If you're set on downloading Emby server, you're likely building a home media setup and want your own movie or TV collection organized and streamable rather than scattered across folders. Emby LLC's server software scans your media, pulls in metadata like posters and episode info, and streams to apps on smart TVs, phones, and browsers on your network or remotely. The core server is free to install and run, with an optional Emby Premiere subscription unlocking extras like live TV DVR and hardware transcoding. This page links to the official server installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
What's Free vs What Needs Premiere
Running Emby Server and streaming to most apps is free, but features like live TV/DVR, some mobile sync-for-offline options, and certain hardware-accelerated transcoding paths require an Emby Premiere subscription.
Remote access outside your home network works without a subscription too, though a stable connection setup (or Emby Connect account) makes it more reliable.
Who ends up using Emby
Emby is built for people who want their own ripped movie and TV collection organized and streamed like a personal Netflix, not casual one-off viewers.
- Home theater owners organizing a ripped movie and TV show collection
- Families wanting one shared media library streamed to smart TVs and phones
- NAS owners running Emby Server as a Docker container for always-on streaming
Before you install
A couple of things worth knowing about Emby before you request the link: it covers Windows, macOS and Linux, so pick the right build for the machine you're setting up. And on pricing, Emby has a free tier plus a paid upgrade; the free build below is the full, genuine app, not a time-limited trial. It's developed and maintained by Emby LLC.
System requirements
- WindowsWindows 10 or 11 (64-bit); older 7/8.1 builds usually still run but no longer get official support
- macOSa recent macOS release — check the download page for the current minimum version, since Apple Silicon vs Intel builds sometimes differ
- Linuxmost current 64-bit distributions; look for a native .deb/.rpm/AppImage or a package in your distro's own repository
Heavier workloads (large files, high-res media, big projects) will naturally want more RAM and a faster CPU/GPU than the bare minimum.
Quick steps
- Download the Emby Server installer for your OS from this page
- Install it and point the setup wizard to your media folders
- Install an Emby app on your TV or phone and sign in to start streaming
Emby: the honest trade-offs
- Automatically pulls in posters, episode info, and metadata for a library
- Free core server covers streaming to most apps without a subscription
- Server builds available for Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS, and Docker
- Live TV DVR and hardware-accelerated transcoding require Emby Premiere
- Initial library setup and metadata matching can be fiddly for messy file naming
This links directly to Emby LLC's official server download, so the build matches what's published on their site.
Other Media Players downloads people search for
Browse the full Media Players category →
Keeping Emby up to date
Emby usually has a built-in updater or store-based auto-update (Microsoft Store / Mac App Store / Play Store, depending on platform); if you installed it manually, re-downloading the current build from the official source is the fallback. Sticking to the developer's own distribution channel — which is what this page links to — means you're never stuck on an old build with unpatched bugs just because a mirror site stopped updating its copy.
Features, install steps, alternatives and more detail live on the main Emby page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a subscription just to stream my own movies with Emby?
No, basic library streaming to most client apps works on the free tier; Premiere is only needed for extras like live TV DVR.
Can Emby Server run on a NAS instead of a regular PC?
Yes, Emby offers builds and Docker images for many NAS platforms and Linux systems in addition to Windows and macOS installers.
