Closed Alpha
FluxPlay is currently in Closed Alpha. This documentation is a work in progress and may be incomplete or out of date. Features, UI, and APIs are subject to change without notice. For access inquiries, please contact [email protected].
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Quick answers to common questions about FluxPlay installation, media management, playback, and more.
General
What is FluxPlay?
FluxPlay is a premium, self-hosted media server built for people who are tired of broken apps and paywalled features. You host it on your own hardware, ensuring your media stays yours.
Is FluxPlay really fully functional without a license?
Yes. Every single feature works without a license — no restrictions, no feature gates, no time limits. The only difference is a small sidebar notice and occasional gentle reminders. We want you to experience the full product before you decide to support it.
If everything works without a license, why should I pay?
Because building polished apps across every platform, and shipping regular updates takes real, sustained effort. Your license funds the next update, bug fix, and platform. At £1.99/mo, you're paying less than a coffee to keep the product you rely on alive and improving.
Is FluxPlay open source?
No. FluxPlay is a commercially developed product. This allows us to fund full-time development and deliver consistent, reliable updates across all platforms.
What are the minimum system requirements?
Server: 64-bit OS (Windows, Linux, macOS), 4GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, PostgreSQL 14+, FFmpeg 4.4+. For hardware transcoding, add a supported GPU (NVIDIA GTX 600+, Intel 6th gen+, or AMD RX 400+).
Can I run FluxPlay on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes, FluxPlay can run on Raspberry Pi 4 or newer. Direct play works well, but transcoding will be limited as hardware transcoding is not available on Pi.
How much storage do I need?
FluxPlay itself needs minimal space (~500MB). Your media is the main storage concern. Cache and transcoding temp files need 10-50GB of fast storage (SSD recommended).
Media & Libraries
What video formats does FluxPlay support?
Most formats including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, WEBM, M4V, and more. If FFmpeg can play it, FluxPlay can usually handle it. Unsupported codecs are transcoded on-the-fly.
Can I have multiple libraries?
Yes, you can create separate libraries for Movies, TV Shows, Music, Books, Comics, Audiobooks, and custom content types. Each library can have its own settings and sharing permissions.
How do I add media to FluxPlay?
Copy your files to a folder on your server, add that folder as a library in Settings → Libraries, and run a scan. FluxPlay does not move your files—they stay exactly where you put them.
Why is my media showing the wrong metadata?
Usually due to unclear file naming. Rename files to include title and year: "Movie Name (2023).mkv". For TV shows: "Show - S01E01 - Title.mkv". Then use Edit → Identify to manually match if needed.
Can FluxPlay download posters and info automatically?
Yes, FluxPlay automatically fetches metadata, posters, backdrops, and descriptions from 20+ online databases (TMDB, MusicBrainz, AniList, etc.) during library scans.
Does FluxPlay support music and audiobooks?
Yes! FluxPlay has dedicated library types for Music, Audiobooks, Podcasts, and other audio content with appropriate metadata providers and playback features.
Playback
Why do some videos need transcoding?
Transcoding converts video to a format your device can play. It's needed when the original codec isn't directly compatible with your player, when bandwidth is limited, or when quality adjustments are required.
How many people can watch at once?
Depends on your server hardware. Direct play uses minimal resources (dozens of streams possible). Transcoding: roughly 1-2 streams per CPU core with software transcoding, or 5-10+ streams with GPU hardware acceleration.
Can I watch offline?
Yes, FluxPlay mobile apps support downloading content for offline viewing. Downloads sync automatically when you reconnect. You can set quality preferences for offline downloads.
Why does 4K content buffer?
4K requires significant bandwidth (25-80 Mbps for high quality). Ensure both server and client have sufficient network speed. Consider transcoding to lower quality on slower connections.
Does FluxPlay support HDR?
Yes! FluxPlay supports HDR content including HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. For non-HDR displays, FluxPlay can perform tone mapping to convert HDR to SDR with proper colors.
What about subtitles?
FluxPlay supports embedded subtitles (SRT, ASS, PGS) and external subtitle files. External files should match the video filename. Image-based subtitles (PGS) require burn-in during transcoding.
Users & Sharing
How do I add other users?
Go to Settings → Users → Add User. Create accounts with different permission levels (Owner, Admin, User) and control which libraries each user can access.
Can I share my library with friends?
Yes! Create accounts for friends and share specific libraries with them. You have full control over what each user can see, download, and manage.
What's the difference between roles?
Owner has full control over everything. Admins can manage server settings, users, and libraries. Regular users can only watch content they have access to. Custom roles allow granular permission control.
Can I set parental controls?
Yes, you can restrict content by age rating for any user account. Set maximum allowed ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R, etc.) and optionally require a PIN to access restricted content.
Does watch history sync across devices?
Yes, all watch progress is synced to your FluxPlay account. Resume watching on any device right where you left off.
Remote Access
How do I access FluxPlay outside my home?
Several options: 1) Port forwarding on your router (port 5171), 2) Reverse proxy with NGINX/Caddy, 3) Cloudflare Tunnel (no port forwarding needed), or 4) VPN like Tailscale or WireGuard.
Is remote access secure?
FluxPlay supports HTTPS encryption. Enable it in settings and use strong passwords. For additional security, use a reverse proxy, enable MFA, and consider fail2ban for brute-force protection.
Can I use a VPN instead of port forwarding?
Yes! Using a VPN like Tailscale, ZeroTier, or WireGuard is a secure alternative to port forwarding. It's often easier to set up and provides encrypted access without exposing ports.
Do I need a static IP?
Not necessarily. Use a Dynamic DNS service (DuckDNS, No-IP, Cloudflare) to get a consistent domain name that updates when your IP changes.
Technical
How do I check the server logs?
Go to Settings → System → Logs in the web interface. You can also check log files directly in your FluxPlay data directory. Logs are essential for troubleshooting issues.
How do I update FluxPlay?
Docker: Pull the latest image and recreate the container. Manual install: Download the new version and replace the application files. Configuration and database are preserved during updates.
How do I backup FluxPlay?
Backup the config directory and PostgreSQL database. For full backups, also include downloaded metadata images. Media files should have their own backup solution.
Where is my configuration stored?
Configuration is stored in the FluxPlay data directory. Default locations vary by OS—check Settings → System → Paths. Docker users configure this via volume mounts.
How do I reset everything and start fresh?
Stop FluxPlay, delete the database and data folder, then restart. This removes all settings, libraries, and users. Your media files are never affected—they remain in place.
Can I use an external database?
Yes, FluxPlay supports connecting to external PostgreSQL instances. This is recommended for advanced setups, high availability, or when running in Docker/Kubernetes.
Downloads & Subscriptions
What can FluxPlay download?
FluxPlay uses yt-dlp to download from 1000+ sources including YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, and many more. Downloads are saved directly to your libraries.
What are subscriptions?
Subscriptions let you automatically download new content from channels or playlists. FluxPlay monitors your subscriptions and downloads new releases according to your schedule.
Does FluxPlay support SponsorBlock?
Yes! Enable SponsorBlock in download settings to automatically skip sponsors, intros, outros, and other segments marked by the community.
Can I schedule downloads?
Yes, subscriptions run on configurable schedules. You can also set bandwidth limits and preferred download times to avoid peak usage hours.
Still Have Questions?
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