--- {"title": "How to import show watchlists into downloaders in 2026", "description": "Television enthusiasts can route upcoming shows from a watchlist into automated downloaders. This guide covers setup, steps, options and mistakes.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-import-upcoming-show-watchlists-into-automated-downloaders-for-television-enthusiasts/", "date": "2026-10-13"} --- Television enthusiasts can route upcoming shows from a watchlist into automated downloaders. This guide covers setup, steps, options and mistakes. Pick a watchlist, choose the downloader that will receive the shows, and check how the connecting tool handles updates and unmatched shows before you rely on it. | Option | Import method | 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] | not published | | Manual list process | Add shows by hand using the chosen manual method. | not published | | Another list connection tool | Check the connection method in that tool's own documentation. | not published | ## What you need before you start Start by choosing the watchlist you want to use, and decide which automated downloader will receive the shows. Sonarr handles shows and Radarr handles movies, so a setup focused on television mainly needs Sonarr. Have the list source, the downloader details, and any access details for the chosen tool ready before you begin. Check whether the tool accepts the type of list you use and whether it can pass along the details the downloader needs, such as an identifier that matches each show. Look at how updates happen and what the tool does when a show cannot be matched, since unmatched shows are easy to miss. If you run the downloader yourself, decide where the list helper will run and how it connects with the programs that already manage your library. A plan written down ahead of time makes it easier to spot unwanted titles and missing shows later. ## Step by step 1. Choose the watchlist you follow for upcoming shows and confirm that the tool you plan to use can read it. 2. Prepare the downloader that will receive the shows. Sonarr is the program for shows, and its own setup should be finished before an import can reach it. 3. Pick a tool that connects the watchlist to the downloader. Review what it imports, how often it refreshes, and what it does with a show it cannot match. 4. Add the connection using that tool's instructions. Give it only the access it needs, and keep the downloader's key private. 5. Look over the imported titles before the downloader starts working on them. Remove or adjust entries that break your library rules, such as a season you do not want. 6. Run one test change by adding a show to the watchlist and seeing whether it reaches the downloader within a reasonable time. Expect a short wait, since checks run on a schedule. 7. Review the skipped list on a regular day and fix or drop any shows that could not be matched. 8. Keep the watchlist tidy. Separate lists can help when a household wants different shows handled in different ways. ## Tools that can do it Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. 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 as a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] A bookmark clicked inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [^1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [^1] If you sign in, Watcharr re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. [^1] If a read fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [^1] Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [^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] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. [^1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] Other options exist, such as a manual list process where you add shows by hand, or another list connection tool. Check each one's supported sources, refresh behavior, matching process, and connection method before you choose. ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid importing a watchlist without checking how the tool handles shows it cannot match. Check the skipped list after each import, since a show that could not be matched will not reach the downloader. Avoid assuming that every list format works with every tool. Check the supported list types before you settle on a workflow. Avoid skipping a review of connection settings. Understand what access a tool needs before giving it to another service, and remove access you no longer use. Avoid forgetting list upkeep. Old entries and unwanted titles build up over time, so a short regular review keeps the downloader working on the shows you actually want. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can Watcharr import IMDb watchlists into Radarr and Sonarr? Watcharr lets a user 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 as a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] A bookmark clicked inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [^1] ### Can Watcharr use public IMDb watchlists from different devices? 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] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. [^1] ### Does Watcharr help with shows that cannot be matched? Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [^1] Checking that skipped list before the downloader runs helps you see which entries need attention. If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [^1] ### Does Watcharr need installation before importing a watchlist? The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] If you sign in, Watcharr re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row, so problems with an import are flagged without you watching it. [^1] ### What should be checked before choosing a watchlist importer? Check the supported list sources, update behavior, title matching, and connection method before you choose a tool. 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] Compare how each option handles skipped shows, since that is where imports most often need attention. 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)