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.

Quick Setup

1. Navigate to Utilities → Delete Sync
2. Select deletion mode (watchlist-based or tag-based)
3. Choose content types to manage (movies, ended shows, continuing shows)
4. Configure safety threshold and file management options
5. Run a Dry Run to preview deletions
6. Enable automatic scheduling or run manually

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

Setting	Description
Mode	Watchlist-based or tag-based deletion
Content Types	Movies, ended shows, continuing shows
File Management	Delete or retain media files from disk
Playlist Protection	Configure protection playlist names
Safety Threshold	Prevent mass deletion with configurable limits
Scheduling	Set automatic cleanup timing
Notifications	Discord, Apprise, or both (optional: notify only on deletion)

Tag-Based Options

Setting	Description
Required Tag Regex	Optional pattern - content must match to be deleted
Tracked Content Only	Only delete content tracked in approval system

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.

Advanced Tag Filtering

The Required Tag Regex requires content to have both the removal tag AND a matching tag pattern. Patterns are validated for safety (max 1024 characters, no catastrophic backtracking).

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

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Content not being deleted	Check deletion mode settings; verify content is off all watchlists; run dry run to preview
Too much content flagged	Adjust safety threshold; use playlist protection; enable "Tracked Content Only"
Regex not matching	Test pattern with simple examples; check for valid JavaScript regex syntax
Protected content deleted	Verify playlist names match exactly; ensure playlists exist for all users

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.