Install JellyWatch to Monitor Jellyfin Sessions (With Podman)

If you are using Jellyfin as your media server, you might want to monitor who is watching what, when, and how. That is where JellyWatch comes in – a clean, open source web app that shows active streaming sessions in real time.

In this beginner-friendly guide, we will walk you through how to install JellyWatch using Podman or Podman Compose, how to connect it to your Jellyfin server, and what to expect once it is up and running.

What is JellyWatch?

JellyWatch is an open source web dashboard for Jellyfin that displays:

• Who is currently watching
• What they are watching
• The client or device they are using
• Bitrate, transcoding status, and more

It is lightweight, modern, and a great addition to any self-hosted media stack.

How to Install JellyWatch with Podman Compose

Do not worry – no Docker needed. Podman is a modern alternative that is rootless and secure.

Prerequisites

• Podman and Podman Compose installed
• Jellyfin running (on same or separate server)
• Access to your Jellyfin server URL and an API key

Folder Setup

jellywatch-setup/
  ├── Dockerfile
  ├── podman-compose.yaml
  └── jellywatch/   (we will clone the app here)

Step 1: Clone JellyWatch

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/fallenbagel/jellywatch.git

Move the cloned folder into jellywatch-setup/ if needed.

Step 2: Dockerfile (Node 20)

Create a file called Dockerfile in the root folder with this content:

FROM node:20-alpine

WORKDIR /app

COPY jellywatch/package.json jellywatch/yarn.lock ./
RUN yarn install --frozen-lockfile

COPY jellywatch/. .

RUN yarn build

EXPOSE 3000

CMD ["yarn", "start"]

Step 3: podman-compose.yaml

Create a podman-compose.yaml file:

version: '3.8'

services:
  jellywatch:
    build:
      context: .
    container_name: jellywatch
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - PORT=3000

Step 4: Start the Container

podman-compose up --build -d

Wait a moment, then open in your browser:

http://localhost:3000

Or use the server’s IP if hosted remotely.

How to Get Your Jellyfin API Key

To allow JellyWatch to connect to Jellyfin:

1. Log into your Jellyfin dashboard.
2. Click your user icon and go to API Keys.
3. Click Create API Key and name it, for example, jellywatch.
4. Copy the token shown and save it.

Paste this API key into JellyWatch when prompted.

Why Does JellyWatch Only Show a Logout Button?

This is normal behavior if no one is actively watching anything.

JellyWatch only shows live streaming sessions, so if no video is currently playing, the dashboard will be blank – showing only the logout button.

Try this: Start playing a video on Jellyfin (any device), then refresh the JellyWatch page. You should see the session displayed.

📷 Screenshots & 📽️ Screencast

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