How to Set Up Your Library with Seanime

Seanime is a self-hosted media server for anime and manga, and setting up your library means pointing it at your local files so its smart library scanner can match them with AniList, then optionally layering on automated downloads and extensions. The core setup is: install Seanime, add your library folders, let the scanner match files, and review the results. Everything beyond that — auto-download rules, streaming sources, watch parties — is configuration you add once the base library is working.

Before You Start

• A machine to host it on. Seanime is self-hosted, so it runs on hardware you control. The docs list a Windows download, and the project is available on other platforms as well.
• Local anime and manga files. The smart library scanner works on files you already have; it scans local files and matches them against AniList.
• An AniList account. Matching is done against AniList, so this is the reference point for your library metadata.
• Optional but useful: a BitTorrent client or Debrid service if you want integrated downloading, and FFmpeg if you want transcoding for browser playback.

Step 1: Install and Open Seanime

Download Seanime for your platform and start it. The docs point to a Windows download and note the app is available on multiple platforms. Once it's running, you'll be working from the web interface, which is also how you'll access your library from a browser later.

Step 2: Add Your Library Folders

Point Seanime at the folders where your anime and manga files live. This is the input the scanner works from — it doesn't need you to rename or reorganize files first, because matching is automated.

Step 3: Run the Smart Library Scanner

This is the step that does the heavy lifting. According to the docs, the scanner "seamlessly scans your local files and matches them with AniList. It's fast, accurate, and completely automated."

What you do: trigger a scan of the folders you added. What you should expect: Seanime reads your files, identifies each series and episode, and pulls in metadata from AniList. What to check afterward: review the matched entries. Automated matching is described as accurate, but any library with unusual naming or mixed releases is worth a quick pass to confirm nothing landed on the wrong series.

Step 4: Confirm Playback

Once matched, your library should be playable. Two paths matter here:

• Local library in a browser: Seanime uses FFmpeg transcoding and hardware acceleration so local files play smoothly in any web browser. If a file won't play directly, transcoding is the fallback — this is where having FFmpeg available matters.
• Streaming from other sources: you can also stream episodes and movies from your torrents, Debrid services, or online sources, described as working "with little to no waiting."

Step 5: Set Up Automated Downloads (Optional)

If you want new episodes to arrive without manual work, configure rules to fetch them automatically. The docs describe this as: "Set up rules to automatically fetch new episodes from your favorite sources as soon as they air. Your library updates while you sleep."

This depends on integrated downloading, which has built-in support for BitTorrent clients and Debrid services. Set this up only after your base library scans correctly — otherwise you're adding moving parts before you know the foundation works.

Step 6: Extend with the Extension System (Optional)

Seanime's extension system lets you "install extensions created by the community to add new sources and functionalities to the app. Or, create your own entirely in JavaScript." If a source you want isn't built in, check whether an extension covers it before assuming it's unsupported.

What You Get Once It's Set Up

Common Setup Snags

• Files not matching. The scanner is automated, but odd naming or non-standard releases are the usual cause of a mismatch. Fix the match manually or adjust the file naming and rescan.
• Browser playback stalling. This is usually a transcoding issue. Confirm FFmpeg is available and hardware acceleration is usable on your host.
• Auto-downloads not firing. Check that your BitTorrent client or Debrid service is connected and that your rules actually cover the series you expect.
• Wanting mobile access. That's the Seanime Tenji client, and it supports a true offline mode — downloaded media plays without a connection, and local changes sync once you're back online.

Where to Go Next

The Seanime Docs include dedicated guides beyond this basic setup — the site's own framing is to "dive into the guides and discover how to setup your library." Start with the library scanner, get matching right, then add downloads, extensions, and remote access in whatever order your setup needs.