Auto-Refresh

Smart playlists and collections can update automatically in multiple ways.

Real-Time Auto-Refresh

Configure lists to refresh automatically when your library changes:

Per-List Setting: Each list can be set to Never, On Library Changes, or On All Changes
Global Default: Set the default auto-refresh mode for new lists in Settings
Unified Batching: All changes use intelligent 3-second batching to prevent spam during bulk operations
Performance Optimized: Uses advanced caching to only refresh lists that are actually affected by changes
Automatic Deduplication: Multiple events for the same item are combined into a single refresh

Auto-Refresh Modes

Never: Scheduled and manual refresh only (original behavior)
On Library Changes: Refresh only when new items are added to your library
On All Changes: Refresh for library additions AND all updates (metadata changes, playback status, favorites, etc.)

Custom List Scheduling

Configure individual lists with their own refresh schedules:

Per-list scheduling: Each list can have its own schedule
Schedule types: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly, or Interval
Flexible intervals: 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 12 h, or 24 h

Schedule Options

Daily: Refresh at a specific time each day (e.g., 3:00 AM)
Weekly: Refresh on a specific day and time each week (e.g., Sunday at 8:00 PM)
Monthly: Refresh on a specific day and time each month (e.g., 1st at 2:00 AM)
Yearly: Refresh on a specific month, day and time each year (e.g., January 1st at midnight)
Interval: Refresh at regular intervals (e.g., every 2 hours, every 30 minutes)
No schedule: Disable all scheduled refreshes (auto-refresh and manual only)

Multiple Schedules

You can add multiple schedules to a single list. For example, you could set both a Daily schedule at 6:00 AM and an Interval schedule every 4 hours to refresh the list both at a specific time and at regular intervals throughout the day.

Legacy Scheduled Tasks

Deprecated and Removed

Legacy scheduled tasks have been deprecated and removed. The original Jellyfin scheduled tasks (Audio Smart Playlist and Media Smart Playlist) are no longer used. All lists now use the custom scheduling system described above, or rely on auto-refresh and manual refresh only.

Example Use Cases

Custom Scheduling Examples

Daily Random Mix: Random-sorted playlist with a Daily schedule at 6:00 AM → fresh random order every morning
Weekly Discoveries: New-content playlist with a Weekly schedule on Sunday at 8:00 PM → weekly refresh for weekend planning
Monthly Archive: Year-based movie playlist with a Monthly schedule on the 1st at 2:00 AM → monthly refresh for archival content
Background Refresh: Mood-based music playlist with 4-hour intervals → regular updates without being intrusive

Auto-Refresh Examples

Continue Watching: NextUnwatched playlist with auto-refresh on all changes → updates when episodes are watched (batched)
New Releases: Date-based list with auto-refresh on library changes → updates when new content is added
Favorites Collection: Favorite-based collection with auto-refresh on all changes → updates when items are favorited/unfavorited (batched)
Multi-User Playlists: When a playlist is associated with multiple users, it will auto-refresh when any of those users' playback data changes (watched status, favorites, etc.). Each user's personalized playlist is updated independently based on their own data changes.

Mixed Approach

Combine both systems for optimal performance:

Use custom scheduling for lists that benefit from regular refresh (random order, time-based rules)
Use auto-refresh for lists that need immediate updates (playback status, new additions)

Scheduled Refresh Control

Perfect for randomized lists:

Enable scheduled refresh for randomized lists to get fresh random order daily/hourly
Disable for rule-based lists that rely on real-time auto-refresh instead
Mix and match: some lists on schedule, others auto-refresh only

Manual Refresh

Use the "Refresh All Lists" button in the Settings tab to trigger a refresh of all lists
Use the "Refresh" button next to each list in the Manage Lists tab to refresh individual lists

Refresh Time

A full refresh of all lists can take some time depending on how many media items and lists you have. Large libraries with many lists may take several minutes or even hours to complete, depending on the hardware. Individual list refreshes are typically faster.

Monitor Refresh Progress

When you click "Refresh All Lists", you'll be automatically redirected to the Status page where you can monitor the progress of all refresh operations in real-time. The Status page shows ongoing operations with progress bars, estimated time remaining, and detailed refresh history. See the Configuration guide for more details.

Performance Considerations

Auto-Refresh Settings

Never: No automatic refreshes
On Library Changes: Good performance, refreshes only for library additions
On All Changes: Refreshes for additions AND updates (metadata, playback status, etc.)

Large Library Recommendations

All changes are automatically batched with a 3-second delay to prevent spam during bulk operations
Even On All Changes is efficient thanks to intelligent batching during large library scans
Removed items are automatically handled by Jellyfin (no refresh needed)
Consider limiting the number of lists with auto-refresh enabled to optimize server performance

Third-Party Plugin Compatibility

Plugins that sync watched status may trigger many simultaneous updates
If you experience performance issues during bulk sync operations, temporarily set lists to Never or On Library Changes