# Provider settings

Provider settings apply **only to this pair**.

They are separate from provider setup in **Authentication**.

{% hint style="success" %}
Normally it's not needed to change any settings here. The defaults are just fine for most users.
{% endhint %}

For library scoping, use [Pair-level Whitelisting](/crosswatch/configure-pairs/provider-settings/pair-level-whitelisting.md).

### Providers → Media servers

{% hint style="info" %}
These options show up only when your pair uses a media server provider.
{% endhint %}

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Plex" %}
**Strict ID matching (per pair)**

This is now **on by default**.

CrossWatch matches items **only by IDs**.

Title/year fallback is off by default because it causes too many false positives.

Expect more “missing peers” if your library items lack external IDs.

Turn this off only if you accept the risk of wrong matches.

**Marked watched (per pair)**

When enabled, CrossWatch also treats Plex’s **“marked watched”** state as history.

Use this when you rely on the Plex checkmark and real play events.

{% hint style="warning" %}
This works only for the **Plex server owner**.

It does **not** work for Plex **Home** users (managed users) or shared **friends**.
{% endhint %}

This is **add-only**:

* Mark watched in Plex → can sync out.
* Unmark watched in Plex → CrossWatch will not “unwatch” on other services.

**Fallback GUID (experimental, per pair)**

When enabled, CrossWatch uses extra Plex GUID recovery to find external IDs.

It can sometimes recover IDs for items you **don’t have in your libraries anymore**, as long as Plex still has enough metadata in its database.

This can be slower.

It can also increase wrong matches on messy libraries.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Enable this **only for a first-run**.

Then disable it.

It adds extra Plex lookups.

It can significantly increase CPU/network load.
{% endhint %}

See: [Adapter: Plex](/crosswatch/providers/synchronization/adapter-plex.md).
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Jellyfin" %}
**Strict ID matching (per pair)**

This is now **on by default**.

CrossWatch matches items **only by IDs**.

Title/year fallback is off by default because it causes too many false positives.

Expect more “missing peers” if your Jellyfin metadata agents don’t populate IDs.

Turn this off only if you accept the risk of wrong matches.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Emby" %}
**Strict ID matching (per pair)**

This is now **on by default**.

CrossWatch matches items **only by IDs**.

Title/year fallback is off by default because it causes too many false positives.

Expect more “missing peers” if your Emby metadata agents don’t populate IDs.

Turn this off only if you accept the risk of wrong matches.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


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