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How to Sync 2 Radarr or Sonarr with each other

In this guide, we will try to explain how you can sync two (or more) Radarr/Sonarr instances with each other.

I'm going to show two different options on how you can set up your sync with two Radarr/Sonarr instances.

  • Option 1: This option is best used if you want a 1:1 copy of your Radarr/Sonarr instances as it'll sync everything.
  • Option 2: This option is best used if you only want to cherry-pick which Movies/TV Shows you want as 4K/2160p (UHD).

We're not going to explain how to set up two Radarr/Sonarr instances for your system, being it depends on how you have it installed/running. Radarr Multiple Instance Information and Sonarr Multiple Instance Information

Preparation

For this, you need to have prepared the following:

  • Two Radarr/Sonarr instances are fully set up (Indexers, Custom Formats, Downloaders, etc).
  • One download client (Two if you prefer Usenet and Torrents).
  • Your download client has two separate categories (movies-hd, movies-uhd, tv-hd, tv-uhd, etc)

Warning

‼You can't use the same root (media library) folder for both Radarr/Sonarr instances.‼

Make sure you use two separate root folders in Radarr/Sonarr (movies-hd, movies-uhd, tv-hd, tv-uhd, etc)

Option 1

In this example, I'm going to use two Radarr instances (The basics are the same for Sonarr).

  • Radarr 1 = My main 4K/2160p (UHD) Radarr.
  • Radarr 2 = My 1080p Radarr that I've set up for a streaming-optimized quality profile. 1

This option is best used if you want a 1:1 copy of your Radarr/Sonarr instances

Adding the Radarr Sync list

In Radarr 2 go to Settings => Lists

Radarr Settings Lists

Click on the + to add a list and select Radarr

Radarr add List

Then you get a screen with the following options:

Radarr Add Lists Options

  1. The name you want to call your Sync list.
  2. Enable to Enable the list.
  3. Enable so the movies will be automatically added.
  4. Enable so the movies will be added and monitored (if disabled then there will be no search done for the movies).
  5. Enable so Radarr will perform a search when a movie is added.
  6. When Radarr shall consider a movie as available. (1)
  7. The Quality Profile you want to use for Radarr 2.
  8. Your Radarr 2 root location for your media library.
  9. Tags that will be added on import from this list (if you use multiple lists it makes it easier to determine from which list the movie was added)
  10. The Full URL to Radarr 1 (Use container name or local URL if they run on the same system).
  11. Your API Key of Radarr 1.
  12. Which Profile of Radarr 1 you want to Sync with Radarr 2.
  13. [Optional] Use tags from Radarr 1 to add Movies to Radarr 2.
  14. [Optional] Add all movies from the chosen root folder from Radarr 1.

Radarr Download client setup

You don't need a separate download client for your two Radarr instances, this all can be done with one download client (Two if you prefer Usenet and Torrents).

Settings => Download Clients

!Radarr - Settings Download Clients

Select your preferred download client.

!Radarr - Settings Download Clients Categories

The only thing you need to change/create is a separate Category that you're going to use for Radarr 2

Warning

This can't and shouldn't be the same category you use for Radarr 1 but a separate Category.

How does this Radarr Sync work

You now only need to make use of Radarr 1. All movies you add to Radarr 1 will be synced to Radarr 2 at a scheduled time.

Option 2

In this example, I'm going to use two Sonarr instances (The basics are the same for Radarr).

  • Sonarr 1 = My main 1080p WEB-DL Sonarr.
  • Sonarr 2 = 4K/2160p (UHD) WEB-DL Sonarr.

This option is best used if you only want to have a few TV shows (or movies if you use this option with Radarr) as 4K/2160p (UHD)

Extra preparation

In Sonarr 1 go to Settings => Profiles

!Sonarr - Settings - Profiles

Clone your used profile and rename your profile from Profilename - Copy to Profilename!

!Sonarr - Clone Profile

Adding the Sonarr Sync list

In Sonarr 2 go to Settings => Import Lists

!Sonarr Settings Import Lists

Click on the + to add a list and select Sonarr

!Sonarr add List

Then you get a screen with the following options:

!Sonarr Add Lists Options

  1. The name you want to call your Sync list.
  2. Enable so the TV Shows will be automatically added.
  3. Enable so Sonarr will perform a search when a TV Show is added.
  4. Choose how you want the series monitored initially. (2)
  5. Which new seasons should be monitored automatically? (3)
  6. Your Sonarr 2 root location for your media library.
  7. The Quality Profile you want to use for Sonarr 2.
  8. Series Type. (4)
  9. If you want to use Season Folders (RECOMMENDED).
  10. Tags that will be added on import from this list (if you use multiple lists it makes it easier to determine from which list the TV Shows was added)
  11. The Full URL to Sonarr 1 (Use container name or local URL if they run on the same system).
  12. Your API Key of Sonarr 1.
  13. Sync season monitoring (SUGGESTION: DISABLED)
  14. The Cloned Profile of Sonarr 1 that we're going to use to sync with Sonarr 2.
  15. [Optional] Use tags from Sonarr 1 to add TV Shows to Sonarr 2.
  16. [Optional] Add all TV Shows from the chosen root folder from Sonarr 1.
  17. This is a Deprecated option.

Sonarr Download client setup

You don't need a separate download client for your two Sonarr/Radarr instances, this can all be done with one download client (Two if you prefer Usenet and Torrents).

Settings => Download Clients

!Sonarr - Settings Download Clients

Select your preferred download client.

!Sonarr Categories

Only thing you need to change/create is a separate Category that you're going to use for Sonarr 2

Tip

This can't and shouldn't be the same category you use for Sonarr 1 but a separate Category.

How does this Sonarr Sync work

You now only need to make use of Sonarr 1. When you have a TV show (or a movie if you use this option with Radarr) that you also want as 4K/2160p (UHD) then you make sure you make use of the Cloned Quality Profile. And it will sync at a scheduled time.

    • Announced: Radarr shall consider movies available as soon as they are added to Radarr. This setting is recommended if you have good private trackers that do not have fakes.
    • In Cinemas: Radarr shall consider movies available as soon as movies hit cinemas (Theatrical Date on TMDb) This option is not recommended.
    • Released: Radarr shall consider movies available as soon as the Blu-Ray or streaming version is released (Digital and Physical dates on TMDb) This option is recommended and likely should be combined with an Availability Delay of -14 or -21 days.
    • All Episodes: Monitor all episodes except specials
    • Future Episodes: Monitor episodes that have not aired yet
    • Missing Episodes: Monitor episodes that do not have files or have not aired yet
    • Existing Episodes: Monitor episodes that have files or have not aired yet
    • Recent Episodes: Monitor episodes aired within the last 90 days and future episodes
    • Pilot Episode: Only monitor the first episode of the first season
    • First Season: Monitor all episodes of the first season. All other seasons will be ignored
    • Last Season: Monitor all episodes of the last season
    • Monitor Specials: Monitor all special episodes without changing the monitored status of other episodes
    • Unmonitor Specials: Unmonitor all special episodes without changing the monitored status of other episodes
    • None: No episodes will be monitored
    • All Seasons: Monitor all new seasons automatically
    • No New Seasons: Do not monitor any new seasons automatically
    • Anime: Episodes released using an absolute episode number
    • Daily: Episodes released daily or less frequently that use year-month-day (2017-05-25)
    • Standard: Episodes released with SxxEyy pattern

Questions or Suggestions?

If you have questions or suggestions, click the button below to join our Discord server.

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  1. If you're interested in the 1080p streaming optimized quality profile you can join our discord and get access to the Special Quality Profiles channel (access-to-sqp) by accepting the rules.

    This is a special quality profile we created for people who are interested in it.

    This release profile is fine-tuned for when you want to run a 2nd Radarr for 1080p and want minimum to no transcoding and smaller sizes for the second copies.

    Why choose this quality profile?

    • Streaming optimized (optimized for PLEX, Emby, Jellyfin, and other streaming platforms)
    • Small sizes
    • Good quality
    • Only AC3 Audio (downmixed lossless audio track to Dolby Digital 5.1 for optimal compatibility)
    • You want maximum compatibility between all devices and still have an HQ release.
    • You run two instances of Radarr and want both versions or just the 1080p ones.
    • You want to have minimum to no transcoding for low-powered devices or remote streaming.

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