Custom Formats¶

Custom formats provide advanced filtering and scoring for media releases in Radarr and Sonarr v3+, allowing you to prioritize specific codecs, release groups, HDR formats, and more. qBitrr integrates seamlessly with custom formats for automated quality enforcement.

Overview¶

What are custom formats?

Custom formats are an advanced Radarr/Sonarr feature that lets you:

Score releases based on attributes (codec, release group, HDR, etc.)
Prioritize preferred releases over others
Enforce minimum quality standards beyond basic quality profiles
Automatically upgrade to better-scoring releases
Reject releases that don't meet criteria

qBitrr integration:

Searches for releases meeting custom format score requirements
Automatically removes torrents below minimum scores
Triggers re-searches when custom format criteria aren't met
Supports custom format-based upgrade searches

Arr Version Requirements

Custom formats are only available in:

Radarr v3+
Sonarr v3+

Lidarr has limited custom format support (profiles only, not scoring).

Custom Format Basics¶

How Custom Formats Work¶

graph TD
    A[Release found] --> B[Check quality profile]
    B --> C{Meets quality?}
    C -->|No| D[Reject]
    C -->|Yes| E[Calculate custom format score]
    E --> F{Score >= minimum?}
    F -->|No| G[Reject or lower priority]
    F -->|Yes| H{Score > current?}
    H -->|Yes| I[Download/Upgrade]
    H -->|No| J[Keep existing]

Custom Format Components¶

Format Definition - Rules that match release attributes
Scoring - Points assigned when format matches
Quality Profile Integration - Minimum score requirements
Upgrade Until - Maximum score to upgrade to

Example custom format:

{
  "name": "HDR",
  "includeCustomFormatWhenRenaming": true,
  "specifications": [
    {
      "name": "HDR",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": false,
      "required": false,
      "fields": {
        "value": "\\bHDR\\b|\\bHDR10\\b"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Scoring in quality profile:

HDR format: +100 points
Dolby Vision: +150 points
Minimum custom format score: 100

qBitrr Custom Format Settings¶

Configure custom format integration in the [<Arr>-<Name>.EntrySearch] section.

Complete Custom Format Configuration¶

[Radarr-4K.EntrySearch]
# Enable custom format-based searches
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true

# Automatically remove torrents below minimum score
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true

# Enable upgrade searches
DoUpgradeSearch = true

CustomFormatUnmetSearch¶

CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true

Type: Boolean Default: false

Search for media that hasn't met custom format score requirements.

How it works:

qBitrr queries Arr for media with custom format scores below the minimum
Sends search commands to find better-scoring releases
Arr downloads when higher-scoring release is found

Example scenario:

Quality profile requires minimum custom format score of 100
Current release scores 50 (lacks HDR)
qBitrr detects score unmet
Triggers search
Arr finds HDR release (score: 150)
Downloads and replaces

Recommendation: true if you use custom formats extensively.

ForceMinimumCustomFormat¶

ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false

Type: Boolean Default: false

Automatically remove torrents that don't meet minimum custom format score.

When enabled:

qBitrr monitors custom format scores
Removes torrents below quality profile minimum
Blacklists the release
Triggers immediate re-search

Very aggressive! Only enable if:

Your custom formats are well-configured
You have multiple indexers
You're confident in minimum score requirements

Example:

# Strict custom format enforcement
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true

Movie downloads with score 50
Minimum required: 100
qBitrr removes torrent immediately
Searches for release with score ≥ 100

Use With Caution

This can result in:

Constant downloading/removing cycle if no releases meet criteria
Wasted bandwidth
Never getting some media

Test thoroughly before enabling!

Common Custom Format Use Cases¶

Use Case 1: HDR/Dolby Vision Preference¶

Goal: Prioritize HDR and Dolby Vision releases

Custom formats:

HDR10 - +100 points
Dolby Vision - +150 points
SDR - 0 points

Quality profile:

Minimum score: 0 (accept SDR if nothing better)
Upgrade until score: 150 (stop at Dolby Vision)

qBitrr config:

[Radarr-4K.EntrySearch]
DoUpgradeSearch = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = false  # Accept SDR initially
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false

Result: Downloads SDR if available, upgrades to HDR/DV when found.

Use Case 2: Release Group Preferences¶

Goal: Prefer specific release groups

Custom formats:

Tier 1 Groups (FLUX, CtrlHD) - +200 points
Tier 2 Groups (HiFi, DON) - +100 points
Scene releases - -50 points

Quality profile:

Minimum score: 50
Upgrade until: 200

qBitrr config:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
DoUpgradeSearch = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true  # Search if below 50
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true  # Reject scene releases

Result: Only downloads Tier ½ groups, automatically upgrades to Tier 1.

Use Case 3: Codec Preferences¶

Goal: Prefer modern codecs (x265, AV1)

Custom formats:

AV1 - +150 points
x265/HEVC - +100 points
x264 - 0 points

Quality profile:

Minimum score: 0
Upgrade until: 150

qBitrr config:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
DoUpgradeSearch = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = false
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false

Result: Accepts x264, upgrades to x265/AV1 when available.

Use Case 4: Strict Quality Enforcement¶

Goal: Only download releases meeting strict criteria

Custom formats:

Proper/Repack - +50 points
Trusted groups - +100 points
HDR - +50 points
Minimum total score: 150

Quality profile:

Minimum score: 150
Upgrade until: 200

qBitrr config:

[Radarr-4K.EntrySearch]
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true

Result: Only downloads releases scoring ≥150, rejects everything else.

Setting Up Custom Formats in Arr¶

Creating a Custom Format (Radarr/Sonarr)¶

Navigate to Settings → Custom Formats
Click Add Custom Format (+ icon)
Name your format (e.g., "HDR", "Preferred Groups")
Add specifications:
Release Title - Regex matching in release name
Indexer - Specific indexers
Quality - Quality tiers
Language - Audio/subtitle languages
Size - File size ranges

Example: HDR format

Name: HDR
Specifications:
  - Type: Release Title
    Regex: \b(HDR|HDR10|HDR10Plus)\b
    Required: No

Save the custom format

Assigning Scores in Quality Profiles¶

Navigate to Settings → Profiles
Select or create a Quality Profile
Scroll to Custom Formats section
Assign scores to each format:
Positive scores = preferred
Negative scores = avoid
Zero = neutral
Set Minimum Custom Format Score
Set Upgrade Until Custom Format Score
Save profile

Example quality profile:

Profile: 4K HDR
Qualities: 2160p (Remux, Bluray, Web)
Custom Formats:
  - Dolby Vision: +150
  - HDR10+: +120
  - HDR10: +100
  - x265: +50
  - Proper: +25
  - Scene: -50
Minimum Score: 100
Upgrade Until: 150

Custom Format Examples¶

Example 1: TraSH Guides Import¶

TraSH Guides (https://trash-guides.info) provides pre-made custom format JSON files.

How to import:

Download custom format JSON from TraSH Guides
In Radarr/Sonarr → Settings → Custom Formats
Click Import Custom Format
Paste JSON
Save

Popular TraSH custom formats:

HDR Formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10+, etc.)
Audio Formats (Atmos, DTS-X, TrueHD)
Release Groups (tiers 1-3)
Unwanted content (hardcoded subs, LQ releases)
Streaming service tags (Netflix, Disney+, etc.)

Example 2: Audio Quality¶

Custom Format: Lossless Audio
Specifications:
  - Release Title: \b(TrueHD|DTS-HD|LPCM|FLAC)\b

Custom Format: Lossy Audio
Specifications:
  - Release Title: \b(AAC|DD|AC3|MP3)\b

Quality Profile Scoring:
  - Lossless Audio: +100
  - Lossy Audio: 0
  - Minimum: 50

Result: Prefers lossless audio but accepts lossy if needed.

Example 3: Streaming Service Tags¶

Custom Format: Netflix
Specifications:
  - Release Title: \bNF\b|\bNETFLIX\b
Score: +50

Custom Format: Disney+
Specifications:
  - Release Title: \bDSNP\b|\bDISNEY\b
Score: +60

Custom Format: Amazon
Specifications:
  - Release Title: \bAMZN\b|\bAMAZON\b
Score: +55

Result: Prioritizes Disney+ releases, then Amazon, then Netflix.

Monitoring Custom Format Scores¶

Radarr/Sonarr UI¶

View custom format scores:

Go to Movies/Series list
Click a movie/episode
Scroll to Files tab
View Custom Format Score column

API Query¶

Check custom format scores via API:

# Get movie with custom format info
curl -H "X-Api-Key: your-key" \
  http://localhost:7878/api/v3/movie/123

# Response includes:
{
  "id": 123,
  "title": "The Matrix",
  "movieFile": {
    "customFormatScore": 150,
    "customFormats": [
      {"name": "HDR10", "score": 100},
      {"name": "x265", "score": 50}
    ]
  }
}

qBitrr Logs¶

Monitor custom format searches in logs:

tail -f ~/logs/Radarr-4K.log | grep -i "custom format"

Example log output:

2025-11-27 10:00:00 - INFO - Custom format score unmet: The Matrix (1999) - Current: 50, Required: 100
2025-11-27 10:00:05 - INFO - Searching for better custom format score
2025-11-27 10:05:00 - INFO - Found release with score 150: The.Matrix.1999.2160p.HDR.HEVC

Troubleshooting¶

Custom Format Searches Not Triggering¶

Symptom: qBitrr doesn't search for custom format upgrades

Solutions:

Enable custom format search:
```
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
```
Check quality profile minimum:
Ensure quality profile has minimum custom format score > 0
Current score must be below minimum
Verify custom formats exist:
Radarr/Sonarr → Settings → Custom Formats
At least one format must be defined and scored

Review logs:

grep -i "custom" ~/logs/Radarr-Movies.log

Torrents Constantly Removed¶

Symptom: qBitrr removes torrents immediately after download

Cause: ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true with unrealistic requirements

Solutions:

Disable forced enforcement:
```
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false
```
Lower minimum score:
Radarr/Sonarr → Quality Profile
Reduce minimum custom format score
Review custom format definitions:
Check regex patterns aren't too strict
Verify formats match available releases
Test with manual search:
Manually search in Radarr/Sonarr
Check if ANY releases meet criteria

Scores Not Calculating¶

Symptom: Custom format scores show as 0

Solutions:

Check format specifications:
Radarr/Sonarr → Custom Formats
Test regex against release names
Verify profile assignment:
Quality profile must have scores assigned
Check profile is assigned to media
Update Arr instance:
Custom formats improved in recent versions
Update to latest Radarr/Sonarr

Upgrades Not Happening¶

Symptom: Better-scoring releases available but not downloading

Solutions:

Enable upgrade search:
```
DoUpgradeSearch = true
```
Check "Upgrade Until" score:
Quality Profile → Upgrade Until Custom Format Score
Must be higher than current score
Verify file isn't "cut off":
Radarr/Sonarr → Movie/Series → Quality tab
Ensure "Cut off" quality hasn't been reached

Best Practices¶

1. Start Simple¶

Begin with a few basic custom formats:

- HDR: +100
- Proper: +50
- Scene: -50
Minimum: 0

Expand as you learn the system.

2. Use TraSH Guides¶

Import proven custom format configurations:

Visit https://trash-guides.info
Import relevant formats
Adjust scores to your preferences

3. Test Before Enforcing¶

# Phase 1: Test (don't force)
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false

# Phase 2: After validating (enforce)
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true

4. Set Realistic Minimums¶

Minimum Score: 0-50  # Lenient (accepts most releases)
Minimum Score: 100-150  # Moderate (prefers quality)
Minimum Score: 200+  # Strict (may miss content)

5. Balance Preferences vs Availability¶

High scores for preferred attributes:

Dolby Vision: +150
Trusted Group: +100
HDR: +50

But keep minimums low enough to find releases:

Minimum Score: 50  # Not 200

6. Monitor for a Week¶

Before enabling ForceMinimumCustomFormat:

Monitor search logs
Check success rate
Verify formats match expected releases
Adjust scores based on results

Integration with qBitrr Workflows¶

Workflow 1: Initial Download + Upgrade¶

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = false  # Accept any initially
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = false

DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Upgrade later

Process:

Movie added to Radarr
qBitrr searches (any quality accepted)
Downloads whatever is available
Later: Upgrade search finds better custom format score
Replaces with higher-quality release

Workflow 2: Strict Quality Only¶

[Radarr-4K.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true

DoUpgradeSearch = true

Process:

Movie added to Radarr
qBitrr searches
Only downloads if score ≥ minimum
Rejects all others
Continues searching until criteria met
Later upgrades to even better scores

Workflow 3: Tiered Quality¶

# Radarr-HD instance (lenient)
[Radarr-HD.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = false
DoUpgradeSearch = false
# Minimum score: 0

# Radarr-4K instance (strict)
[Radarr-4K.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true
# Minimum score: 150

Process:

HD instance: Gets everything fast
4K instance: Waits for high-quality releases only

Custom Format Resources¶

Official Documentation¶

Radarr: https://wiki.servarr.com/radarr/settings#custom-formats
Sonarr: https://wiki.servarr.com/sonarr/settings#custom-formats

TraSH Guides¶

Custom Format Collection: https://trash-guides.info/Radarr/Radarr-collection-of-custom-formats/
Scoring Guide: https://trash-guides.info/Radarr/radarr-setup-quality-profiles/
Import Instructions: https://trash-guides.info/Radarr/Radarr-import-custom-formats/

Community Resources¶

r/Radarr - Reddit community
r/Sonarr - Reddit community
Radarr Discord - Real-time help
Sonarr Discord - Real-time help

Custom Formats¶

Overview¶

Custom Format Basics¶

How Custom Formats Work¶

Custom Format Components¶

qBitrr Custom Format Settings¶

Complete Custom Format Configuration¶

CustomFormatUnmetSearch¶

ForceMinimumCustomFormat¶

Common Custom Format Use Cases¶

Use Case 1: HDR/Dolby Vision Preference¶

Use Case 2: Release Group Preferences¶

Use Case 3: Codec Preferences¶

Use Case 4: Strict Quality Enforcement¶

Setting Up Custom Formats in Arr¶

Creating a Custom Format (Radarr/Sonarr)¶

Assigning Scores in Quality Profiles¶

Custom Format Examples¶

Example 1: TraSH Guides Import¶

Example 2: Audio Quality¶

Example 3: Streaming Service Tags¶

Monitoring Custom Format Scores¶

Radarr/Sonarr UI¶

API Query¶

qBitrr Logs¶

Troubleshooting¶

Custom Format Searches Not Triggering¶

Torrents Constantly Removed¶

Scores Not Calculating¶

Upgrades Not Happening¶

Best Practices¶

1. Start Simple¶

2. Use TraSH Guides¶

3. Test Before Enforcing¶

4. Set Realistic Minimums¶

5. Balance Preferences vs Availability¶

6. Monitor for a Week¶

Integration with qBitrr Workflows¶

Workflow 1: Initial Download + Upgrade¶

Workflow 2: Strict Quality Only¶

Workflow 3: Tiered Quality¶

Custom Format Resources¶

Official Documentation¶

TraSH Guides¶

Community Resources¶

See Also¶