eBooks and Reading in Phyn
Phyn is designed to be far more than just a video player; it is your comprehensive, all-in-one media haven. By providing native support for a diverse range of digital reading formats and audiobooks, Phyn allows you to transition seamlessly from watching a cinematic blockbuster to catching up on your favorite novel, all within a single, integrated interface.
Supported Formats
Phyn provides exceptional compatibility with the most popular digital publishing and comic book formats, ensuring your library looks and performs flawlessly across all your devices:
EPUB: The gold standard for digital books. Phyn utilizes a reflowable text engine, allowing you to enjoy a comfortable reading experience where the text automatically adjusts to fit your screen size and orientation perfectly.
PDF: Ideal for documents that require a fixed layout, such as academic textbooks, technical manuals, and high-fidelity art books. Phyn renders these with crisp detail, preserving the original formatting of every page.
CBR & CBZ: Dedicated support for comic book archives. Whether you are reading a vintage graphic novel or the latest manga, Phyn ensures that high-resolution imagery loads quickly and looks stunning, handling sequential art with the specialized care it deserves.
Audiobooks: High-quality, native playback for your entire spoken-word library, turning Phyn into a powerful companion for your daily commute or evening relaxation.
Getting Started with eBooks
To access your reading material, your Jellyfin Server must have a library of the "Books" type properly configured. Once your files are populated on the server, Phyn will automatically discover and organize them for you.
Open the Phyn App: Navigate to your Books library from the main home screen.
Select a Title: Tap on any book to view its rich metadata. Here, you can read detailed descriptions, view author information, and see cover art fetched directly from your server.
Start Reading: Simply tap the Read button to launch the built-in viewer. Because Phyn uses a native engine, the transition is instantaneous and fluid.
Reading Features
Native Viewer Integration: Phyn eliminates the need for clunky third-party reading apps. By opening files directly within the app, we maintain a consistent, high-performance experience that doesn't drain your battery or clutter your device with extra software.
Intelligent Progress Syncing: Phyn constantly communicates with your Jellyfin server to keep your place. If you start a chapter on your iPhone during your lunch break, you can open Phyn on your Mac at home and resume exactly where you left off without missing a beat.
Enhanced Table of Contents: For EPUB and PDF files, Phyn provides an intuitive sidebar navigation menu. This allows you to jump between chapters, sections, or specific bookmarks with a single tap, making it easy to navigate even the longest technical documents.
Audiobooks
Phyn provides a rich audiobook experience that is second to none, integrating seamlessly with your device’s native media center and notification tray.
Background Playback & OS Integration: Phyn supports full background media playback. You can control your book; pause, play, or skip, directly from your lock screen or notification center, just like your favorite music app.
Granular Playback Speed: Tailor the narration to your preference. Use the built-in controls to adjust the playback speed (e.g., 0.5x to 2.0x), allowing you to breeze through familiar content or slow down for complex narrations.
Troubleshooting & Tips
Table of Contents & Navigation
If you find the Table of Contents is unresponsive or page-skipping feels inconsistent, please verify your file's formatting. While Phyn supports a wide range of versions, older or "scanned" PDF files may lack the internal metadata required for chapter navigation. For the best experience, we recommend using modern EPUB files.
Paywall & Subscription Clarification
Phyn is free to download and allows for basic library browsing and media playback. However, advanced "quality-of-life" features, such as Resume Playback (automatically returning to your last page after the app has been closed), may require a Phyn Premium subscription. These contributions directly fund the development of our specialized native players for iOS, Android, and macOS.
Connection & Visibility
If your books aren't appearing in your library, first verify that your Jellyfin server is reachable. Then, ensure that the specific "Books" library on your server has been shared with your user account. If the library is visible on the Jellyfin Web UI but not in Phyn, try refreshing your home screen within the app to trigger a re-sync.
Need more help?
If you encounter a specific file that won't open or a bug within the reader, please reach out to our team at [email protected]. When emailing, please include your device model, the OS version, and the specific file extension (e.g., .epub or .cbz) you are having trouble with.
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