---
{"title": "How to approve requests from afar in 2026", "description": "Learn how remote family sharers can review and approve movie and show requests from a distance while managing a Plex library.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-approve-requests-from-afar-for-remote-family-sharers/", "date": "2026-10-22"}
---
Learn how remote family sharers can review and approve movie and show requests from a distance while managing a Plex library.

Remote family sharers can approve requests from afar by choosing one place where all requests collect, naming who reviews each one, and checking request status from anywhere as titles are added to the library.

| Option | What it does for approving requests | Cost details |
|---|---|---|
| Askarr | A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] The plans include a request history with live status. [^1] | The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [^1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [^1] |
| Request form | People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form, and submissions can be checked from anywhere. | not published |
| Shared request list | People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list, which can be reviewed from any device. | not published |

## What you need before you start

Set up one place where movie and show requests collect, so viewers across a distance send every title to the same spot. Decide who is allowed to submit requests and who reviews each one before it is added to the library.

Make sure the Plex server already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and confirm that the people sharing the server can reach the request location from where they are.

Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many Plex owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library. Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library.

Choose a review rule for who approves a request when the usual owner is away, and pick how the requester learns that a title was added or turned down. Decide who checks the request list on the days the owner cannot, so no request waits without a decision.

## Step by step

1. Pick one place where friends and family send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place, even when they are far away.

2. Decide who reviews each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added, and name that person clearly for the whole group.

3. Set the approval rule for times the usual reviewer is away, so the backup reviewer knows when to act and can help prevent delays.

4. Write a short note for viewers that says who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added or turned down.

5. Send the note and the request location to the friends and family you want to allow, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it from afar.

6. Look through new requests on a regular day each week, approve the ones you want, and delete the ones you do not, from wherever you are.

7. Check the status of approved titles so a viewer can see when a movie or show was added and downloaded.

8. Ask a few viewers after the first week what confused them, and edit your note to fix those points.

## Tools that can do it

Askarr, made by the team that publishes this site, is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] You search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [^1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they then read your requests from it. [^1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1]

A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] The plans include a request history with live status. [^1] You can also paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the title. [^1]

Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [^1]

Before choosing a tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow.

## Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added, especially when the decision is made from afar.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way movies and shows are added to the Plex library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the server from a distance.

Avoid leaving approval to one person with no backup. If that person is away, requests can wait without a decision, so name a second reviewer who can act.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

## Frequently asked questions

### How can remote family sharers approve requests from afar?

Remote family sharers can approve requests from afar by choosing one place where all requests collect, naming who reviews each one, and having a backup reviewer for times the usual person is away. A clear note tells viewers what can be requested and how they learn the outcome. Checking the request location on a set day keeps approvals moving.

### Can Askarr show the status of requests from a distance?

Askarr works through a browser, and a webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] The plans include a request history with live status. [^1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [^1] Check the plan page for the level that fits before choosing.

### Does Askarr require changes to the Plex server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Nothing is installed. [^1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list. [^1]

### How does Askarr show that a title was added?

A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back to Askarr so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [^1] This lets a reviewer see the outcome of an approved request without visiting the server. The plans include a request history with live status. [^1] Stripe is a separate company that handles card payments, and its card fee is separate from Askarr's paid-plan fee. Check Stripe's current fees and Askarr's plan prices before choosing.

### What should be checked before choosing a tool to approve requests from afar?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr plans list a request history with live status. [^1] A free account allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Compare those details with the way the Plex server is managed, and check what account or payment information a tool asks for, before choosing a request method.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] - [Visit Askarr](/go/start)

## Sources

[^1]: Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start)