If Jellyfin is downloading the wrong movie posters, grouping episodes incorrectly, or failing to see your files entirely, it is almost certainly a folder structure issue. Following the official naming conventions fixes 99% of metadata problems.
Overview
Jellyfin relies on scanners to read your file names and match them against online databases like TMDB or TheTVDB. If your files look like Inception.2010.1080p.BluRay.x264-YTS.mp4, the scanner has to guess which part is the title. Providing a clean folder structure takes out the guesswork.
⚠️ Warning: Never mix Movies and TV Shows in the same folder. Jellyfin uses completely different scanners for them. You must have a root /Movies folder and a root /TV Shows folder.
Naming and organizing Movies
Every movie should have its own folder. The folder name should be the exact title of the movie, followed by the release year in parentheses. The video file inside the folder should have the exact same name.
Adding the year is critical. There are often multiple movies with the same name (e.g., Dune (1984) vs Dune (2021)). The year guarantees Jellyfin downloads the right poster.
Naming and organizing TV Shows
TV Shows are more complex because they have seasons and episodes. You must create a folder for the Show, then sub-folders for each Season, and finally the episode files inside those.
Correct Structure:
/TV Shows /Breaking Bad (2008) /Season 1 Breaking Bad - S01E01.mp4 Breaking Bad - S01E02.mp4 /Season 2 Breaking Bad - S02E01.mp4
💡 Tip: The episode files MUST contain the S01E01 (Season 1, Episode 1) format. Do not use 1x01 or just 01. The standard `SXXEYY` format is the only one guaranteed to work perfectly every time.
Handling extras and deleted scenes
If you ripped a DVD and have a bunch of behind-the-scenes interviews or deleted scenes, you don't want them showing up as standalone movies in your library.
To fix this, create a folder named extras or behind the scenes inside the specific movie's folder, and place the video files inside it.
/Movies /Inception (2010) Inception (2010).mp4 /behind the scenes Making Of The Dream World.mp4 /deleted scenes Extended cafe scene.mp4
Jellyfin will now hide these files from the main library view, and instead show them as clickable bonus features at the bottom of the Inception movie page.
