---
{"title": "Import lists from a movie database for TMDB users", "description": "How TMDB list users can import lists from a movie database, with practical steps to follow.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-import-lists-from-a-movie-database-for-tmdb-list-users/", "date": "2026-10-29"}
---
How TMDB list users can import lists from a movie database, with practical steps to follow.

TMDB list users import lists from a movie database by choosing a public list to share, preparing the tools that add movies and shows to the library, and pasting the list into a list import method that turns it into links the library tools read on their own.

| Import method | How the list import works | Cost details |
|---|---|---|
| Watcharr | Paste one public IMDb list and get 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, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] | no price published; the hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] |
| A list import method that charges a service | Runs in the movie database or link tool you already use, reading a public list the same way. | The tool's own fee if it charges one, plus the card payment service's fee. not published |
| Manual import | Titles are added to the movie and show tools one by one by hand. | no fee beyond the tools you already run. not published |

## What you need before you start

Make sure the movie and show tools that add titles to the library are already set up and working. A list import method feeds these tools a list.

Pick one public list from the movie database to import. A public IMDb list or watchlist works with the import methods below. [^1] Keep the list set to public, because the import method accepts public lists.

Decide whether you will sign in. One method works without an account and another re-reads the list on its own only after you sign in. [^1] [^1] Decide who else in the household shares the setup, because one method can combine several lists into a single set of links. [^1]

Have the list's ID or its page ready. The import method builds its links from the list's ID, so the same list always gives the same links. [^1]

## Step by step

1. Choose the one public list from the movie database that holds the titles you want to import, and confirm it is set to public so the import method can read it.

2. Confirm which tool adds movies and which adds shows in your setup, because the import process creates a separate link for each. [^1]

3. Copy the list's address from the desktop site, the phone site, or the database's other-language pages, since all of them are accepted. [^1]

4. Paste the list into the import method you chose. For one method, the paste returns one link for the movies and one for the shows. [^1] Add each link to the matching helper tool.

5. Let the tools check the links on their own schedule. One method's links are checked every 15 minutes for movies and every 5 for shows, so a newly added list title appears without a manual refresh. [^1]

6. Watch for titles that do not come through. One method looks up show IDs through two lookup services, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [^1]

7. Check the imported titles once in a while to confirm the library is complete.

## Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. Watcharr is a hosted website where you paste one public IMDb list and get 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, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1]

A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [^1] Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] The links are built from the IMDb list's ID, so the same list always gives the same two links. [^1]

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB IDs through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [^1] The page shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. [^1] If you sign in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. [^1] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [^1]

Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title on two lists is added only once. [^1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app; the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. [^1] Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. [^1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [^1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [^1]

Before choosing a tool, check how it reads public lists, which databases it supports, how it handles shows it cannot match, and how updates move into the library.

## Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid pasting a list that is not set to public, since the import method accepts public lists. [^1]

Avoid assuming every show will come through. Check which ones were left out, since the import method reports the shows it skipped. [^1]

Avoid importing a list before the movie and show tools are ready. The links are useful only when the matching helper tool is set up to read them.

Avoid treating the import as done after one check. One method re-reads a signed-in user's list about every 15 minutes and warns after three failed reads. [^1] Confirm the method is still reading the list before you rely on it.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can TMDB list users import an IMDb list with Watcharr?

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] Check the list source before you choose an import method.

### How does Watcharr turn an IMDb list into Radarr and Sonarr links?

Watcharr is a hosted website where you paste one public IMDb list and get 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, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] Add each link to the matching helper tool, and Radarr and Sonarr check the links on those schedules. [^1]

### Does a Watcharr list import need an account?

No. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account, so the list can be pasted and read right away. [^1] Signing in adds two things: the list is re-read about every 15 minutes, and you are warned when a list fails three reads in a row. [^1] Without sign-in, the links still serve the last list that loaded correctly. [^1]

### What happens when Watcharr cannot match a show on a list?

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB IDs through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [^1] Shows it cannot match are left out, and the tool reports which ones it skipped. [^1]

### Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists for one household?

Yes for signed-in users. Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title that is on two lists is added only once. [^1] This keeps the household on a single pair of links instead of one link per list. [^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)