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Delete Sync

Delete Sync automatically removes content from your Sonarr/Radarr instances when it's no longer present on any user's watchlist. This completes the content lifecycle management, ensuring your libraries remain clean and optimized.

Key Features​

  • Advanced Deletion Modes:
    • Watchlist-based: Removes content not present on any user's watchlist (traditional mode)
    • Tag-based: Uses removal tags to mark content for deletion with flexible behavior options
  • Plex Playlist Protection: Protect content from deletion using special playlists
  • File Management: Option to delete or retain actual media files when removing content
  • Safety Mechanisms: Built-in protections against accidental mass deletion
  • Scheduling: Configurable timing for automatic cleanup operations
  • Dry Run Mode: Preview what would be deleted before committing changes

Deletion Modes​

Watchlist-Based Deletion (Traditional)​

Removes content when it's no longer present on any synced user's watchlist. This is the original deletion method that ensures your library only contains actively watched content.

Tag-Based Deletion​

Works with the user tagging system to provide more granular control:

  • Automatically adds removal tags when content is removed from watchlists
  • Configurable tag behavior:
    • Keep tags: Maintain existing tags for historical tracking
    • Remove tags: Clean up all tags upon removal
    • Add prefix: Add "removed:" prefix to existing tags
  • Allows for delayed deletion based on tag presence

Plex Playlist Protection​

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

  • Automatic Playlist Creation: Protection playlists are automatically created for all users on your Plex server
  • "Do Not Delete" Playlists: Content in these playlists is automatically excluded from deletion
  • Simple Protection: Just add any items to the protection playlist, and they'll be excluded from the deletion process
  • Multi-User Support: Syncs protection playlists across all enabled users
  • Customizable Names: Configure your own playlist name (default: "Do Not Delete")
  • Works with Both Modes: Compatible with watchlist and tag-based deletion methods

Configuration​

Navigate to the Utilities page in the Pulsarr web interface and configure your deletion preferences:

  • Mode Selection: Choose between watchlist-based or tag-based deletion
  • Content Types: Select which content to delete (movies, ended shows, continuing shows)
  • File Management: Choose whether to delete associated files from disk
  • Tag Behavior: Configure how removal tags are handled
  • Playlist Protection: Set up protected playlist names
  • User Sync Settings: Control which users' watchlists/playlists affect deletion
  • Notifications: Configure deletion event notifications
    • Notify Only on Deletion: Only send notifications when items are actually deleted (skip when nothing is removed)
  • Safety Threshold: Set maximum deletion prevention percentage
  • Scheduling: Configure timing for automatic cleanup operations
  • Dry Run Mode: Preview deletions without committing changes

Running Delete Sync​

You can operate Delete Sync in several ways:

  1. Enable Automatic Sync: Toggle the feature on to run on your configured schedule
  2. Run Now: Manually trigger the deletion process immediately
  3. Dry Run: Preview what would be deleted without making any changes
Playlist Creation

When Plex Playlist Protection is enabled, running a dry run will automatically create the protection playlists for all users if they don't already exist. This is a safe operation that only creates the playlists without deleting any content.

You can configure notifications to receive information regarding your workflow:

Notification Options​

  • Notification Channels: Choose from Discord (webhook/DM), Apprise, or both
  • Notify Only on Deletion: When enabled, notifications are only sent when items are actually deleted
    • Useful for reducing notification noise when Delete Sync runs but finds nothing to remove
    • Still sends notifications for dry runs that would delete items (helps with testing)
    • Always notifies on errors regardless of this setting
Delete Sync Dry Run Notification Delete Sync Error Notification

Safety Features​

Delete Sync includes several safety measures to prevent accidental data loss:

  • Mass deletion prevention based on configurable thresholds
  • Selective content type targeting
  • Dry run previews
  • Detailed deletion logs
  • Playlist-Based Content Protection

Integration with User Tagging​

When using tag-based deletion mode, Delete Sync works seamlessly with the User Tagging feature:

  1. When content is removed from a watchlist, removal tags are automatically added
  2. Content with removal tags can be:
    • Immediately deleted based on your schedule
    • Retained with historical tags for record-keeping
    • Marked with a "removed:" prefix for easy identification
  3. Protected content in playlists is excluded regardless of tag status

Recommendations​

  • Begin with a dry run to understand the impact on your libraries.
  • Consider using playlist protection for seasonal content or favorites.
  • Use tag-based mode for more granular control over deletion timing.
  • Keep files for ended shows that may return for future seasons.
  • Regularly review your protected playlists to ensure they're current.