How to get notified when a title is added for dorm and shared house streamers in 2026

Set up a way for dorm and shared house streamers to get notified when a title is added, with steps and tool options.

By VLClean · 2026-11-03

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

Dorm and shared house streamers can get notified when a title is added by picking one place where titles are tracked, deciding who is told, and choosing how the notice reaches them.

Option	Option	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

Make sure the shared Plex server already has the movies and shows that housemates can watch, and decide which housemates should get a notice when a title is added.

Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so everyone knows what kinds of requests fit the server. Keep the rules simple, such as whether anyone can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many Plex owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library. If your shared server adds titles through Radarr or Sonarr, have both ready before you start, so a request can become a title in the library. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

Choose where people will send requests and where the added-title notice will show up. The choice can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives viewers a clear place to submit titles and a clear place to see the result.

Step by step

Pick one place where housemates will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library.

Decide how the added-title notice reaches the house. It can be a status shown on a request site, a message in the shared thread, or a note from the person who manages the server.

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.

Send the note and the request location to the housemates you want to allow, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.

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

After a title is added, make sure the notice actually reaches the house. If the notice is a status on a site, check that the status updates. If it is a message, check that it lands in the shared thread.

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

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, 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]

Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, but the plan list does not say which plans include it, so check the plan page before you choose. ^[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]

Before choosing any 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. Housemates need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

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.

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 dorm and shared house streamers get notified when a title is added?

A dorm or shared house streamer can choose a request method, decide who gets a notice when a title is added, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The important parts are giving viewers a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Check how each request tool handles Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one. 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]

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 housemates find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

Housemates can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, 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 shared house?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, but the plan list does not say which plans include it, so check the plan page before you choose. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the Plex server is managed before choosing a request method.

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)