Play media shuffled

Use this action to start playing a directory from your Jellyfin library shuffled, such as a full series, TV show, or season. The Jellyfin API supports shuffling a directory when playback begins. This immediately replaces the current play queue of the client with the shuffled media.

To play media without shuffling, use Play media instead.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To play media shuffled from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. Select what you want to control. Under By target (see Targets), select the Jellyfin players you want to play on.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Play media shuffled.
7. Fill in the options you want to use.
8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as jellyfin.play_media_shuffle. A basic example looks like this:

action: jellyfin.play_media_shuffle
target:
  entity_id: media_player.chrome
data:
  media:
    media_content_id: 34361f3855c9c0ac39b0f7503fe86be0

This shuffle plays a full season of a TV show on the targeted Jellyfin client.

Options in YAML

Good to know

• To find the media_content_id of the content you want to play, browse or search your library with the media_player.browse_media and media_player.search_media actions.
• Shuffling works on directories, such as a series, TV show, or season.

Targets of the action

This action requires a target. The target is the object of the action. You can point the action at a single entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more], a device, an area, a floor, or a label, and Home Assistant will run the action on every matching media_player entity behind that target.

• Entity: one specific media_player entity, such as media_player.living_room.
• Device: every media_player entity that belongs to a device.
• Area: every media_player entity in a room or area.
• Floor: every media_player entity on a floor.
• Label: every media_player entity that shares a label.

You can also select different target types in one action. For example, you can add a specific entity and an area as targets in the same action to run the action on both of them at once.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Actions, search for this action, fill in the fields, and select Perform action. You see what happens on your actual entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] without writing a line of YAML.

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.