Patch Notes

v2.5.0August 19 2026

Latest

YouTube downloads work again

• FixYouTube had changed in a way the bundled downloader could not keep up with, and every download through it was being refused. It now keeps itself up to date instead of staying frozen at the version it was built with, so a change on their side stops being something you have to wait out.
• FixThis is not a promise that it can never break again. When YouTube changes and no fix has been published yet, downloads can still fail for a while, and the log now says which of the two is happening.

It tells you what went wrong

• FeatureWhen nothing matched what you asked for, you now see why the candidates were turned down, instead of only being told that none were good enough.
• FeatureA full disk or a drive that is not reachable is no longer counted against the track that happened to be downloading. It is shown for what it is, a storage problem on your machine, with a retry that covers just the tracks it stopped.
• FeatureWhen an outside service Synthseek relies on is down, you can see how long it has been that way rather than guessing.
• FeatureIf the app cannot start, the reason now reaches you instead of the startup ending in silence.
• FeatureEvery failed track now keeps the reason it failed, so it is still there later instead of only in the log at the moment it happened.

Less waiting

• ImprovedThe requests list loads much faster. It was carrying every track of every request just to draw the list, and now it fetches the tracks only when you open one.
• ImprovedWhen several parts of the app ask for the same track or the same artwork at once, that is now a single lookup instead of one each.
• ImprovedA network drive that stops responding no longer freezes every other file operation behind it.

• ImprovedArtwork fetched from outside is re-checked at every redirect, not just once at the address it started from.

v2.4.0August 12 2026

Decide what enters your library, and bring in music you already have

Nothing gets past you

• FeatureSynthseek can now check that a downloaded file really is the song you asked for, by listening to it rather than trusting its name. A file that turns out to be something else is blocked instead of landing in your library.
• FeatureA blocked file is no longer thrown away. It waits in a review queue where you can see exactly why it was rejected, listen to it, and either approve it or discard it. Approving imports it straight away, with no second download.
• FeatureSources that keep sending you the wrong thing can be quarantined, and you can see which uploaders have been set aside and why.
• FeatureIf you want to approve what other members request before anything downloads, you can turn that on, with a trusted role for the people you would rather not review.

Music you already have

• FeatureDrag your own files in, even zipped. Synthseek identifies each track, and if it matches something you had already asked for, it closes that request for you.
• FeatureAlready have a song in poor quality? Ask for a better copy and Synthseek replaces it in place. The old file goes to a recycle bin rather than being deleted, and empties itself after a while.
• FeatureYou can now ask for better copies of several tracks at once from your library, and Synthseek tells you honestly what it did with each one.

It keeps trying for you

• FeatureAnything that could not be found is retried on its own, spacing the attempts out when a track stays missing, so you are not left checking by hand.
• FeatureUnder a failed track you can see when the next attempt is due, how many there have been, and start one right away.

Getting around

• FeatureClick the artwork or the name of a request to open the album or playlist behind it, the same way you already could from your library.
• FeatureWhen a source of information is unavailable, Synthseek says so instead of quietly showing you an incomplete page.

Fixes

• FixArtists no longer show up twice in your library. A past bug saved names in a simplified form, so one artist could appear as two cards. Updating merges them for you.
• FixDialogs on a phone had no solid background and the content behind them showed through.
• FixThe progress panel could freeze mid-sync, showing a list of grey dots with no names that never advanced. On a phone its collapse button did nothing at all.
• FixA field with the wrong details on the sign-in screen now turns red instead of giving no sign at all.
• FixSeveral things that were meant to stand out did not: selection marks, the active item in the settings menu, and badges that showed grey instead of their colour.
• FixA song that is in your library is no longer recorded as cancelled after a failed attempt to upgrade it.
• FixSearch results no longer store a simplified version of a song's details in your library.

v2.3.3July 9 2026

New

• FeatureRename a playlist at request time: the request window now has an optional name field, so it lands in your library with the name you want.
• FeaturePlaylist renames now sync both ways with Plex: rename in Synthseek and Plex follows in seconds, rename in Plex and Synthseek picks it up automatically.
• FeatureA new Media Server Sync job keeps your Plex playlists named right and topped up with any tracks they are missing, with its own Run now button in Settings, Jobs. The Jobs screen now only shows jobs relevant to your setup.
• FeatureRequesting a big playlist no longer blocks you: it is accepted instantly, tracks fill in the background, and a progress dock keeps you posted.

Fixes

• FixTyping spaces while renaming a playlist from its card menu works again.
• FixSynthseek now starts with a clear error message when a Docker folder is mounted read-only, instead of failing without explanation.

v2.3.2June 22 2026

• ImprovedPolished the content detail and settings screens, with a better request detail layout on mobile.

v2.3.1June 21 2026

Sync library playlists to Plex, plus AI playlist building from Last.fm

New

• FeatureSync a playlist to Plex straight from your library: the three-dot menu on any library playlist now has a Sync to Plex action, the same one already on the requests page.
• FeatureMCP tools extended to read your Last.fm listening history (top tracks, recent tracks, top artists) and to build or refresh a playlist from a set of songs in one step, so a connected AI assistant can curate playlists for you. See the full list of MCP tools and examples.
• FeatureThe interface is now available in German and French, in addition to English and Spanish.

Fixes

• FixRefreshed playlists now show the correct status based on how their tracks downloaded.

v2.3.0June 19 2026

Content detail, playlist management, and a smarter requests view

New

• FeatureA rich detail view for artists, albums, and playlists with artwork, bios, related content, and live per-track status, opening in place so you can dig in without losing your spot.
• FeatureFull playlist management: create, rename, and delete your own playlists, add or remove tracks, and pick several at once. Imported Spotify playlists get a Keep in sync switch that guards them while they sync.
• FeatureA mobile bottom navigation bar for easier use on phones.
• FeatureA redesigned Spotify import with clearer selection and optional auto-import.
• FeatureRetry several failed tracks at once from the library.

Improvements

• ImprovedThe Requests page now orders by most recent activity, so anything you just requested or re-requested jumps to the top, and each row shows when it was requested and last updated.
• ImprovedLibrary views now refresh on their own as downloads finish, no manual reload needed.
• ImprovedSorting library tracks by status now follows the real download pipeline order.
• ImprovedThe queue bar shows a clear Paused state when you pause downloads.
• ImprovedFaster, steadier metadata thanks to consolidated caching and per-source search timeouts.

Fixes

• FixDiscovery mix refreshes (Weekly Jams, Weekly Exploration, and friends) are now atomic, so a mix is never left empty in the middle of a refresh.
• FixRequesting a playlist or album no longer errors or leaves an empty playlist when several tracks share the same album.
• FixFixed an interactivity glitch when opening the app over a plain local HTTP address.
• FixListenBrainz discovery playlists stay as one playlist across refreshes instead of duplicating.
• FixQuieter startup logs and a smoother first run.

v2.2.0June 13 2026

A new Library to browse your whole collection

New

• FeatureA new Library section to browse everything you have, tracks, albums, artists, and playlists, with filters, search, sorting, and smooth scrolling. Exploring Artists and Albums metadata is a WIP.
• FeatureA floating progress panel that shows live progress while syncing to Plex or importing playlists.
• FeatureListenBrainz can now optionally keep one playlist updated with fresh recommendations on every refresh, instead of creating a new dated playlist each time.
• FeatureRequesting an album now shows it even when you already have its songs from a playlist, reusing what you already have.
• FeatureRedesigned notifications with a cleaner, more readable look.

Improvements

• ImprovedBetter Plex matching, so more of your tracks are found and fewer are dropped from playlists (try resyncing your existing playlists to plex).
• ImprovedDuplicate songs in an imported playlist are now collapsed, with a count of how many were skipped.
• ImprovedDownloads are more resilient to temporary YouTube failures.

Fixes

• FixEmpty album leftovers are no longer kept when a playlist or track is deleted.
• FixYou are now prompted to reconnect when a Spotify connection expires.
• FixImports no longer fail on songs you already have, and failures now show a clear, accurate reason.
• FixVarious visual fixes to the loading spinner, the notification icon, and more.

v2.1.2June 10 2026

Fixes

• FixTracks that were wrongly skipped as not found now download correctly.
• FixSearches that come up empty are retried automatically, so more songs are found.
• FixMore results are checked for each track, so the right match is less likely to be missed.

v2.1.1June 8 2026

Sync all playlists to Plex, plus detail-table and changelog fixes

A small follow-up to 2.1: send every eligible playlist to Plex in one action, and fix a couple of UI rough edges.

Improvements

• FeatureSync all playlists to Plex at once from the toolbar menu, alongside the existing per-playlist sync.

Fixes

• FixFixed stale rows and empty gaps in the request detail table when switching between playlists or albums.
• FixThe changelog fix badge now renders in red.

v2.1.0June 8 2026

Queue controls: priority, pause and resume, a queue stability fix, and Plex matching improvements

Version 2.1 gives you direct control over the download queue. Downloads now run one album or playlist at a time in order, you can jump any track or group to the front, and you can pause and resume individual albums and playlists or the whole queue. It also fixes a queue stability bug that could stall downloads and sharpens Plex matching.

Queue controls

• FeatureDownloads are ordered by album and playlist: every track in a group finishes before the next group starts.
• FeatureJump the queue: move any track, album, or playlist to the front from its actions menu, with a Prioritized badge so you can see it took effect. Retried tracks are prioritized automatically.
• FeaturePause and resume individual albums and playlists, or Pause all and Resume all for the whole queue, from the toolbar.

Fixes

• FixFixed a queue stability issue where finished jobs were never cleared from memory, which could fill the queue and stall all new downloads. The queue now drains completed work and resumes pending downloads automatically after a restart.
• FixHardened Plex track matching for missed library tracks, with album-position hydration, corrected playlist membership, parenthesized featuring-suffix handling, and tolerant fuzzy matching.
• FixExcluded live event-stream connections from the API rate limiter so the UI stays connected under load.
• FixCollapsed duplicate tracks within a playlist import so a song that appears twice no longer fails the import.
• FixHid the Artist Spotlight song count when an artist's track total is unknown.

v2.0.0June 5 2026

Synthseek 2.0: multi-user, MCP-ready, and provider-independent, with Lidarr delegation, Spotify library import, and file-based playlist import and export

Version 2.0 turns Synthseek from a single-user downloader into a self-managed, multi-user music service. It adds first-class accounts and member management, a built-in MCP server so assistants can drive your library, end-to-end localization, and a Settings UI that replaces hand-edited config files. The catalog and download layers are now fully provider-agnostic, and discovery, playlist import and export, and the Soulseek engine all grew substantially.

Multi-user and accounts

• FeatureMulti-user authentication with local accounts and Plex OAuth, replacing the single-user model.
• FeatureA first-run setup wizard to create the admin account, with a one-time reclaim flow for existing installs.
• FeatureMember management: add local users or import them from Plex, with admin-only sections hidden from members.
• FeaturePer-user Plex account linking and a Connected Accounts area, with hardened Plex login.
• FeatureMembers can connect and import their own Spotify library.
• FeatureA self-service profile page to update your profile and change your password.
• FeatureRequests are scoped to their owner and show who made them.

MCP server and API access

• FeatureA built-in MCP server so assistants like Claude can search, request downloads, inspect your library, tune up settings and read Synthseek logs.
• FeatureAPI keys and a public URL setting, managed from a new MCP settings section.
• FeatureAn OAuth 2.1 authorization server with a consent screen and connection guidance for MCP clients.

Provider-agnostic library and downloads

• FeaturePer-request download-source selection, with an automatic yt-dlp fallback when Soulseek peers cannot deliver.
• FeatureSpotify library integration: browse, import, and sync your Spotify library from a new power-table with bulk actions.
• FeatureMore library providers are on the way.
• FeatureCover art from the active provider is embedded into downloads and Plex playlists.

Discovery

• FeatureListenBrainz and Last.fm discovery integrations that surface recent scrobbles, top tracks, and discovery mixes on the Discover page.
• FeatureOptional auto-request of playlists from your ListenBrainz discovery feeds.
• FeatureA revamped Discover page with a hero, a library leaderboard, and recent requests.

Playlist import and export

• FeatureImport playlists from JSPF, XSPF, and CSV, and export to JSPF, from search and a dedicated import UI.

Localization

• FeatureThe interface is now available in English and Spanish, with a localized error contract end-to-end and localized relative dates.
• FeatureMore languages are on the way

Soulseek and the download engine

• ImprovedA Soulseek user banlist with manual and automatic banning.
• ImprovedPer-request minimum upload speed and free-slot filters, plus quality and peer options in the download modal.
• ImprovedPer-job peer dedupe across bitrate fallback tiers and match-accuracy scoring improvements.
• ImprovedConfigurable search timeouts and a more resilient slskd startup.

Lidarr

• FeatureDelegate artist additions to Lidarr with tag selection and progressive monitor scopes, selectable per request.

Library, metadata, and operations

• ImprovedAlbum genres and a library leaderboard.
• ImprovedA managed jobs section with manual triggers.
• ImprovedA logs viewer with export, level filtering, and auto-refresh, backed by a server logs API with a runtime log level.
• ImprovedA warning when the AcoustID identity differs from the requested track.
• ImprovedIn-app updates: a new Updates section in Settings shows this patch-notes timeline and flags when a newer version is available.

Fixes and hardening

• Fixarm64 images now ship native binaries for the server bundle and the Prisma engine.
• FixTolerant Plex track matching for playlist sync.
• FixThe queue engine emits a searching status for every source.
• FixMalformed ISRC tags are ignored during post-download validation.
• FixA batch of UI and behavior fixes across search, discover, settings, requests, and theme.
• FixNext.js and test tooling updated for security advisories.

v1.2.1May 4 2026

Track failures now tell you why

When a track fails, the request card surfaces a typed failure reason with an icon and tooltip instead of a generic error. Reasons are classified into:

• FeatureNot found, no source matched the requested track.
• FeatureImport rejected, Beets / Plex declined the file (metadata, format, or duplicate).
• FeatureP2P failed, Soulseek peers errored out or never delivered.
• FeatureOther, fallback for unclassified failures.

The retry path bifurcates accordingly so retries do the right thing for each kind of failure instead of blindly repeating the same attempt. Each TrackRequest also stores the resolved downloaded_file path for cleaner import diagnostics.

Fixes and improvements

• FixContainer no longer crashes at boot with chown: /music: Operation not permitted when the music library lives on a USB / exFAT / NTFS drive. The recursive chown on user volumes is replaced by a runtime access probe that emits a clear diagnostic instead of crashing. Boot is also instant on multi-TB libraries since there's no inode traversal, and the host's file ownership is no longer mutated by the container (#2).
• FixMalformed ISRC tags no longer break post-download metadata validation, they're ignored instead.
• FixMusic cache warmup runs every 6 hours instead of every 25 minutes, reducing background load.
• FixTrack count is hidden in the artist album list when unavailable instead of showing a placeholder.
• FixThe sort filter is dropped from playlist navigation after submitting a request so you land on the freshly-added item.
• FixDate sort is inverted so the newest items appear first.

v1.2.0April 19 2026

Provider agnostic update (and more)

Completed the migration off Spotify's restricted API and rebuilt the music metadata layer around a provider-agnostic facade. Deezer is the default adapter today, no authentication required, no rate-limit surprises, no Premium gatekeeping. The facade exposes the same shape (tracks / albums / artists / playlists / genres) regardless of the underlying provider, so future providers can be added without touching the UI or the download pipeline. Content search now runs a smart multi-layer intent classifier (genre rules → learned patterns → post-search heuristics) to route ambiguous queries like "workout energy" or "chill sunday" to genre or mood endpoints instead of plain text search, surfacing better results for natural- language queries. This can be disabled in the config.yml file to fall back to legacy search. A support to integrate an LLM-assisted classifier is also in the works as a final fallback for queries the rule-based layers can't resolve on their own, with adapters for Ollama (local), OpenAI, Anthropic, and Groq already scaffolded in the codebase. The feature is parked as Work in progress.

Playlist Downloads End-to-End - Plex

You can now request a full playlist from search or discover, Synthseek will download every track individually, preserve the original ordering, and reconstruct the playlist inside Plex when the download finishes. If some tracks resolve late (retries, slow peers), the Plex playlist is synced incrementally as each new track arrives instead of waiting for all of them. A new playlist status badge shows where each playlist is in its life cycle, Syncing to Plex… while the reconstruction is in flight, then In Plex ✓ or Not in Plex with a retry button if the Plex side failed. The status is a first-class value in the canonical request state, so the card visuals (border, gradient, description) transition naturally without a flash of "partially complete" before the sync finishes. I am also working on a workflow to import existing playlists from multiple music providers directly into Synthseek so you can mirror your current libraries without having to rebuild them by hand. Parked as Work in progress.

Plex Integration Update

Plex actions are now each individually controllable from config.yml: library_scan (toggles the post-import library refresh) and playlist_sync (toggles playlist creation and incremental sync). Both default to on. After metadata enforcement, the Plex library is now rescanned with force=1 so newly tagged files show up immediately.

Minor fixes and improvements

Various small bug fixes, UX polish, and performance tweaks across search, the request list, and the download pipeline.

v1.1.0March 26 2026

Spotify API Migration (Feb 2026 Breaking Changes)

Adapted to Spotify's February 2026 API restrictions that require Premium accounts for API access and impose stricter rate limits. Search and album track limits reduced to 10, trending tracks rewritten to use direct search instead of playlist endpoints (now requiring user OAuth), and browse categories replaced with a static genre list. Currently working on a more reliable metadata provider integration Reference: https://developer.spotify.com/blog/2026-02-06-update-on-developer-access-and-platform-security

Version Update Notifications

Added automatic detection of new releases published to GitHub Container Registry. A dismissable ribbon banner appears at the top of the page when a newer version is available.