How IMDb export users can rebuild lists from old data in 2026

Rebuild IMDb lists from old data step by step, with what to prepare, common mistakes, and tool options including Watcharr for public IMDb lists.

By VLClean · 2026-11-04

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

Rebuilding lists from old data goes most smoothly when every title sits in one master list that you check against IMDb before adding anything. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, so set the new list to public first. ^[1]

Option	How it works	Setup
Watcharr	You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1]	The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1]
Adding titles by hand	You search for each title and add it yourself in the app you use.	not published
Spreadsheet copy	You keep the titles in a spreadsheet and copy them across by hand.	not published

What you need before you start

Gather every place your old data lives, such as a saved file, a note, or a screenshot list, and combine them into one master list. Old data often holds titles you no longer want, so decide which ones belong in the rebuilt list before you add anything.

Make sure you can sign in to IMDb and create a new list there. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, so set the new list to public before you connect it. ^[1]

If you send titles to Radarr or Sonarr, have both apps ready and decide which titles should go to each. Write down who will check the list after the rebuild and how often. Having these answers ready makes the rest of the process faster and easier to repeat.

Step by step

Work through these steps in order, and keep brief notes as you go so a mistake is easy to trace.

Gather every old source into one master list, and write each title's type, movie or show, next to it.
Remove titles you no longer want, and mark any title whose year or type you are not sure of.
Check each marked title on IMDb to confirm its year and type before you add it to the new list.
Create one new IMDb list, add the confirmed titles, and set the list to public.
Connect the new list to the tool that will use it, and check whether that tool needs movies and shows on separate lists.
Compare the first results with your master list, counting titles by eye to see which ones are missing.
Keep the master list saved, so you can repeat the rebuild later without starting from scratch.

Old data often contains duplicates, so search for each title once in the new list before you save it. Some titles will need a second look, so write those down in a separate note rather than trusting memory. A short check after each step catches problems while they are still small.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1]

You paste one public IMDb list, and you get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1]

Each link works 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]

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, and each one opens TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[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]

Two approaches need no separate tool: adding each title by hand in the app you use, or keeping a spreadsheet and copying titles across. Check which of these suits how many titles you have before you decide.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid starting the rebuild before the master list is complete. Titles added later can end up on a second list and cause confusion.

Avoid leaving the new IMDb list private. Watcharr accepts public lists, so a private list is not one you can connect. ^[1]

Avoid mixing movies and shows without checking how your tool handles them. Watcharr splits them into two links for you. ^[1]

Avoid ignoring the titles that were skipped. Watcharr tells you which shows it could not match, so check those by hand. ^[1]

Avoid deleting the master list after one successful run. Keep it so the rebuild can be repeated when your list changes.

Avoid assuming a signed-in list will stay correct without a look. Watcharr warns you when a list fails three reads in a row, so watch for that warning. ^[1]

Frequently asked questions

How can IMDb export users rebuild lists from old data?

Start by gathering every old source into one master list, then check each title on IMDb for its year and type. Create one new public IMDb list from the confirmed titles, and connect that list to the tool that will use it. Compare the first results with your master list, and keep the master list saved so the rebuild can be repeated later.

Can Watcharr rebuild lists from an IMDb export file?

The details available for Watcharr cover public IMDb lists, so check its page for export file support before you rely on one. If you create a public list on IMDb first, Watcharr can read it from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1]

Does Watcharr keep a rebuilt list up to date?

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] Radarr checks each link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks it every 5. ^[1]

Can Watcharr keep movies and shows in separate lists after a rebuild?

Yes, the links are split for you. You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's ID, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Does Watcharr need an account to start a rebuild?

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] Signing in adds automatic refresh, which re-reads your list about every 15 minutes. ^[1] Signed-in users can also combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for a whole household. ^[1]

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Try Watcharr

Sources

Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)