Overseerr

Request management and media discovery for Plex

Overseerr is a free and open-source request management and media discovery tool built to work with your existing Plex ecosystem. It provides an intuitive interface for users to discover and request movies and TV shows, which are then automatically sent to Sonarr and Radarr for download. With user quota management, approval workflows, and extensive notification support (Discord, Slack, email), Overseerr streamlines content requests for shared Plex servers. QuickBox Pro installs Overseerr from official GitHub releases with Node.js 16.20.2, systemd service, and nginx reverse proxy.

Installation

Basic Installation

Install Overseerr for a specific user:

qb install overseerr -u username

CLI Commands

Accessing Overseerr

After installation, access Overseerr at:

https://your-server-ip/username/overseerr

First-Time Setup:

1. Sign in with your Plex account
2. Connect to Sonarr and Radarr
3. Configure notification channels (Discord, Slack, email)
4. Set user quotas and approval workflows
5. Start requesting content!

Initial Configuration

1. Sign In with Plex

On first access, authenticate with Plex:

1. Open Overseerr web interface
2. Click Sign in with Plex
3. Authorize Overseerr to access your Plex account
4. Select your Plex Media Server from the list
5. Overseerr will scan your Plex libraries automatically
6. First user is automatically assigned Admin role

2. Connect Sonarr and Radarr

Configure media management integrations:

1. Navigate to Settings → Services
2. Add Radarr Server:
   • Default Server - Check this box
   • Server Name - Descriptive name (e.g., “QuickBox Radarr”)
   • Hostname or IP - localhost
   • Port - Your Radarr port (default 7878)
   • Use SSL - Uncheck (reverse proxy handles SSL)
   • API Key - Copy from Radarr → Settings → General → API Key
   • URL Base - Leave blank
   • Quality Profile - Select default profile
   • Root Folder - Select default media path
   • Minimum Availability - Select preference (Released, In Cinemas, Announced)
   • Click Test to verify connection, then Save
3. Add Sonarr Server:
   • Follow same steps as Radarr
   • Port - Your Sonarr port (default 8989)
   • API Key - Copy from Sonarr → Settings → General → API Key
   • Quality Profile - Select default profile (e.g., “HD-1080p”)
   • Root Folder - Select TV shows path
   • Season Folder - Enable for organized library structure
   • Click Test, then Save

3. Configure Notifications

Set up notification channels for request updates:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications
2. Discord Integration:
   • Create Discord webhook in your server
   • Enter Webhook URL
   • Enable notification types:
     • Media Requested
     • Media Approved
     • Media Available
     • Media Failed
   • Click Test to send test notification
   • Save Changes
3. Email Notifications (optional):
   • Configure SMTP Settings (host, port, credentials)
   • Set From Email Address
   • Enable desired notification types
   • Save Changes

Service Management

Overseerr runs as a per-user systemd service.

systemctl status overseerr@username     # Check status
systemctl restart overseerr@username    # Restart service
journalctl -u overseerr@username -f     # View live logs
systemctl enable overseerr@username     # Start on boot (already enabled)
systemctl disable overseerr@username    # Prevent auto-start

Troubleshooting

Overseerr Won’t Start

journalctl -u overseerr@username -f

Check Node.js virtual environment:

/opt/username/lib/nodejs/Overseerr/.venv/bin/node --version
# Should show Node.js v16.20.2
 
# Verify environment
ls -la /opt/username/lib/nodejs/Overseerr/.venv/bin/
 
# If venv broken, reinstall:
qb reinstall overseerr -u username

Cannot Sign In with Plex

Sonarr/Radarr Connection Failed

# Verify services are running
systemctl status sonarr@username
systemctl status radarr@username
 
# Test API connectivity
curl http://localhost:7878/api/v3/system/status?apikey=YOUR_RADARR_API_KEY
curl http://localhost:8989/api/v3/system/status?apikey=YOUR_SONARR_API_KEY
 
# Check API keys match
# Radarr: Settings → General → Security → API Key
# Sonarr: Settings → General → Security → API Key
 
# Verify URL configuration in Overseerr
# Use: localhost (not 127.0.0.1 or server IP)
# Port: Default ports (7878 for Radarr, 8989 for Sonarr)
# SSL: Disabled (reverse proxy handles encryption)

Requests Not Sending to Sonarr/Radarr

# Check Overseerr logs for errors
journalctl -u overseerr@username -f | grep -i error
 
# Verify default server is configured
# Settings → Services → Radarr/Sonarr → Check 'Default Server'
 
# Check quality profiles exist
# Settings → Services → Ensure quality profile is selected
 
# Verify root folders are configured
# Settings → Services → Ensure root folder path is valid
 
# Test manual request from Overseerr UI
# Browse media → Request → Check logs for errors

Discord Notifications Not Working

# Verify webhook URL is correct
# Settings → Notifications → Discord
 
# Test webhook directly
curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"content":"Test from Overseerr"}' \
  https://discord.com/api/webhooks/YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL
 
# Check notification types are enabled
# Settings → Notifications → Discord → Enable desired types
 
# Verify Overseerr has permission to send notifications
# Check logs: journalctl -u overseerr@username -f | grep -i discord

User Quotas Not Enforced

# Check user settings
# Settings → Users → Click user → Edit
 
# Verify quota settings
# Movie Quota Limit - Set to desired number (0 = unlimited)
# TV Quota Limit - Set to desired number (0 = unlimited)
# Quota Period - Daily, Weekly, Monthly
 
# Save changes and test request as user
# Request should fail when quota exceeded

Best Practices

Use Cases

Shared Plex Server Management

• Allow family and friends to request content via intuitive interface
• Set individual user quotas to prevent overwhelming your storage
• Approval workflow for moderating requests before download
• Automatic notifications when requested content becomes available

Automated Content Pipeline

• Users request movies/shows through Overseerr
• Requests automatically sent to Radarr/Sonarr
• Media downloaded, renamed, and added to Plex automatically
• Users notified via Discord/email when content is ready to watch

Multi-User Request Tracking

• Track who requested what content and when
• View request history, approval status, and download progress
• Manage user permissions and quotas from centralized dashboard
• Generate reports on most requested content and active users

Related Applications

Additional Resources