Support

How can we help?

Answers to the common questions, and how to reach us.

Getting connected

What do I need?

An iPhone with a recent version of iOS and a Jellyfin server with your movies and shows on it. Jellyfin is free and runs on Mac, Windows, Linux and most NAS boxes.

Chromareel can't find my server

Make sure the server is on and your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network.
Type the address yourself, for example http://192.168.1.20:8096 (Jellyfin's usual port is 8096).
If iOS asked whether Chromareel can find devices on your local network, make sure you allowed it: Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network > Chromareel.

Signing in

Use your Jellyfin username and password, or Quick Connect: Chromareel shows a code, and you approve it from Jellyfin on another device. Add more people from Settings > Profiles > Add Profile and switch between them any time.

Watching away from home

At home Chromareel uses your server's local address. To watch elsewhere, add an away address that reaches the same server, for example its Tailscale address: open Settings (tap your profile picture on Home) > Connection > Set Up Away Access. Chromareel uses whichever address answers, and checks again whenever you come back to the app.

Playback

Subtitles, audio language and quality

While a video plays, tap the screen, then tap the captions button at the top. The Playback panel lets you turn subtitles on or off, choose a subtitle track or audio language, and set the quality. Your subtitle choice is remembered for next time.

It stutters or keeps buffering

Open the Playback panel and choose a lower quality: 720p, or Data Saver on a slow connection. Playback picks up at the same spot.
Away from home, your server's upload speed is the limit. Lower quality helps a lot.
If every title struggles, check the server isn't busy converting other streams, or download the title before you go.

Skip intro and skip credits

The buttons appear when your Jellyfin server has intro and credits markers for that episode. Servers with intro detection set up (for example the Intro Skipper plugin) get them automatically.

Downloads

Start one: tap the download button on a movie's page, or under an episode on a show's page, then pick a size. High (1080p) is about 3 GB per hour; Standard (720p) about 1.2 GB per hour. Original keeps the exact file when your iPhone can play it as is.
Cancel one: tap the progress ring.
Watch them: open the Downloads tab. They play with no Wi-Fi or service, subtitles included.
Your place is saved: where you stop offline is kept on your iPhone and sent to your server when you're back online.
Free up space: in the Downloads tab, swipe left on a download to remove it.

Downloads are converted by your Jellyfin server, so the server needs to be reachable (and not too busy) while they download. They keep going if you lock your iPhone.

Optional AI features

Mood search, "why you'll like it" lines and similar picks can use an Ollama server you run yourself. They're off by default; switch them on in Settings > AI. With them off, Chromareel uses its own built-in recommendations.

Privacy

Chromareel collects nothing and talks only to your own servers. Read the privacy policy.

Contact us

Still stuck, found a bug, or have an idea? Send us a message. Please include your iPhone model, your iOS version and your Jellyfin server version.

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