How to notify users when titles arrive for Emby server owners in 2026

How Emby server owners can tell users when requested movies and shows arrive, with practical setup steps.

By VLClean · 2026-10-31

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

Emby server owners can notify users when titles arrive by choosing one place for updates, telling viewers how new movies and shows will be reported, and keeping the library workflow easy to follow.

Option	How users hear a title arrived	Cost details
Askarr	The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	Users are told a title arrived through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	Users see new titles on the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the Emby server already has the movies and shows that users can watch, and decide which users should be told when a new title arrives.

Prepare the titles or types of content that will be added, so people know which new movies and shows will be reported. Keep the rules simple, such as whether users are told about every addition or only certain types of movies and shows.

Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs that find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to an Emby library. Have them ready if they are part of the way newly added titles are reported. Decide who will review a new title before users are told about it.

Choose where users will hear that a title arrived. The choice can be the way a request tool reports back, a form, or another method that gives viewers a clear place to see or learn about new titles.

Step by step

Pick one place where users will hear that a new title arrived, such as a request site report or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to check only that place.

Write down who reviews each new title and whether a title needs approval before users are told about it.

Write a short note for viewers that says which titles will be reported, who is told, and how they will hear that a title was added.

Send the note to the users you want to allow.

Look through new titles on a regular day each week, approve the ones you want, and tell users the moment a title is available.

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

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by VLClean, the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed. ^[1]

A user searches for a movie or show on Askarr and requests it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds 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 plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] The dashboard can be tried with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. ^[1] When a friend signs up through your link, 10 requests a month are added to your limit. ^[1]

No other tool is named here because no source facts about other tools were provided. Before choosing a tool, check how it reports new titles, handles title searches and approvals, and passes updates to the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing an update method without explaining the rules. Users need to know which titles will be reported 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 Emby library. The notification process should be clear for both the people seeing new titles and the person managing the server.

Avoid forgetting to review new titles after setup. An update list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted titles 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 Emby server owners notify users when titles arrive?

Emby server owners can notify users when titles arrive by choosing one update method, deciding which users are told, and explaining how news will reach them. The important parts are giving users a clear place to see or learn about new titles and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can a request tool report when a title arrives?

Check how each request tool reports new titles before choosing one. The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] A user searches for a movie or show on Askarr and requests it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

Does Askarr require changes to the Emby server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed. ^[1] Users see when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Consider how Askarr reports to the library workflow and whether it matches the way the Emby server is managed.

How do users find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

Users can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1] The Askarr site then shows when the title was added and downloaded. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a tool for Emby notifications?

Check how a tool reports new titles, handles title searches and approvals, and passes updates to the library workflow. Askarr plans list a request history with live status. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the Emby server is managed before choosing an update 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)