--- {"title": "How to Back Up IMDb Ratings and Lists in 2026", "description": "Learn how to keep a record of IMDb ratings and lists, prepare a backup routine, and compare tools before choosing a way to preserve your data.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-back-up-ratings-and-lists-for-data-export-minded-viewers/", "date": "2026-10-22"} --- Learn how to keep a record of IMDb ratings and lists, prepare a backup routine, and compare tools before choosing a way to preserve your data. To back up ratings and lists, identify the information that needs to be preserved, check which export options the source provides, save copies in a place you control, and keep a record of when each copy was updated. Watcharr can turn a public IMDb list into links for Radarr and Sonarr, but its approved features describe sending list titles to those apps rather than exporting ratings as a data archive. [^1] | Option | What it preserves or does | Cost details | |---|---|---| | IMDb export or account data request | Check the current available options for ratings and lists. | not published | | Spreadsheet or local file | Stores information that has been obtained and entered into the file. | not published | | Watcharr | Turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. [^1] | not published | | Another list management tool | Check its documented support for ratings, lists, and downloadable exports. | not published | ## What you need before you start Start by deciding exactly which information needs a backup. Ratings, watchlists, custom lists, and the titles inside those lists are different kinds of information. A useful backup plan identifies each kind separately instead of assuming that saving a list also saves ratings or other account details. Make a list of the IMDb information that matters most. Include the lists that would take time to rebuild, the ratings that you want to retain, and any titles that are especially important to keep track of. Record whether each list is public or private, since the method chosen for a backup may depend on what other people can access. Choose a place to keep the saved copies, such as a folder on a computer and a separate backup location. Give files clear names so the source and the date of the copy are easy to recognize. Keep an untouched original when a tool produces a downloadable file, and avoid relying on a single copy. Before selecting a tool, check what it actually saves and what format it provides. A tool that turns a public list into links for media library programs has a different purpose from a tool that exports personal ratings into a file. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] Its approved features describe list delivery to Radarr and Sonarr, so ratings preservation needs to be considered separately. [^1] ## Step by step 1. **List the information to preserve.** Write down which ratings, watchlists, and custom lists matter. Separate the need to preserve personal rating records from the need to keep a list of titles available for another application. 2. **Check the source's current export options.** Look for an official way to download or request a copy of the relevant information. Check whether the available method covers ratings, lists, or both. Do not assume that a list link contains every detail shown on the original service. 3. **Choose a format that can be kept and reviewed.** If a source offers a downloadable file, check which fields it includes and whether the file can be opened without the original account. If only a list of titles is available, record that limitation in the backup notes. A readable file can make it easier to review a saved collection later, but the actual contents matter more than the file extension. 4. **Save a dated original copy.** Store the exported information in a folder named for its source and date. Keep the original file unchanged, and make a separate working copy if you need to reorganize the contents. If the source does not offer a direct export for a particular type of information, note that it has not yet been backed up rather than treating another format as an equivalent replacement. 5. **Check the saved copy.** Open the file or review the saved list. Confirm that the expected titles or fields are present, and check whether ratings and list details have actually been included. If the copy contains only titles, it should not be treated as a complete backup of ratings. 6. **Make a separate plan for media library lists.** If the goal also includes keeping movie and show selections available to Radarr and Sonarr, consider a tool that delivers lists to those programs. Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and provides one link for Radarr with movies and one for Sonarr with shows. [^1] This can support a media library workflow, but it is distinct from saving a downloadable archive of personal ratings. 7. **Keep a record of changes.** When you create a new copy, note its date and which information it contains. Keep older copies until the new one has been checked. For a list that changes often, decide how frequently it needs to be revisited rather than assuming that a saved copy updates itself. 8. **Review the backup routine.** Check that the files remain accessible and that the saved information still meets the original goal. If a method preserves titles but not ratings, keep that distinction clear and investigate a separate way to preserve the missing information. ## Tools that can do it Different approaches preserve different kinds of information. Compare the actual output, the source of the information, and whether the result can be stored independently before choosing a method. **An official IMDb export or account data request.** Check IMDb's current account and data options for a way to obtain the ratings and lists that need to be preserved. Verify the information included in any available download before treating it as a complete backup. The facts provided for this comparison do not establish the current export fields or availability, so those details need to be checked directly. **A spreadsheet or local file.** A spreadsheet or text file can serve as a place to keep information that has already been obtained. Its usefulness depends on what can be copied into it and how much detail is recorded. Check whether each entry needs only a title or also needs a rating, list name, date, or other information. This approach is a storage method, not an automatic way to obtain every item from IMDb. **Watcharr.** Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] You paste one public IMDb list and receive one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [^1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, with Radarr checking it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5 minutes. [^1] These intervals describe the checking schedule, not a guarantee that every update will appear immediately. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] If you sign in, Watcharr rereads a list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. [^1] If a read fails, its links continue serving the last list that loaded correctly. [^1] These features concern keeping list links available, rather than creating a general downloadable ratings archive. Watcharr's code is available under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, while older versions remain under MIT. [^1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [^1] Anyone considering hosting it independently should review the licence and the stated hosting requirements before proceeding. Watcharr lets you turn a public IMDb list into separate links for Radarr to use for movies and Sonarr to use for shows. [^1] **Another list management tool.** Other tools may be worth considering if their documented features match the required backup. Check each tool's supported source, export formats, treatment of ratings, and ability to retain a separate copy. No verified rival facts were provided for this page, so no specific rival capability or fee is asserted here. The main distinction is between keeping a personal data archive and making titles available to media library programs. Choose based on which information needs to survive and how it must be used later. ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid treating a list of titles as a full account backup. A list can identify movies or shows without preserving personal ratings or other details. Check the actual contents of the saved result before marking the backup complete. Avoid confusing automatic list updates with a downloadable archive. Watcharr can refresh a public IMDb list for its Radarr and Sonarr links when signed-in users use its refresh feature. [^1] That does not establish that it exports personal ratings into a file. Keep a separate method for information that the chosen list tool does not preserve. Avoid keeping only one copy of important data. Store a dated copy in a suitable location, and consider a separate backup so one lost or damaged file does not remove the only saved record. Do not overwrite the last known good copy until the replacement has been checked. Avoid assuming that every title will appear in every downstream list. Watcharr looks up TheTVDB IDs through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and reports which shows it skipped. [^1] Review those skipped titles if completeness matters to the media library workflow. Avoid overlooking privacy, access, and licence conditions. Confirm whether a list is public before using a service that accepts public lists, and check the terms that apply to the intended use. Watcharr's code is available under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, with older versions under MIT. [^1] Its commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [^1] ## Things to check before you choose Before settling on a backup method, check whether it can preserve both ratings and lists or only one of them. Confirm whether it provides a file that can be stored separately, whether the saved information can be opened later, and whether new changes require another manual export. For a tool that sends lists to media library programs, check how it handles titles that cannot be matched and whether the update schedule meets the intended workflow. For a data archive, check whether the export includes the original ratings and the list details needed to reconstruct the collection. Also check account requirements, privacy expectations, hosting needs, and licence terms. The right method depends on the information being preserved, not simply on whether it can display or pass a list of titles to another program. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can IMDb ratings and lists be backed up? Start by checking which export or account data options are currently available from IMDb. Confirm that the resulting copy contains the ratings and lists that matter, then save it in a dated folder and keep another copy in a separate location. If a method preserves only titles, record that limitation and find a separate way to preserve ratings rather than treating the title list as a complete account backup. ### Can Watcharr export IMDb ratings? Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] It turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. [^1] These approved features describe sending list titles to media library programs, not exporting personal ratings into a downloadable archive. Check a separate data export method if preserving ratings is the main goal. ### Can Watcharr keep IMDb lists updated for Radarr and Sonarr? Watcharr provides one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows from a public IMDb list. [^1] Radarr checks its link every 15 minutes, and Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. [^1] If a user signs in, Watcharr rereads the list about every 15 minutes and warns when a list fails three reads in a row. [^1] Scheduled checks do not guarantee that every change appears immediately. ### Does Watcharr need to be installed to use public IMDb lists? The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] It accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] Anyone considering independent hosting should also review the hosting requirements and the applicable licence before choosing that route. ### What should be checked before choosing an IMDb backup tool? Check whether the tool saves ratings, lists, or only the titles in a list. Confirm whether it creates a downloadable copy, which information is included, and how changes are saved later. If the goal includes sending titles to Radarr and Sonarr, also check how unmatched shows are handled. Watcharr leaves out shows it cannot match to TheTVDB IDs and tells users which shows were skipped. [^1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [^1] - [Visit Watcharr](/go/start-watcharr) ## Sources [^1]: Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-watcharr)