Radarr is a powerful movie management tool that automates the process of finding, downloading, and organizing films based on your preferences. By integrating with Usenet and torrent clients, it simplifies the process of building and maintaining your personal movie library, freeing you from manual searching and tedious file management.
Understanding Radarr: The Basics
Radarr is essentially a fork of Sonarr, designed specifically for movies. It works by monitoring RSS feeds, NZB indexers, and torrent trackers for movies that match your desired quality, release groups, and other criteria. Once a matching movie is found, Radarr sends the download instruction to your chosen download client (like SABnzbd or qBittorrent), automatically imports the completed download, renames it, and moves it to your organized movie folder.
Setting Up Radarr
The initial setup can seem daunting, but it’s a relatively straightforward process. You’ll need the following:
- Radarr Installed: Download the correct version for your operating system from the official Radarr website.
- A Usenet Provider (Recommended) or Torrent Client: Services like SABnzbd, NZBGet, or qBittorrent are popular choices. Usenet is generally faster and more private.
- An Indexer (Usenet) or Tracker (Torrent): These are websites that list available NZBs (Usenet files) or torrents. You’ll need an account to access them. Examples include Usenet providers that also offer indexing services, or private torrent trackers.
- Appropriate Folder Structure: Decide where you want your downloaded movies to be stored.
Once you have these components, you can start configuring Radarr:
- Install Radarr: Follow the instructions for your operating system.
- Access the Web Interface: By default, Radarr is accessible through your web browser at
http://localhost:7878or your server’s IP address followed by:7878. - Configure Download Client: Go to Settings > Download Clients and add your chosen client (e.g., SABnzbd). Input the necessary details like hostname, port, API key, and category.
- Configure Indexers/Trackers: Go to Settings > Indexers and add your Usenet indexers or torrent trackers. This is where you tell Radarr where to find movies. You’ll need to enter API keys or login credentials.
- Set Up Root Folders: Go to Settings > Media Management and add a Root Folder. This is the directory where Radarr will organize your downloaded movies.
- Create a Profile: Profiles define the quality and release criteria for movies you want to download. Go to Settings > Profiles and create a profile that suits your preferences.
- Start Adding Movies: Use the Movie Search function to add movies to Radarr’s watchlist. Radarr will then monitor for these movies based on your chosen profile and indexers/trackers.
Configuring Quality Profiles
Quality profiles are critical for defining the desired quality of your downloads. You can create different profiles for different types of movies or based on your storage limitations.
- Profile Settings: You can specify preferred qualities like BluRay, WebDL, HDTV, etc., and set cutoffs. The cutoff point tells Radarr when to stop searching for higher-quality versions of a movie.
- Custom Formats: Radarr v4 allows you to create custom formats to prioritize releases based on specific features, like HDR or specific codecs. This provides granular control over your downloads.
- Release Groups: While generally not recommended to be overly restrictive, you can specify preferred or ignored release groups within a profile. This might be useful if you consistently have issues with a specific group’s releases.
Advanced Radarr Features
Radarr offers a range of advanced features to fine-tune your movie downloading experience.
Movie Management and Organization
- Renaming: Radarr automatically renames downloaded files based on predefined patterns. You can customize these patterns in the Media Management settings.
- Moving: Radarr moves downloaded movies to your specified root folder, creating subfolders based on the movie title.
- Metadata: Radarr can download metadata like movie posters, trailers, and synopses to enhance your media library.
Monitoring and Automation
- Automatic Searching: Radarr constantly monitors your indexers/trackers for movies on your watchlist that meet your profile criteria.
- Manual Import: If Radarr misses a movie, you can manually import it from your download client’s completed downloads folder.
- Notifications: Radarr can send notifications via various services (e.g., Discord, Pushover) when new movies are downloaded or when there are issues.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Indexer/Tracker Errors: Double-check your API keys, login credentials, and connection settings for your indexers/trackers.
- Download Client Errors: Ensure your download client is running and correctly configured in Radarr.
- Permissions Issues: Make sure Radarr has the necessary permissions to access your download folders and root folders.
- Quality Profile Mismatches: Review your quality profiles and ensure they align with the available qualities on your indexers/trackers.
Radarr Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 1: What is the difference between Radarr and Sonarr?
Radarr is specifically designed for movie management, while Sonarr is designed for TV show management. Both tools share a similar codebase and interface, but they focus on different types of media.
FAQ 2: Is Radarr legal to use?
Radarr itself is legal. However, downloading copyrighted movies without permission is illegal. The legality of using Radarr depends entirely on the content you download and the laws in your jurisdiction.
FAQ 3: What are the best Usenet providers for Radarr?
Popular and reliable Usenet providers include UsenetServer, Eweka, and Newsdemon. Choose a provider based on retention, speed, price, and server locations.
FAQ 4: What are the best torrent trackers for Radarr?
Private torrent trackers are generally preferred for better quality and security. Popular (but often invite-only) options include TorrentLeech, REDacted, and GazelleGames. Exercise caution when using public trackers.
FAQ 5: How do I create a custom format in Radarr v4?
Navigate to Settings > Profiles > Custom Formats. You can define criteria based on file names, codec information, and other factors to prioritize specific releases. Experiment with the conditions to achieve your desired results.
FAQ 6: How do I handle Radarr not finding a movie?
First, double-check that the movie is correctly spelled and added to your watchlist. Then, manually search for the movie within Radarr to see if it appears. If not, verify that your indexers/trackers are online and properly configured. You might also need to adjust your quality profile. Sometimes the movie simply isn’t available on your chosen sources yet.
FAQ 7: How do I deal with Radarr downloading unwanted movies?
This usually indicates an issue with your profiles or indexer/tracker configurations. Double-check your profile settings to ensure they match your desired quality and release criteria. Review your indexers/trackers to ensure they are providing accurate results.
FAQ 8: How do I update Radarr?
Radarr typically updates automatically. You can check for updates manually by going to System > Updates in the Radarr web interface. Always back up your configuration before updating in case something goes wrong.
FAQ 9: How do I backup and restore my Radarr configuration?
Go to System > Backup in the Radarr web interface. This will create a zip file containing your configuration. To restore, use the Restore option on the same page. This is crucial for preserving your settings in case of a system failure or migration.
FAQ 10: Can I use Radarr with multiple download clients?
Yes, Radarr supports multiple download clients. This can be useful for distributing downloads across different clients or for using different clients for different types of content (e.g., Usenet for most movies, torrents for older or less common titles).
FAQ 11: What does the “Minimum Availability” setting do?
The Minimum Availability setting determines when Radarr will start searching for a movie. For example, setting it to “In Cinemas” means Radarr will start searching as soon as the movie is released in theaters. Setting it to “Announced” means Radarr will start searching as soon as the movie is announced for release.
FAQ 12: How do I integrate Radarr with Plex or Kodi?
Radarr automatically imports and organizes your movies in a way that Plex and Kodi can easily recognize. Simply point your Plex or Kodi library to the root folder you configured in Radarr. Plex and Kodi will then scan the folder and automatically import the movie information. Consider using tools like Plex Meta Manager for further library customization.