Connecting a phone to Jellyfin takes two things: the right server address and an app that can reach it. This guide covers both on iPhone and iPad, which address works at home and which works away from it, the best Jellyfin apps for iPhone, and the fixes for when the app will not connect.
How to connect to your Jellyfin server on iPhone
- Find your server's addressOn the computer running Jellyfin, open Dashboard → Networking, or look at the address you use in the browser. At home it looks like http://192.168.1.20:8096; away from home you need a public address such as https://media.example.com.
- Install a Jellyfin app on your iPhoneInstall the official Jellyfin Mobile app, or a client such as Swiftfin, Infuse, Moonfin or Media Center from the App Store.
- Enter the server addressType the full address, including http:// or https:// and the port, for example http://192.168.1.20:8096. Many apps also find a server on the same Wi-Fi automatically.
- Allow local network accessIf iOS asks to find devices on your local network, tap Allow. Without it the app cannot reach a server at a 192.168 address.
- Sign inEnter your Jellyfin username and password, or use Quick Connect: the app shows a short code, and you approve it from a device that is already signed in.
Which Jellyfin server address should you use?
| Address | Example | Works |
|---|---|---|
| Local | http://192.168.1.20:8096 | On your home Wi-Fi only, in apps that allow plain HTTP |
| Tailscale | https://jellyfin.your-tailnet.ts.net | Anywhere, while Tailscale is connected on the phone |
| Public HTTPS | https://media.example.com | Anywhere, in every app, on Wi-Fi or cellular |
If you want your phone to work on the train as well as the sofa, set up the public HTTPS address once: Jellyfin HTTPS and remote access takes about fifteen minutes with Caddy.
The best Jellyfin apps for iPhone and iPad
- Jellyfin Mobile — the official app from the Jellyfin project, listed on jellyfin.org as Jellyfin for iOS. Free, and closest to the Jellyfin web interface.
- Swiftfin — free and open source, a native iPhone, iPad and Apple TV app developed under the Jellyfin GitHub organization.
- Infuse — a polished player for Jellyfin and Plex with the widest format support; the advanced features need Infuse Pro.
- Moonfin — free and open source, with offline downloads and the same app on Android, Apple TV and desktop.
- Media Center — for households: Jellyfin and Plex in one app, profiles for everyone, and sign-in by email instead of server passwords.
On Apple TV the choice is a little different; see the best Jellyfin client for Apple TV.
Jellyfin app not working on iPhone? Fixes
- “Unable to connect” at home. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network on the iPhone and turn the Jellyfin app on. iOS blocks apps from reaching devices on your Wi-Fi until you allow it.
- Works on Wi-Fi, not on cellular. A
192.168…address only exists inside your home. You need a public address or Tailscale. - Works on your Wi-Fi, not on a friend's. Make sure Allow remote connections to this server is on, both under Dashboard → Networking and on your user under Dashboard → Users.
- The app refuses an http address. Some iPhone apps require HTTPS with a real certificate. Self-signed certificates are rejected too; use Let's Encrypt through a reverse proxy, or Tailscale's HTTPS names.
- Playback stutters away from home. Your home upload speed is the limit. Lower the playback quality in the app, or set a remote bitrate limit for your user on the server.
- Subtitles too big or out of place. Change the size in the app's subtitle settings. If they are burned in during transcoding, pick a text subtitle track (SRT) instead.
On an Android phone instead?
The same steps apply: install the official Jellyfin app or another client from Google Play, enter the full server address, and sign in. Android does not need a Local Network permission, but the home-versus-away rule is the same. Android TV is covered in Jellyfin on Android TV and Google TV.
Setting up Jellyfin on everyone's phone? Do it once instead.
Getting Jellyfin onto your own iPhone is a five-minute job. Getting it onto your partner's iPad, your parents' phones and the living-room TV means repeating the address, the password and the Local Network prompt on every device. Media Center replaces all of that with one setup:
- You add Jellyfin once in the web dashboard. Nobody else ever types the server address.
- Each person signs in with their email. On Apple TV and Android TV they scan a QR code with their phone instead.
- Their place follows them. One App Store download covers iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and Continue Watching stays in step across all of them.
- Made for the phone. Keep watching in Picture in Picture on iPhone and iPad, pick audio and subtitle tracks, and skip intros where markers exist.
- Profiles and kids profiles, so children see only what you approve.
- Plex as well. If part of your library is on Plex, it appears in the same app.
Media Center connects only over HTTPS with a real certificate, so it needs your server's public address, not a 192.168 one. That is also what makes it work the same on Wi-Fi and cellular.
Set up Media Center for your household →The Free plan covers one household. Your household then installs the app.
