How to find missing titles to add to Radarr for decade completionists in 2026

Learn how to find missing movies for Radarr, compare your collection with public IMDb lists, and organize titles for decade-by-decade completion.

By VLClean · 2026-11-07

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

To find missing movie titles for Radarr, choose a list of movies covering the decade, compare its titles with the movies already in your collection, and make a separate list of the gaps. Watcharr can turn a public IMDb list into a Radarr link containing its movies. ^[1]

Option	How it helps find missing titles	Cost details
Watcharr	Turns a public IMDb list into a Radarr link containing its movies. ^[1]	The hosted version requires no installation and no account. ^[1]
Manual collection comparison	Compare a chosen reference list with the existing movie collection and record the gaps.	not published
Personal missing-title checklist	Keep track of reference lists, decades, uncertain matches and titles still to add.	not published
Multiple public IMDb lists	Compare different public movie lists to identify possible gaps across a decade project.	not published

What you need before you start

Decade completionists need a clear way to decide which movies belong in their collection and which titles are still missing. Start by choosing the decade to work on, such as the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s. Decide whether the goal is to collect every movie on a particular list or to build a broader collection of films from that period.

Choose a source of movie titles before comparing anything. A public IMDb list can provide a starting point, particularly when it already contains films grouped around a decade, genre or another subject. Keep the list focused enough that the comparison remains manageable.

Have Radarr ready if it is part of the process for adding movies to the collection. Make sure the existing movie collection is available for comparison, and decide how missing titles will be recorded before anything is added.

It also helps to keep a separate record of titles that have been identified but not yet added. This makes it easier to distinguish between a movie that has been found, one that has been approved for addition, and one that is already in the collection.

Finally, decide how to handle movies that appear on several lists. A decade completion project can involve multiple sources, so a consistent way to recognize duplicate titles helps keep the missing-title record organized.

Step by step

Choose the decade. Start with one decade rather than trying to complete an entire movie collection at once. Write down the years covered by the project and decide whether the collection will include every type of movie or follow a narrower subject.

Choose a reference list. Find a list of movie titles that matches the decade and the collection goal. A public IMDb list is one possible source. Check its contents before using it, since a list's subject and selection determine which missing titles it can help identify.

Compare the reference list with the existing collection. Go through the titles and identify movies that are not already represented in the collection. Do not assume that a movie is missing simply because its name looks different. Check the title and relevant release details before recording it as a gap.

Keep a separate missing-title record. Record the titles that still need attention. This gives the project a clear working list and avoids repeatedly comparing the same reference list against the collection. Include enough identifying information to distinguish movies with similar names.

Check overlapping lists. If several reference lists cover the same decade, compare them with one another as well as with the collection. A movie appearing on multiple lists should still be treated as one movie in the missing-title record.

Review uncertain matches. Some titles may have alternate names, different release information or incomplete identifying details. Keep uncertain entries separate until they have been checked. This prevents a mistaken match from hiding a genuine gap.

Decide which missing movies to add. Review the resulting list and decide which titles belong in the collection. A reference list is a way to identify possible gaps, not a requirement to add every movie it contains.

Send the chosen titles to Radarr. Use the method selected for moving movie titles into the existing Radarr workflow. Check that the intended movies appear in the resulting list before considering that part of the project complete.

Repeat the comparison for another decade. Keep each decade's reference lists and missing-title records organized separately. This makes it easier to return to an unfinished period without starting the comparison again.

Revisit the records as the collection changes. A title identified as missing may later become part of the collection. Update the working record so that future comparisons reflect the current collection rather than an older snapshot.

Tools that can do it

Different approaches can help identify missing movie titles, depending on whether the goal is a one-time comparison or an ongoing decade completion project.

Watcharr

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It turns one public IMDb list into two links, one for Radarr containing the movies and one for Sonarr containing the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks its link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. ^[1]

Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, phone site and IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] Its links are based on the IMDb list ID, so the same list always produces the same two links. ^[1]

A bookmark clicked inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that application's API key without sending it anywhere else. ^[1] The hosted version requires no installation and no account. ^[1]

Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, with a movie appearing on more than one list added only once. ^[1] If a list read fails, the links continue serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1]

Watcharr is one tool that can be used for this step. The lists still need to reflect the movies the collection is intended to include.

Manual collection comparison

A manual comparison is another option. Choose a reference list, review its movie titles against the existing collection, and record the missing entries separately. This approach keeps the selection process under direct control and does not depend on choosing a particular list-conversion service.

A personal missing-title checklist

A spreadsheet or written checklist can keep track of the decades being completed, the reference lists being used and the movies still under consideration. It can also help separate confirmed gaps from titles that need further checking. The choice of record-keeping method depends on how the project is organized.

Multiple public IMDb lists

Several public lists can provide different starting points for a decade project. A list focused on a particular genre can be considered alongside a broader decade list. Compare the entries before treating the combined results as a single missing-title record.

Watcharr also provides title details through a page that displays movie covers in a row. Each cover opens TMDB information including the plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid choosing a reference list without checking its subject. A list about a particular genre or group of films may leave out many movies that belong in a broader decade completion project.

Avoid treating every movie on a reference list as a missing title. Compare the list with the existing collection first, and check uncertain title matches before recording a gap.

Avoid combining several reference lists without checking for duplicate entries. The same movie can appear in different lists, so keep the missing-title record organized around individual movies rather than the number of lists containing them.

Avoid treating an identified title as an approved addition. Keep the process of finding missing movies separate from the decision about which movies should become part of the collection.

Avoid leaving old records unchanged as the collection grows. A missing-title checklist should reflect movies already added, or it can become an unreliable guide for later comparisons.

Finally, check how a tool handles list updates, account access and failed reads before making it part of the regular workflow. A clear process for reviewing changes helps keep a long-term collection project organized.

Frequently asked questions

How can Radarr users find missing movies from a particular decade?

Choose a reference list covering the decade, compare its movie titles with the existing collection, and record the titles that are not already represented. Check uncertain matches before treating them as missing. Keeping a separate record for each decade makes it easier to track progress and return to unfinished parts of a collection.

Can Watcharr turn an IMDb movie list into a Radarr list?

Yes. Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into two links, one for Radarr containing the movies and one for Sonarr containing the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks its link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. ^[1]

Does Watcharr require an installation or account?

The hosted version of Watcharr requires no installation and no account. ^[1] Signed-in users can also combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household. A movie appearing on multiple lists is added only once. ^[1]

Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists for a decade collection?

Yes. Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household. A movie appearing on two lists is added only once. ^[1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household. ^[1]

Does Watcharr keep working if an IMDb list read fails?

If a read of the IMDb list fails, Watcharr's links continue serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] Signed-in users can also have Watcharr re-read their list about every 15 minutes and receive a warning when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1]

Can Watcharr handle IMDb lists from different languages?

Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site and IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list ID, so the same list always produces the same two links. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a tool for Radarr decade completion?

Check which list sources a tool accepts, how it identifies movies, how it handles duplicate entries and how updates reach Radarr. Also consider account requirements, access to application keys and what happens when a reference list cannot be read. For Watcharr, commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, while older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Try Watcharr

Sources

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