Movies and TV with Radarr and Sonarr

Cantinarr works with existing Radarr and Sonarr installations. Before connecting them, make sure each service has a root folder, quality profiles, working indexers, and a configured download client.

Add the connection

1. Open Settings > Add Instance.
2. Choose Radarr or Sonarr and give it a clear name.
3. Enter the base URL, such as http://radarr:7878 or http://sonarr:8989 on a shared Docker network.
4. Copy the service’s API key from its own settings into Cantinarr.
5. Test and save the instance.

If the service is installed under a URL base, include that base path. Do not append the versioned API endpoint. A service name only works when Cantinarr’s network can resolve and reach it.

Select defaults and access

Assign existing users through the instance’s Manage users screen. Automatically add new users applies only to accounts created later. Choose a global default for request routing; it does not grant access. Existing requests stay pinned to their recorded library when defaults change.

Under Request Settings, set approval rules, season choice, quality choice, and default profiles. Profiles are read from the connected service. A name such as “HD” can mean different things on different instances.

Tag titles with their requesters

Open the Radarr or Sonarr instance in Settings, enable Tag requests with requester, and save. Each instance starts with this off. It applies only to new requests accepted while the setting is on, after approval and successful delivery to that library.

Cantinarr adds a native tag such as cantinarr-42-alex using the original requester, including when someone else approves the request. The user ID keeps the tag stable after a username change. Existing tags remain, and a title can carry several requesters’ tags. Sonarr tags the whole series; Approvals > History keeps the requested season scope.

Open a request in Approvals > History to check tagging or use Retry tag after fixing a failure. Temporary failures retry automatically and never undo a successful media request. Refresh History to read the latest result. An applied receipt records what Cantinarr did; later manual changes in Radarr or Sonarr are not tracked or restored.

Turning the setting off cancels unfinished tagging without removing existing tags. Changing the instance URL also cancels unfinished tagging. Re-enabling applies to future requests only. Existing history is not backfilled, and this option is unavailable for books and music.

Check instant updates

Cantinarr attempts to install its authenticated webhook when the instance is created. Inspect Instant updates in the saved instance and repair the callback connection if necessary.

Radarr and Sonarr must be able to reach CANTINARR_ARR_CALLBACK_URL. The address can be internal. See instant updates.

Verify a request

Request a known title that is not already in the target library. Confirm the exact title appears in Radarr or Sonarr with the intended root folder, profile, and TV scope.

If it is accepted but nothing downloads, inspect the service’s own search results, indexers, and release restrictions. Cantinarr does not supply release sources or make unaired episodes available.

TV identities

Discovery uses TMDB, while Sonarr uses TVDB. Cantinarr bridges those identities and can apply explicit season corrections. For an incorrect match, use TV match corrections rather than changing the title text to force a result.

Administration after setup

The library screens expose supported details, queue and history views, search, and management actions according to role. An ordinary user’s browsing access does not grant administrative write access.

For stuck imports, use Import Doctor. For wrong content that is already imported, inspect the file and title-scoped history even when the queue is empty.