How to request movies from a family group chat in 2026

Learn how family members can ask for movies using messaging apps with simple steps and tool options.

By VLClean · 2026-11-11

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Family members can request movies through a messaging app by using a request tool, a shared list, or a simple form that the Plex server owner sets up and shares.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Before posting a movie request, check the family chat's pinned messages or recent instructions for the place where requests belong. A conversation about what to watch and a request for someone to add a movie can look similar, so make the purpose of the message clear. Decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests through the group chat. Have the movie's title and release year ready, especially if a remake shares its name. Add a short identifying detail when the title alone could point to something else. Check any family rules about suitable content before sending the request. Keep the request rules simple such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows. Ask the person managing the library which request route to use before spending time on settings or accounts. As the person asking for a movie, start with the instructions shared in the conversation. Have Radarr and Sonarr ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library. Decide who will review requests before anything is added. Check whether the chat message itself counts as a submission or whether it should lead to a separate form, list, or request page. Keep that destination easy to find again so a later follow-up stays attached to the original request. The choice can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives viewers a clear place to submit titles.

Step by step

Find the request instructions in the family conversation. Look for a pinned note, a shared destination, or a message from the person managing the movie library. If the instructions are missing, ask where movie requests should go. Avoid assuming that mentioning a film during a conversation puts it on someone's request list. 2. Identify the movie before submitting anything. Include its release year if the name could refer to different films. If relatives have been discussing a trailer, make clear which movie the request concerns. Separate a request to add a title from a suggestion to watch something already available. 3. Write a direct message that names the film and asks for it to be added. For example: “Please add the movie discussed above, using the release year in the trailer.” Replace that wording with the actual title and year before sending. Keep unrelated recommendations in another message so the request is easy to spot. 4. Follow the destination supplied by the library owner. If requests belong in the chat, send the identifying details there. If the instructions point elsewhere, complete the submission there rather than leaving only a chat message. Return to the conversation with a brief note that the request has been submitted, if that helps relatives coordinate. 5. Check for an acknowledgment before sending the same request again. Search the conversation for the movie's name and look at the request destination for any available update. When following up, reply to the original message where possible and ask about that title specifically. Distinguish an accepted request from a movie that is ready to watch. 6. Keep later changes in the same conversation. If the wrong film was identified, supply the correct title and year in a reply. If someone else has already requested it, refer to that submission instead of starting another. Once availability is confirmed, share that update with the relatives who were waiting for the movie.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1] The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb, or TVDB link. ^[1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr as a list they read your requests from. ^[1] A request form lets people submit movie or show titles through the chosen form. A shared request list lets people add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list. Before choosing a tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and how requested movies and shows reach the library.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not bury a movie request inside a long discussion about actors, trailers, or weekend plans. Put the title near the start of the message and state that it is a request to add the film. A relative reading the conversation later should be able to tell what action is being requested. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added. Do not treat a reaction to a chat message as confirmation that the movie is available. Ask what acknowledgment means in this family's process, and where to look for a ready-to-watch update. If a separate submission is required, finish it before assuming the request has reached the person handling it. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the server. Before repeating a request, look for the film in the chat's earlier messages and in the agreed request destination. Reply to the existing discussion when asking for progress. If a title has several versions, include the release year again so the follow-up does not create a new ambiguity. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention. Check the audience before posting account details or sharing a request destination beyond the family conversation. Ask the library owner what can be forwarded to other people. Keep any access questions separate from the movie request so neither gets lost among replies about the film. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can family members request movies from a group chat?

Start with the instructions already shared in the family conversation. Name the movie, include its release year when needed, and state that it is a request to add it. If the instructions direct requests to another destination, submit it there. Use the original chat message for follow-ups so relatives can follow the discussion.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Askarr provides a website for requests that works with the owner's existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] After the owner adds Askarr once, those programs read requests from it. ^[1] Before using the destination shared in a family chat, check with the owner that it is the agreed place to submit a movie.

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]

How do friends find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb, or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for a family group chat?

Check where a chat participant should submit a title, how to identify the correct film, and where to look for progress afterward. Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] For any way to request titles, ask who handles questions and how the family should follow up on an earlier request.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)