How should I name movie files for Plex or Jellyfin?

Name each movie file 'Title (Year)' — for example 'Inception (2010).mkv' — inside a folder of the same name. The year disambiguates remakes and helps the scraper match the correct entry. Consistent, clean naming is the single biggest factor in your media server fetching the right artwork, description and metadata automatically.

How should I name TV show files?

Use a Show folder, a Season folder, then files as 'Show - S01E02'. For example 'Breaking Bad/Season 01/Breaking Bad - S01E02.mkv'. The SxxExx pattern is what scanners look for to match episodes to the right season and episode. Avoid extra text like release-group tags, which can confuse matching.

Why isn't my media server showing the right artwork?

Almost always it's a naming or structure problem: a missing year, a wrong SxxExx pattern, or films and TV mixed in one folder. Fix the naming to 'Title (Year)' and 'Show - S01E02', keep films and TV in separate top-level libraries, and refresh metadata. Use the app's 'fix match' tool for stubborn entries.

Do I need to separate movies and TV shows?

Yes. Create separate top-level libraries — one for Movies, one for TV Shows — and point each at its own folder tree. Mixing them in one library confuses the scanner, which uses different matching rules for films and episodes. Separation is the first step to a clean, correctly identified library.

What tools help organise a media library?

Renaming tools like FileBot automate consistent naming and folder structure, while your media server (Plex, Jellyfin, Emby) fetches metadata and artwork once files are named correctly. Some people add a metadata manager, but for most, clean naming plus the server's built-in scraper is all that's needed for a tidy library.

Media Library Organization Guide 2026: Naming & More

To organise a media library, keep films and TV in separate top-level folders, name movie files as Title (Year) and TV episodes as Show - S01E02, and let your media server fetch metadata and artwork. Clean, consistent naming is what makes Plex, Jellyfin or Emby identify everything correctly. This guide covers naming, folder structure, metadata, posters and tools, with a correct-vs-wrong naming table. It pairs with our media server explainer.

A tidy media library folder structure showing separated movies and TV shows — A clean library — films and TV separated, named consistently, ready for metadata.

Before You Start

Good organisation means a media server can identify everything automatically. You need:

You need	Detail
Separate libraries	One for Movies, one for TV Shows
Consistent naming	`Title (Year)` and `Show - S01E02`
A media server	Plex, Jellyfin or Emby to scrape metadata
Optional tool	FileBot or similar to automate renaming

Folder Structure

Keep two separate top-level trees:

Movies/ → Movies/Inception (2010)/Inception (2010).mkv
TV Shows/ → TV Shows/Breaking Bad/Season 01/Breaking Bad - S01E02.mkv

Separate libraries for each in your server, pointed at these folders, so the scanner uses the right matching rules for films versus episodes.

Naming: Correct vs Wrong

Type	✅ Correct	❌ Wrong
Movie	`Inception (2010).mkv`	`inception_final.HD.mkv`
Movie folder	`Inception (2010)/`	`Movie1/`
TV episode	`Breaking Bad - S01E02.mkv`	`bb ep2.mkv`
TV structure	`Show/Season 01/…`	all episodes in one folder
Remake clarity	`Dune (2021).mkv`	`Dune.mkv` (ambiguous)

The pattern the scanner needs: Title (Year) for films and SxxExx for episodes. The year disambiguates remakes; the SxxExx maps episodes correctly.

Examples of correct and incorrect media file naming — The scraper needs Title (Year) and SxxExx — clean names fetch the right metadata.

Metadata and Posters

Once files are named correctly, your media server automatically fetches posters, descriptions, cast and subtitles on its first scan. If an entry scrapes wrong — usually a naming issue — use the app’s “Fix Match” tool to point it at the correct title. Refresh metadata after big changes. You rarely need a separate metadata manager if naming is clean.

Tools That Help

FileBot — automates consistent renaming and folder structure in bulk.
Your media server’s scraper — Plex/Jellyfin/Emby fetch metadata once names are right.
A text editor — for quick manual fixes to odd filenames.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Wrong artwork/title	Missing year / bad name	Rename to `Title (Year)`; Fix Match
Episodes not matching	No SxxExx pattern	Rename to `Show - S01E02`
Films and TV mixed up	One shared library	Split into Movies and TV libraries
Duplicate entries	Multiple files/versions	Use version folders; clean duplicates
Nothing scrapes	Wrong folder pointed	Point the library at the correct root

The Bottom Line

A well-organised library is mostly about naming: separate Movies and TV Shows, use Title (Year) and Show - S01E02, and your media server does the rest — posters, descriptions and all. Fix the name, and mismatches disappear. Set up your server with our Plex setup guide or Jellyfin setup guide, understand the tech in our media server explainer, add subtitles with our subtitles setup guide, and look up any term in the streaming glossary.