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How to request movies and shows from a Matrix room in 2026

Learn how Matrix chat users can request movies and shows from a Matrix room, with setup steps, tool options and common mistakes to avoid.

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

A shared Matrix room can serve as the place for movie and show requests when everyone knows where to post and who makes the decision. Askarr is one tool to consider for the step after approval: people search for a title and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrPeople search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1]
Other request toolsnot publishednot published

What you need before you start

Start by deciding which Matrix room will take requests and who is allowed to post in it. Everyone who posts should know that this room is the only place to ask, so requests do not get lost across other chats.

Make sure your library already has the kinds of movies and shows people are likely to ask for, and decide what counts as an accepted request. Some owners accept any title, while others accept only certain types of movies or shows. Write that rule down in one short line.

Radarr and Sonarr are the helper programs that add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to your library. Decide who reviews each request before anything is added, because someone has to say yes or no to every title.

Finally, choose who will answer in the room, such as you or a trusted helper, and agree on a regular day each week to look through new posts.

Step by step

Set this up inside the room itself, so everyone uses the same route for every request.

  1. Create or choose the Matrix room that will be used for requests, and invite only the people who should post in it.
  2. Post a short pinned note in the room that says which kinds of titles are accepted and who makes the final decision.
  3. Ask each person to post the movie or show title, and the year if they know it, so the right title is found.
  4. Decide how each request is answered in the room, such as a reply that says approved, already in the library, or not accepted.
  5. Set a regular day each week to go through new requests, approve the ones that fit the rules, and reply to each one.
  6. If you use a request tool, make sure approved titles reach Radarr or Sonarr through it, then post the result in the room.
  7. After the first week, ask the people who posted what was unclear, and update the pinned note to fix it.

Keep the note short, and update it whenever the rules change so the room always shows the current version.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1]

People search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1]

Before you post an Askarr link in the room, open it yourself and check that it leads to the title you meant. Askarr can be tried with a throwaway demo account and sample data, without signing in. [1]

No facts about other request tools were supplied for this page, so this section says nothing about them. Before choosing one, check how it reads requests from a Matrix room, how approvals work, and how approved titles reach Radarr or Sonarr.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid posting requests without a rule for what is accepted. Without one, people will guess, and the same title may be asked for several times.

Avoid letting requests sit unanswered. A room full of old posts makes it hard to see which requests still need a decision.

Avoid assuming a tool reads Matrix room posts. Check that before setup, rather than after people have already started posting.

Avoid sharing access to your library without checking what a request tool asks for. Look at the information it needs and what it is allowed to reach before you connect anything.

Frequently asked questions

How can Matrix chat users request movies and shows from a Matrix room?

Pick one room for requests, invite the people who should post in it, and pin a short note that says which titles are accepted and who makes the final decision. Ask each person to post the movie or show title, and the year if they know it. Review the posts on a regular day, reply to each one, and pass approved titles on to the library. A request tool can be added later for the last step, if you want one.

Can Askarr take requests posted in a Matrix room?

The approved facts for Askarr describe requests made by searching for a title on Askarr, and they do not say that it reads posts from a Matrix room. Check that point directly before you rely on it. Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

Does Askarr need anything installed?

Nothing is installed. [1] Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they then read your requests from it. [1] A bookmark run on your Radarr or Sonarr page can save that list and the webhook for you. [1]

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

People 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 be pasted to find the title. [1] The site shows each request's status. [1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for a Matrix room?

Check how the tool reads requests from a Matrix room, how approvals are made, and how an approved title reaches Radarr or Sonarr. Check whether it needs an account and what information it asks for. Askarr can be tried with a throwaway demo account and sample data, without signing in. [1] Compare what you find with the way your library is managed before you choose.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]

Try Askarr

Sources

  1. Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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