Getting Started

This guide covers the current OmniLux onboarding path from account creation to first playback.

Before you begin

OmniLux has two layers:

• Your self-hosted server
• Your optional OmniLux cloud account

You can run the server without the cloud, but cloud-linked features depend on attaching that server to an OmniLux account.

Recommended setup order

1. Create your OmniLux cloud account at omnilux.tv
2. Install your self-hosted server with the Self-Hosted Quick Start
3. Open the server locally and complete first-run setup
4. Claim the server to your cloud account if you want account-linked features
5. Add libraries, run the first scan, and sign into your preferred apps

1. Create your OmniLux account

Your OmniLux account is the identity layer used for:

• Billing and subscriptions
• Native app sign-in
• Server claiming
• Invites and shared access
• Future remote and relay services

Create an account at omnilux.tv/register, verify your email, and sign in to the dashboard.

INFO

If you only want local browser access, you can install the server first and skip this step for now.

2. Install your self-hosted server

Use one of the install guides under Run a Server. For most people, Docker is the fastest path.

When the server first starts:

1. Open the local server URL in your browser
2. Create the initial server admin account
3. Name the server
4. Add your first library roots

3. Add your first libraries

A library root is a directory the server scans for a specific media type.

Typical examples:

• /data/movies
• /data/tv
• /data/music
• /data/books
• /data/games

For each root:

1. Go to Settings > Library
2. Click Add Library Root
3. Choose the path inside OmniLux
4. Assign the media type
5. Save the root

4. Run the first scan

After adding your roots, trigger a scan from Settings > Library.

During the first scan, OmniLux:

• Discovers files in each root
• Probes technical metadata such as codec, resolution, HDR, and audio tracks
• Matches titles against providers such as TMDB, TVDB, MusicBrainz, Open Library, and IGDB
• Builds artwork, metadata, and browse indexes

Large libraries can take a while. The server remains usable while indexing continues.

5. Claim the server to your cloud account

Claiming is optional, but it is the point where OmniLux switches from a local install to the full account-linked model.

Claim your server when you want:

• Native app sign-in through your OmniLux account
• Household invites managed from omnilux.tv
• Billing tied to a specific server
• Relay or other cloud-connected features on paid plans

To claim:

1. Sign in to your OmniLux cloud account
2. Open the local server setup flow and locate the 6-character claim code
3. In the cloud dashboard, go to Claim a Server
4. Enter the code and attach the server

6. Sign into apps and devices

Once your server is online, choose how people will access it:

• Web browser for local playback and administration
• Native mobile and TV apps for cloud-linked experiences
• Shared devices through pairing or invite flows

See Apps and Sign-In for the current device model.

7. Start watching

After the scan completes, users can:

• Browse the library by media type
• Use Discovery and Search
• Open title detail pages
• Start playback with resume tracking, subtitle selection, and quality controls

Next steps

• Apps and Sign-In for mobile, TV, and browser access
• Libraries and Metadata for naming, scanning, and enrichment
• Profiles and Sharing for household access and invites
• Remote Access for Tailscale, public domains, and relay strategy