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How to send approved requests to download automation for Kodi library hosts in 2026

Kodi library hosts can send approved requests to download automation, with the setup steps to take, the 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.

Kodi library hosts can send approved requests to download automation by preparing the library, choosing one request method, and telling viewers how requests are handled.

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrSearch for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]
Request formPeople submit titles through the chosen form.not published
Shared request listPeople add titles to the chosen shared list.not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the Kodi library already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests. Write down who approves a request before anything is sent on to download automation, since that person decides what gets added. Prepare the kinds of titles that are allowed, such as only movies, only shows, or both, so people know what fits the library. Decide where requests will be sent, whether that is a request tool, a form, or a shared list, and keep to one place so nothing is lost between channels. Check that the download automation you already use accepts requests from another source, because that setting decides how the rest of the process works. Keep a short note of these choices so you can give it to viewers and change it later.

Step by step

  1. Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, and tell everyone to use only that place.
  1. Write down who approves each request and what happens after approval.
  1. 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.
  1. Send the note and the request place to the people you want to allow, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.
  1. Set one regular day each week to look through new requests, approve the ones you want, and remove the ones you do not.
  1. Ask a few viewers after the first week what confused them, and change your note to fix those points.

Before sharing the process, send one test request from a second account or a trusted friend's device, so you can see what a viewer sees. Keep the approval step visible so viewers know a request is waiting rather than lost. When you change a rule, tell everyone the same day so requests stay consistent with the note.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. [1] You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys, which are the access codes those programs use. [1] A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and the notice setup for you. [1] A notice that Radarr and Sonarr send back lets the site show when a title was added and downloaded. [1] You can paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link, which come from movie and show database sites, to find the title. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [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] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1] Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [1]

Two other options are a request form and a shared request list. No facts about them were provided for this page, so check each one's own documentation for how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and how requests reach the library before choosing.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Friends and family need to know which kinds of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the way movies and shows are already added to the library. The request process should be clear both to the people sending titles and to the person managing the library.

Avoid leaving requests unreviewed after setup. A request list becomes hard to manage when old or unwanted requests sit without attention.

Avoid skipping the account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before you share it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can Kodi library hosts send approved requests to download automation?

Choose one request method, decide who approves each title, and explain what happens after approval. Keep the process the same for every viewer so requests are easy to track. Write a short note that says who can ask, what kinds of titles are allowed, and how viewers will hear that a title was added. Review the note after the first week and change anything that caused confusion. A clear process matters more than which tool you pick first.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Check how each request tool connects to Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one, since that connection decides how requests reach the library. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. [1] Other tools are not covered by facts on this page, so compare their own documentation before deciding.

Does Askarr require changes to the Kodi library?

Nothing is installed. [1] Askarr is added as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr, which is a one-time step. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1] Before you change any settings, write down what is currently set so you can return to it if needed.

How do friends find movies to request with Askarr?

Friends and family 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] Askarr offers a throwaway demo account with sample data, so the dashboard can be tried without signing in. [1] Explain to friends which kinds of titles are allowed before they start.

What should be checked before choosing a request tool?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, approvals, updates, and the way movies and shows are added to the library. The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [1] Compare those details with how your library is managed before choosing.

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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