How to let relatives in other homes request movies and shows for remote family sharers in 2026

Learn how to let relatives in other homes request movies and shows for a shared Plex library, with practical steps and request options.

By VLClean · 2026-10-24

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

Remote family sharers can set up a request process by preparing their library workflow, choosing a request method, and sharing clear instructions with relatives in other homes.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add 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 Plex server already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which relatives in other homes should be able to send requests. The request place must be openable from a different house, so check that before you share it.

Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so people know what kinds of requests fit the server. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people 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. Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

Choose where relatives in other homes will send requests. The choice can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives viewers a clear place to submit titles from their own internet connection.

Step by step

Pick one place where relatives in other homes will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place. Confirm that the place can be opened from another home before you share it.

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

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 relatives 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.

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

Keep the same request place and the same review day once you start, so relatives in other homes always know where to go and when their request will be seen. Remind relatives how they will hear the outcome, because people in another home cannot watch the library update and need that message.

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 request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1]

Askarr is added to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up 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]

A request form is a simple option where relatives submit movie or show titles through the chosen form. Check whether the form can be opened from another home and how requests reach the person who adds titles.

A shared request list works when relatives add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list. Check who can see and edit the list and how the person who adds titles reviews new entries.

Before choosing a request method, 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. Relatives in other homes 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 people in other homes.

Frequently asked questions

How can remote family sharers let relatives in other homes request titles?

A remote family sharer can choose a request method that relatives can open from another home, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The important parts are giving relatives a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow from a distance.

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] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

How do relatives in other homes find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1] The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for remote family sharers?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows, and confirm that relatives in other homes can reach it. Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[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)