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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:
If you don’t have Docker installed, see our local installation guide for running without Docker.

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Get started with Docker

1

Get your TorBox API key

Navigate to torbox.app/settings and copy your API key. You’ll need this in the next step.
2

Run the Docker command

Copy and run this command, replacing <YOUR_API_KEY> with your actual API key:
docker run -it -d \
    --name=torbox-media-center \
    --restart=always \
    --init \
    -v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox \
    -e TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY> \
    -e MOUNT_METHOD=strm \
    -e MOUNT_PATH=/torbox \
    anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
  • --name=torbox-media-center: Names your container for easy management
  • --restart=always: Automatically restarts the container if it stops
  • -v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox: Mounts files to /home/YOUR_USERNAME/torbox on your system
  • -e TORBOX_API_KEY: Your TorBox API key for authentication
  • -e MOUNT_METHOD=strm: Uses STRM method (best for Jellyfin/Emby)
  • -e MOUNT_PATH=/torbox: Mount location inside the container
Using Plex or VLC? Change MOUNT_METHOD=strm to MOUNT_METHOD=fuse and add these additional flags:
--device /dev/fuse:/dev/fuse \
--cap-add SYS_ADMIN \
--security-opt apparmor:unconfined
See the FUSE configuration guide for details.
3

Wait for initial sync

The Media Center will automatically:
  1. Connect to your TorBox account
  2. Scan your downloads for video files
  3. Organize them into movies and series folders (if metadata is enabled)
  4. Mount them to /home/YOUR_USERNAME/torbox
Check the logs to monitor progress:
docker logs -f torbox-media-center
You should see output like:
2024-03-15 10:30:45,123 root INFO Starting scheduler and mounting...
2024-03-15 10:30:46,456 root INFO Mount method: strm
2024-03-15 10:30:47,789 root INFO Processing downloads...
4

Verify your mount

Check that your media files are accessible:
ls /home/$(whoami)/torbox
You should see:
movies/
series/
This can happen for a few reasons:
  1. No video files in TorBox: Make sure you have video downloads in your TorBox account
  2. Still processing: Check docker logs torbox-media-center for errors
  3. Permission issues: Run sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(whoami) /home/$(whoami)/torbox
See the troubleshooting guide for more help.
5

Connect your media server

Now point your media player to the mounted directory:
Add a new library and point it to:
  • Movies: /home/YOUR_USERNAME/torbox/movies
  • TV Shows: /home/YOUR_USERNAME/torbox/series
If Jellyfin/Emby is also running in Docker, you need to mount the same directory. See the media server setup guide for detailed instructions.

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Basic configuration

The default configuration works for most users, but you can customize these settings:

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Change refresh interval

By default, TorBox Media Center checks for new files every 3 hours. To change this: 
docker run -it -d \
    --name=torbox-media-center \
    --restart=always \
    --init \
    -v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox \
    -e TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY> \
    -e MOUNT_METHOD=strm \
    -e MOUNT_PATH=/torbox \
    -e MOUNT_REFRESH_TIME=fast \  # Check every 2 hours
    anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
Options: slowest (24h), very_slow (12h), slow (6h), normal (3h), fast (2h), ultra_fast (1h)

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Enable metadata scanning

By default, metadata scanning is disabled and all videos go to the movies folder. Enable it for automatic TV show detection: 
-e ENABLE_METADATA=true
Metadata scanning uses the TorBox Search API and is subject to rate limiting. You may see 429 errors during peak usage.

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Use raw mode

To keep the original file structure (like WebDAV): 
-e RAW_MODE=true
This disables metadata scanning and preserves your original folder structure. See the environment variables reference for all available options.

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Docker Compose (alternative)

If you prefer Docker Compose, create a docker-compose.yaml file:
docker-compose.yaml
name: torbox-media-center
services:
    torbox-media-center:
        container_name: torbox-media-center
        stdin_open: true
        tty: true
        restart: always
        volumes:
            - /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox
        environment:
            - TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY>
            - MOUNT_METHOD=strm
            - MOUNT_PATH=/torbox
        image: anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
Then run: 
docker compose up -d
docker-compose.yaml
name: torbox-media-center
services:
    torbox-media-center:
        container_name: torbox-media-center
        stdin_open: true
        tty: true
        restart: always
        volumes:
            - /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox
        devices:
            - /dev/fuse:/dev/fuse
        environment:
            - TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY>
            - MOUNT_METHOD=fuse
            - MOUNT_PATH=/torbox
        cap_add:
            - SYS_ADMIN
        security_opt:
            - apparmor:unconfined
        image: anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest

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Next steps

Configure environment variables

Customize refresh times, metadata scanning, mount methods, and more

Set up your media server

Detailed guides for Jellyfin, Plex, Emby, and other media players

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions for Docker, permissions, and mounting

Local installation

Run TorBox Media Center without Docker using Python

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Useful commands

docker logs -f torbox-media-center

docker restart torbox-media-center

docker stop torbox-media-center

docker stop torbox-media-center
docker rm torbox-media-center
docker pull anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
# Then run your docker run command again

ls -lah /home/$(whoami)/torbox