Home / Tutorials / Requests

How it works behind the scenes

In plain words

The request page is called Jellyseerr. It is a shopping list, not a download button. When you add something to the list, a chain of programs on our server picks it up: one searches for a copy at a sensible quality, another downloads it, another renames the file properly and grabs the poster and subtitles, and finally Jellyfin notices the new file and shows it to you. Nobody has to press anything by hand.

This is why a request usually completes in a few hours without us being involved — and also why some requests sit unfulfilled: if no good copy exists anywhere, the automation has nothing to find.

First: check it is really missing

Half of all requests turn out to be for things already in the library under a name you did not expect. The library's metadata is mostly Slovak, but not universally — so a film may be filed under Vykúpenie z väznice Shawshank or under The Shawshank Redemption depending on the title. Try both before requesting.

Searching for an actor or director is often faster still, since it sidesteps the naming question completely.

Making the request

The easy way: never leave Jellyfin

You do not have to visit a second website. A plugin puts requesting directly into the library's own search, so for most people the first tab below is all they will ever need. The dedicated site is only worth opening when you want more detail — cast lists, seasons, or the status of everything you have asked for.

Following the progress

You will be emailed the moment it is ready, so you do not have to watch this. If you are impatient, two places show how it is going:

Your request list

On req.karafa.net, the Requests tab shows everything you have asked for and its current state.

Open requests
The download queue

This page shows what is transferring right now and how far along it is — useful when you want to know whether to wait up or go to bed.

Live download status
StatusWhat it means
PendingReceived, waiting to be picked up. Normally seconds.
ProcessingA copy has been found and is downloading. This is the part that takes hours.
AvailableDone. It is in the library — refresh the app if you do not see it yet.
Stuck at ProcessingNo good copy was found, or the source is very slow. Give it a day, then tell us.

A few things to keep in mind

Requests are welcome

None of the above means "please do not ask". Requesting things is the entire point of the system, and a library that grows because people use it is exactly what it is for.

Reporting a broken title

If a title is wrong — the wrong film entirely, no sound, poor quality, missing subtitles, the wrong language, an episode that will not play — report it from inside Jellyfin. There is a button for it on every title. You do not need to email anyone, and you do not need to open the request site.

1
Open the title and find the report button

On the title's page there is a row of small icons immediately to the right of the big Play button — bookmark, tick, heart, then a warning triangle (⚠). That triangle is the report button. Click it.

2
Choose the issue type

A Report Issue window opens with the title already filled in. Pick the category that fits: Video, Audio, Subtitles or Other.

3
Describe it in one line, then submit

The description box is optional, but one specific sentence saves a round trip. For a series, say which episode — "Season 2, episode 5 has no sound" can be acted on immediately. Then press Submit Report.

Why this is better than a message

The report is attached automatically to the exact file you were watching, along with the issue type. That is far more useful than "the Batman one is broken", and it usually means the file can be replaced without anyone having to ask you follow-up questions.

Common questions

How long does a request take?

A popular film usually appears within one to three hours. Something rare can take days, or never arrive if no copy exists. Series are added season by season, so the first episodes often become watchable before the rest have finished.

Can I choose the quality or the language?

Not from the request screen — the automation picks a sensible balance of quality and file size on its own. If what arrives is not good enough, or you need a different language or a dubbed version, use the report button on that title in Jellyfin and choose Other (or Audio for a dub).

Is there a limit on how much I can request?

There is no hard limit and we have never had to impose one. Just be aware that disk space is the constraint — see the storage page if you are curious how tight it currently is.

Will I be told when it is ready?

Yes — automatically. The moment the title becomes available, Jellyseerr emails you at the address you entered when you created your account in Wizarr. You do not have to keep checking anything. If those emails never arrive, look in your spam folder first, then tell us so we can check the address on your account.