How to sync a Plex watchlist into Radarr for Plex watchlist users in 2026

Learn how Plex watchlist users can move watchlist titles into Radarr with practical steps and the tools that do the job.

By VLClean · 2026-11-05

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

Plex watchlist users can sync a Plex watchlist into Radarr by turning the watchlist titles into a public list a sync tool can read, choosing a sync method, and letting Radarr pick up the movie titles.

Option	How it syncs	Cost details
Watcharr	Paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1]	not published
Manual copy	Copy the movie titles from the Plex watchlist into Radarr one by one.	not published
Shared list	Put the Plex watchlist movie titles in one public list that the chosen method reads.	not published

What you need before you start

Plex watchlist users need a clear idea of which titles in their Plex watchlist should end up in Radarr, since not every title on the watchlist may be wanted in the movie library. Decide which movies qualify and keep the watchlist in a form the sync method can read.

The tools that sync a watchlist into Radarr read a public list, so the Plex watchlist titles need to sit in a public watchlist or list that the chosen method accepts. Check how your Plex watchlist can be turned into that public list before you start, because that step differs by method.

Radarr is the free helper program that finds and adds movies to the library, and it is the destination for the synced titles. Have Radarr ready and note how it checks a list, because that determines whether titles flow into it on their own.

Decide who can see the public list and what access the sync tool uses, so the watchlist stays as private as you want it. Review the account and access questions before sharing anything.

Step by step

Pick the movie titles from the Plex watchlist that should go into Radarr, and set aside shows, so the sync stays to movies.

Put the chosen titles into a public watchlist or list that the sync method can read, and keep that list updated with new watchlist titles over time.

Choose one sync method for the list, such as a tool that turns the list into a Radarr link or a manual copy.

Connect the list to Radarr using the method's link or setup, and confirm that Radarr begins checking it.

Give the check time to run and look at the Radarr library to see that the movies from the list appear.

After the first run, look for titles that are missing, fix the list or the connection, and repeat until the watchlist flows into Radarr cleanly. Check on the sync on a regular day each week so the library stays in step with the Plex watchlist.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It takes one public IMDb list and gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] It looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[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 hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] If you sign in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[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] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] The page shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[1]

No other tool is named here because no source facts about other tools were provided. Before choosing a tool, check how it reads a Plex watchlist, how it turns that list into Radarr, how it handles titles it can't match, and what access it uses.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid connecting the Plex watchlist to Radarr without first putting the titles into the public list form a sync method reads, since the two check differently. Confirm the list is public and stays reachable. Avoid sending shows along with movies, because a sync tool may act on movies and shows differently; keep the movie titles separate from shows. Check how the chosen tool reports titles it cannot match, so you can review those titles and decide what to do with them. Avoid connecting a tool and forgetting to check back, because a read can fail and the library can fall out of step with the watchlist. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing the list.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Plex watchlist be synced into Radarr?

A Plex watchlist can be synced into Radarr when its titles are put into a public list form that a sync tool reads. Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site and takes one public IMDb list, giving one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Check how the method you choose turns the Plex watchlist into that list before connecting it.

How does Watcharr move a list into Radarr?

Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1]

Does Watcharr need a Plex or IMDb account?

The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] If you sign in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1]

What happens if a list fails to update for Watcharr?

If a read of the list fails, the Watcharr links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] If you sign in, Watcharr warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1] Check how the chosen tool reports titles it cannot match, and review any reported titles after a failed or partial read.

What should be checked before choosing a sync tool for Radarr?

Check how a tool reads a Plex watchlist, how it turns that list into Radarr, how it handles titles it cannot match, and what access it uses. Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the Radarr library is managed before choosing a sync method.

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)