrade to version 10.9.0, support for non-LTS Ubuntu releases has been discontinued. Updates are now limited to 20.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, and 24.04 LTS versions.
In light of this, users of other Ubuntu releases are encouraged to switch to the latest LTS version or opt for the Docker container solution. Similarly, Jellyfin has ceased the availability of official RPM packages for Fedora, CentOS, RHEL, and related distributions, directing users toward the RPMFusion repository or Docker for future updates.
Speaking of Docker, users gain a new repo for container images through the GitHub Container Registry, although Jellyfin reassures that Docker Hub will continue to be supported.
Looking ahead, Jellyfin aims to shorten its release cycle. Version 10.10 is anticipated to be released within six months. The release announcement provides more information about all changes in the new version.
Lastly, if you haven’t started using Jellyfin, we offer a detailed guide on how to swiftly and effortlessly set it up using Docker, equipping you with a multimedia server that’s prepared to handle all your video and audio requirements.
