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Delete Sync

Automatically removes content from Sonarr/Radarr instances when it's no longer on any user's watchlist, keeping your libraries clean and optimized.

Deletion Modes​

Watchlist-based (default): Removes content when no longer on any synced user's watchlist.

Tag-based: Uses removal tags for granular control:

  • Adds removal tags when content leaves watchlists
  • Configurable tag behavior: keep, remove, or prefix existing tags
  • Optional regex filter: require additional tag matching for deletion
  • Allows delayed deletion based on tag presence

Plex Playlist Protection​

Protect content from deletion by adding it to designated Plex playlists:

  • Automatic playlist creation for all users (default: "Do Not Delete")
  • Content in protection playlists is excluded from deletion
  • Works with both deletion modes

Configuration​

Navigate to Utilities → Delete Sync:

  • Mode: Choose watchlist-based or tag-based deletion
  • Content Types: Select movies, ended shows, continuing shows
  • File Management: Delete or retain media files from disk
  • Playlist Protection: Configure protection playlist names
  • Tag-Based Options (when using tag-based mode):
    • Required Tag Regex: Optional regex pattern - content must match this pattern to be deleted (in addition to having removal tag)
    • Tracked Content Only: Only delete content tracked in Pulsarr's approval system
  • Notifications: Choose Discord, Apprise, or both
    • Notify Only on Deletion: Reduce noise by only notifying when items are actually deleted
  • Safety Threshold: Prevent mass deletion with configurable limits
  • Scheduling: Set automatic cleanup timing

Running Delete Sync​

  • Enable Automatic: Run on configured schedule
  • Run Now: Manual immediate execution
  • Dry Run: Preview deletions without changes
Playlist Creation

Dry runs will create protection playlists if they don't exist - this is safe and doesn't delete content.

Safety Features​

  • Mass deletion prevention with configurable thresholds
  • Dry run previews
  • Selective content targeting
  • Playlist-based protection
  • Detailed logging
Delete Sync Dry Run Notification

Integration with User Tagging​

Tag-based mode works with User Tagging:

  • Removal tags added automatically when content leaves watchlists
  • Tags can be kept for history, removed, or prefixed
  • Protected playlist content excluded regardless of tags

Advanced Tag Filtering​

The Required Tag Regex option provides an additional layer of control for tag-based deletion. When configured:

  • Content must have both the removal tag AND a tag matching the regex pattern to be deleted
  • If no regex is configured, only the removal tag is required
  • Regex patterns are validated for safety to prevent catastrophic backtracking
  • Maximum pattern length: 1024 characters

Use Cases​

Multi-instance deletion sync:

Scenario: Two Pulsarr instances sharing Sonarr/Radarr
Instance 1: Removal prefix = pulsarr1-removed, Regex = pulsarr2-removed
Instance 2: Removal prefix = pulsarr2-removed, Regex = pulsarr1-removed
Result: Content is only deleted when BOTH instances mark it for removal

User-specific deletion:

Pattern: ^pulsarr-user-john$
Result: Only delete content tagged with removal tag AND specific user tag

Category-based deletion:

Pattern: ^genre:(horror|thriller)$
Result: Only delete content with removal tag AND specific genre tags

Exclusion patterns:

Pattern: ^(?!.*protected).*$
Result: Delete content with removal tag UNLESS it has a "protected" tag

Safety Features​

All regex patterns are validated for:

  • Valid JavaScript regex syntax
  • Unicode mode compatibility
  • Safe execution (no catastrophic backtracking patterns)

Best Practices​

  • Start with dry runs to understand impact
  • Use playlist protection for favorites or seasonal content
  • Consider tag-based mode for complex deletion workflows
  • Test regex patterns with simple examples before applying broadly
  • Use the "Tracked Content Only" option to avoid deleting manually added content
  • Keep files for shows that may return

API Reference​

See the Delete Sync API documentation and Config API for detailed endpoint information.