Radarr
Automated movie collection management with intelligent quality upgrades
Radarr is an independent fork of Sonarr reworked for automatically downloading movies via Usenet and BitTorrent. It monitors multiple sources for new releases, grabs them automatically, and upgrades quality when better versions become available. Inspired by CouchPotato, Radarr brings modern architecture and intelligent automation to movie library management.
Automatic Movie Downloads
Monitor movie releases and download automatically when available with quality selection
Quality Profiles
Define custom quality profiles with resolution, codec, and size preferences for different categories
Metadata & Artwork
Automatic movie posters, fanart, descriptions, and ratings from multiple sources
Smart Organization
Customizable file naming and folder structures with automatic renaming on import
Upgrade Management
Automatically upgrade existing movies when better quality releases become available
Multi-Indexer Support
Connect to multiple Usenet indexers and torrent trackers for maximum coverage
Notification System
Get notified when movies are grabbed, downloaded, or upgraded via Discord, Slack, Email, and more
Custom Scripts
Run custom scripts on grab, download, rename, or import events for advanced automation
Installation
Install from the Dashboard
Open App Dashboard → Package Management (/), find Radarr in the catalog (browse Media Management or search), and click Install. The dashboard streams the install log live and Radarr appears in your Application Control panel when it finishes. Reinstall, Update, and Remove are available from the same panel.
In the install dialog you can pick the release channel — Stable (default) or Nightly for early builds. Switching the channel later and updating moves Radarr to that channel’s latest build. See Channels & Versions for how channels work.
For a dedicated 4K library, install Radarr4K — a separate instance with its own port, configuration directory (~/), and quality profiles, so your standard and 4K libraries never conflict. It appears as its own catalog entry in Package Management; on the CLI it is the --4k flag on qb install radarr (see below).
What you see and can manage is gated by your account: admins manage any user’s apps; regular users manage their own. For the full package flow see App Management.
QuickBox Pro automatically applies a SQLite compatibility patch on Debian 11 systems during installation and updates — no manual intervention required.
Install and manage from the CLI
The CLI runs the same scripts as the Dashboard and is the full power-user/automation surface. Install Radarr (stable) for a specific user:
qb install radarr -u usernameThe complete command set:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| qb install radarr -u username | Install Radarr (stable) with automatic configuration |
| qb install radarr -u username --nightly | Install nightly build for latest features |
| qb install radarr -u username --4k | Install a separate 4K instance (Radarr4K) for high-resolution content |
| qb install radarr -u username --nightly --4k | Install the 4K instance on the nightly branch |
| qb reinstall radarr -u username | Reinstall Radarr (preserves configuration and database) |
| qb update radarr -u username | Update to latest version (auto-detects branch) |
| qb remove radarr -u username | Remove the standard installation |
| qb remove radarr -u username --4k | Remove the 4K instance |
| qb help radarr | Display comprehensive help information |
| Option | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
-u, --usernameRequired | Specify the user for installation -u john | -u john |
--nightly | Install nightly branch for cutting-edge features | |
--4k | Install a dedicated 4K instance (Radarr4K) with its own config and port |
--4k is a flag on the base Radarr package — it installs a dedicated Radarr4K instance with its own port, install directory (/), configuration (~/), and quality profiles, so your standard and 4K libraries never conflict. There is no separate radarr4k install command — you pass --4k to qb install radarr. In the Dashboard, Radarr4K appears as its own catalog entry you can install the same way.
When you run qb update radarr -u username, QuickBox automatically detects your current branch from config. and updates accordingly. You don’t need to specify --nightly unless you want to switch branches.
Full flag reference: CLI Reference.
Directory Structure
Configuration Details
Standard instance:
- Install location
- /opt/
username/ Radarr/ - Config directory
- ~/
.config/ Radarr/ - Database
- ~/
.config/ Radarr/ radarr. db - Service
- radarr@username.service
- Default port
- 7878 (auto-generated if in use)
- SSL port
- 9898 (auto-generated if in use)
4K instance (—4k flag):
- Install location
- /opt/
username/ Radarr4 K/ - Config directory
- ~/
.config/ Radarr4 K/ - Database
- ~/
.config/ Radarr4 K/ radarr. db - Service
- radarr4k@username.service
- Ports
- 7879+ (auto-generated, typically starting at 7879)
Accessing Radarr
After installation, Radarr is accessible through QuickBox’s nginx reverse proxy with SSL:
| Instance | Access URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | https:// | Default installation |
| 4K Instance | https:// | Separate 4K instance |
Radarr is automatically integrated into your QuickBox dashboard. Find it on the App Dashboard (the default control view), expand its row for port, API key, and status, and click Open to launch the web interface. To install or remove applications, use the Package Management tab instead.
Network Configuration
QuickBox automatically configures:
- URL Base:
/(orusername/ radarr /)username/ radarr4k - Bind Address:
127.(local only - proxied through nginx)0. 0. 1 - Port: Auto-assigned (typically
7878for standard,7879+for 4K) - SSL: Handled by nginx reverse proxy (port 443)
Initial Configuration
1. Configure Download Client
Navigate to Settings → Download Clients → Add (+) and select your client:
Download Client Examples
QuickBox-friendly paths and auth settings for the most common clients
Deluge
443/username/delugeFlood
443/username/floodNZBGet
443/username/nzbgetqBittorrent
443/qbittorrentrTorrent
443SABnzbd
443/username/sabnzbdTransmission
443/username/transmissionTest connection and save.
2. Add Indexers via Prowlarr (Recommended)
Prowlarr provides centralized indexer management:
- Install Prowlarr:
qb install prowlarr -u username - In Prowlarr, go to Settings → Apps
- Add Radarr as an application
- Indexers automatically sync to Radarr
When you add or remove indexers in Prowlarr, they automatically sync to Radarr (and Sonarr, Lidarr, etc.). This centralized management saves time and ensures consistency across all your *arr applications.
Alternative: Manual indexers via Settings → Indexers → Add (+)
3. Set Root Folder
Navigate to Settings → Media Management → Root Folders and add your movie directory:
- Standard instance:
/home/ username/ Media/ Movies - 4K instance:
/(separate folder recommended)home/ username/ Media/ Movies- 4 K
4. Quality Profiles & Upgrades
Configure quality preferences and automatic upgrades:
- Settings → Profiles
- Edit or create quality profile
- Set Upgrade Until to your desired maximum quality
- Enable Upgrades Allowed
Example workflow:
- Download WEBDL-1080p when movie is released
- Radarr automatically upgrades to Bluray-1080p when available
- Stops at your cutoff (e.g., Bluray-1080p) to avoid massive remuxes
Set upgrade cutoffs to prevent endless upgrading. For example, setting cutoff to Bluray-1080p prevents automatic upgrades to 4K remuxes unless you specifically want them. This saves bandwidth and storage space.
5. File Naming Configuration
Settings → Media Management:
| Setting | Recommended Configuration |
|---|---|
| Rename Movies | ✓ Enabled - Ensures consistent naming across your library |
| Replace Illegal Characters | ✓ Enabled - Removes filesystem-incompatible characters |
| Standard Movie Format | {Movie Title} ({Release Year}) {Quality Full} |
| Movie Folder Format | {Movie Title} ({Release Year}) |
| Create Empty Folders | ✓ Enabled - Pre-creates folders for monitored movies |
Adding Movies
- Click Movies in the main menu
- Click Add New button
- Search for your movie by title
- Select the movie from search results
- Configure:
- Root Folder: Choose storage location
- Quality Profile: Select quality tier
- Monitor: Choose monitoring option
- Click Add Movie
Monitoring Options
| Option | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Yes | Monitor and download when available |
| No | Add to library but don't search automatically |
| Skip | Add to library without monitoring or searching |
Service Management
Radarr runs as a systemd service for reliability and automatic startup.
Standard Instance Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
systemctl status radarr@username | Check service status |
systemctl restart radarr@username | Restart Radarr service |
systemctl stop radarr@username | Stop Radarr service |
systemctl start radarr@username | Start Radarr service |
journalctl -u radarr@username -f | View live logs |
systemctl enable radarr@username | Enable auto-start on boot |
systemctl disable radarr@username | Disable auto-start on boot |
4K Instance Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
systemctl status radarr4k@username | Check 4K service status |
systemctl restart radarr4k@username | Restart 4K service |
journalctl -u radarr4k@username -f | View 4K live logs |
Troubleshooting
Radarr Won’t Start (Debian 11 Bullseye)
Symptoms
- Service fails to start on Debian 11
- SQLite version errors in logs
libsqlite3.not found errorsso - Database corruption on Debian 11
Resolution
- QuickBox automatically applies SQLite patch on Debian 11
- Check patch:
ls -la /opt/ username/ Radarr/ libe_sqlite3. so - Update to apply patch:
qb update radarr -u username - View logs:
journalctl -u radarr@username -n 50
Port Conflicts
Check current port configuration:
grep '<Port>' ~/.config/Radarr/config.xml
# Standard: 7878, 4K: Auto-generated (typically 7879+)Downloads Not Appearing
Common Issues
- No releases found in manual search
- Movies not automatically downloading
- Download client connection errors
- Movie shows as monitored but nothing happens
Quick Fixes
- Verify indexers: Settings → Indexers → Test
- Check download client: Settings → Download Clients → Test
- Ensure movie is monitored (check monitor icon)
- Try manual search: Movie page → Manual Search icon
Permission Issues
qb fix permissions -u username
systemctl restart radarr@usernameDatabase Issues
Database Problems
- Database locked errors in logs
- Radarr becomes unresponsive
- Missing movies or corrupted data
- Slow loading or timeouts
Recovery Steps
- Backup database: cp ~/.config/Radarr/...cp ~/.config/Radarr/radarr.db ~/.config/Radarr/radarr.db.backup
- Vacuum database: sqlite3 ... "VACUUM;"sqlite3 ~/.config/Radarr/radarr.db "VACUUM;"
- Check database integrity: sqlite3 ... "PRAGMA integrity_check;"sqlite3 ~/.config/Radarr/radarr.db "PRAGMA integrity_check;"
- Reinstall to attempt repair:
qb reinstall radarr -u username
Best Practices
Do
- Use Prowlarr for centralized indexer management across all
*arrapps - Set reasonable quality profiles—avoid unnecessary 4K downloads if you don't need them
- Configure proper file naming for consistent library organization
- Set up automatic backups of your Radarr database (
~/).config/ Radarr/ radarr. db - Use download client categories to separate Radarr downloads
- Set upgrade cutoffs to prevent endless quality chasing
- Use separate root folders for standard and 4K instances
- Enable notifications to track downloads and failed grabs
Don't
- Don't set upgrade cutoff too high (remuxes are huge and may not be necessary)
- Don't use too many indexers—causes rate limits and excessive API hits
- Don't download to system drive—use dedicated media storage
- Don't ignore failed download warnings—investigate and resolve issues
- Don't mix standard and 4K content in same instance—use separate 4K instance
- Don't disable authentication if Radarr is exposed to the internet
- Don't ignore database backups—corruption can happen and cause data loss
- Don't manually edit the database (
radarr.)—use the web interfacedb
Related Applications
Additional Resources
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