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How to review pending requests in a queue for request approval moderators in 2026

Learn how request approval moderators can review pending requests in a queue and keep each approval clear and organized.

By VLClean ยท

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

Request approval moderators can keep a pending request queue manageable by running a steady review routine and telling viewers what happened to each title.

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrSearch for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]
Request formPeople submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.not published
Shared request listPeople add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.not published

What you need before you start

Make sure every request lands in one clear queue that viewers send titles to and moderators check on a set day. Decide which friends, family, or members can request titles, and who reviews each one.

Write down the rules for what counts as a valid request before the queue fills. Keep the rules simple, such as whether any title is allowed or only certain movies and shows.

Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many Plex owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library. Have them ready if they are part of how requested titles are added. Decide what status each request can have, such as pending, approved, or declined, so every title ends in a clear state.

Have ready a short note that tells viewers who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added. Choose where people will send requests, such as a request tool or a form, so everyone has a clear place to submit titles.

Step by step

  1. Set a fixed time each week to open the queue, and note the newest requests that arrived since the last check.
  1. Sort the requests, newest or oldest first, so none gets skipped and the order the queue will be worked through is clear.
  1. Read each request against the written rules, and check the title once if the rules say so before it is treated as valid.
  1. Mark a clear decision for each request: approve it, decline it, or hold it for a second look. Keep the record simple so everyone can see the queue is being worked through.
  1. Tell the viewer what happened to the title and, for an approval, how they will hear that it was added and downloaded.
  1. Look through the queue again on the same day and clear the titles a decision has already been made on.
  1. After the first week, ask a few viewers what confused them about submitting or following a request, and edit the note to fix those points.

Keep the same steps from week to week. A steady routine makes the queue easier to review and gives viewers a reliable idea of when to expect an answer.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] A moderator or viewer searches for a movie or show on Askarr and requests it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they then read your requests from it. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1]

Radarr and Sonarr tell the site when a title is added and downloaded. [1] A bookmark run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. [1]

Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, so a moderator can see where each request stands. [1] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Pro has no monthly request limit. [1] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1]

You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [1]

Before choosing a review tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, status messages, and the way requests move into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid letting the queue pile up between reviews. A steady routine with a fixed day keeps no request waiting too long for an answer.

Avoid approving or declining a request without telling the viewer. People stay confident in the process when they hear what happened to their title.

Avoid skipping the rules that were set at the start. When the same rules are applied to every request, the queue stays fair and easy to defend.

Avoid working through requests in a scrambled order. A simple order, newest or oldest first, stops one title being passed over twice while another is ignored.

Avoid forgetting to check what a request tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people, and confirm how status messages are shown to viewers.

Frequently asked questions

What does a queue for pending request approval need?

A queue for pending requests needs one clear place where viewers submit titles and moderators review them. Moderators need the rules for what counts as a valid request, the names of who may review, and a set day for the review to run. When every request lands in the same place and ends in a clear status, such as approved or declined, the queue stays easy to work through.

Can a review tool show when a requested title is added and downloaded?

Check how each tool reports the outcome of a request before choosing one. Askarr shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, which helps a moderator see where each request stands. [1] Compare how those status messages are shown to viewers with how the library is managed before choosing a review method.

Which Askarr plan allows reviewing pending requests without a monthly limit?

The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Pro has no monthly request limit. [1] Free: $0, 10 requests a month [1]; Plus: $3.99 a month, 50 requests a month [1]; Pro: $6.99 a month, unlimited requests [1] Each friend who signs up through a personal link adds 10 requests a month to the limit. [1] The plan that suits a moderator depends on how many requests the queue receives.

Does Askarr require changes to the Radarr and Sonarr setup?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr, and nothing is installed. [1] [1] Askarr is added to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they then read requests from it while Askarr never receives their API keys. [1] [1] A bookmark run on the Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there. [1]

What should be checked before choosing a tool for reviewing pending requests?

Check how a tool handles title searches, approvals, updates, status messages, and the way requests move into the library workflow. Askarr allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link, and shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1] [1] Compare those details with how the library is managed before choosing a review method, so the queue stays clear for both moderators and viewers.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]

Try Askarr

Sources

  1. Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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