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How to check whether a title is already available for library gap fillers in 2026

Learn how library gap fillers can check whether a movie or show is already available before requesting it, with steps and tool options.

By VLClean ยท

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

Search your library by title and year, then check any request history you keep before asking for the title again. The steps below set out the order.

OptionWhat it does for this checkCost details
AskarrYou can paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the title. [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]
Plex library searchSearch the library by title and year to see what is already on the server.not published
Shared household listCheck a shared list of titles kept by the household before asking again.not published

What you need before you start

Before you check, have your Plex library open and a list of the titles you want to look for. Write each title with its release year, so that two films with the same name are not mixed up.

Library gap fillers are the people who keep a home library complete by adding what is missing. They need a quick way to see whether a title is already on the server, and a simple place to record the answer.

If you plan to use Askarr, you need your own Radarr and Sonarr set up first. Radarr handles movies and Sonarr handles shows. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed. [1]

Step by step

  1. Write down each title with its release year, so that two titles with the same name are not confused.
  2. Search the Plex library for the title and check the year on the result.
  3. If the title is missing, check any list or request history you keep for the same title.
  4. Confirm you have the exact title by checking its year and spelling against a movie or show database listing.
  5. Record the result next to the title, with the date, so the next person knows what was checked.
  6. Only after these checks, send the request, so the same title is not asked for twice.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [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]

You can paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the title. [1] Radarr and Sonarr report back to the site, which then shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [1]

The facts here describe Askarr only, so check whether each other option shows that a title is already in your library before choosing.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid assuming a title is missing because a search came back empty. A search may match only part of the title, so try the year and a shorter version of the name before deciding.

Avoid skipping the year check. Two releases with the same name can look identical in a list, and the wrong one may be requested.

Avoid keeping no record of what was checked. Without a note, the same title gets looked up and asked for again by different people.

Avoid trusting an old list. Check the library and the request history on the day you send a new request.

Frequently asked questions

How can Plex library gap fillers check whether a title is already available?

Search the Plex library by title and year first. Then check any request history or list you keep, so a title already asked for is not added twice. If you use Askarr, its request history shows live status on the plans that include it. [1] You can also paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the exact title. [1]

Does Askarr check the Plex library for existing titles?

The facts available here do not say whether Askarr checks the Plex library for existing titles, so look at the Askarr site before relying on it for that. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1]

Can Askarr show when a title was added?

Askarr can show when a title was added and downloaded, because Radarr and Sonarr report back to the site. [1] A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. [1]

Is Askarr free for checking titles?

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] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1]

Can Askarr be tried before signing up?

You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [1] Askarr is a hosted website, so nothing is installed. [1] Use the demo to see how requests look, then test the lookup with a title you already know is on your server.

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

Try Askarr

Sources

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

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