Quality Upgrades¶

qBitrr can automatically upgrade your existing media to higher quality versions, ensuring your library continuously improves as better releases become available.

Overview¶

Quality upgrading is a continuous process where qBitrr:

Monitors existing media for better quality releases
Searches for improved versions based on your criteria
Downloads upgrades when found
Replaces old files with new ones (managed by Arr)
Seeds the new torrent while removing the old one

Use Cases:

Upgrading 720p → 1080p → 4K as releases become available
Replacing x264 → x265 for better compression
Upgrading lossy → lossless audio (Lidarr)
Improving custom format scores (Scene → P2P, HDR, etc.)

Upgrade Strategies¶

Strategy 1: Continuous Upgrade Search¶

Goal: Always look for better quality

Configuration:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Enable upgrade searching
SearchRequestsEvery = 600  # Check every 10 minutes
SearchAgainOnSearchCompletion = true  # Continuous loop

How it works:

qBitrr queries Radarr for all movies (not just missing)
Sends upgrade search commands for each movie
Radarr downloads better quality if available and allowed by quality profile

Best for:

Building a high-quality library
Users with large storage capacity
Private tracker members with good retention

Considerations:

Bandwidth: Upgrades can download massive amounts of data (50+ GB per 4K movie)
Indexer hits: Searches every movie repeatedly (respect rate limits)
Storage: Requires space for both old and new files during transition

Strategy 2: Quality Target Enforcement¶

Goal: Ensure media meets minimum quality standards

Configuration:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Only search if quality not met
SearchRequestsEvery = 1200  # Check every 20 minutes

How it works:

qBitrr checks each movie's quality against quality profile cutoff
Only searches if current quality is below cutoff
Stops searching once cutoff is met

Example:

Quality profile cutoff: 1080p
Current quality: 720p → search triggered
Upgrade to 1080p → searching stops

Best for:

Enforcing minimum quality standards
Reducing bandwidth usage
"Good enough" quality approach

Benefit: Focused searching only where needed, saving bandwidth and indexer hits

Strategy 3: Custom Format Upgrades¶

Goal: Upgrade based on release characteristics (HDR, P2P, audio codecs, etc.)

Configuration:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true  # Search for better custom format scores
SearchRequestsEvery = 1200

How it works:

qBitrr checks custom format scores against profile requirements
Searches for releases with higher custom format scores
Upgrades when better-scoring release is found

Example Custom Formats:

HDR/DV preference
Release group ranking (SPARKS > RARBG)
Proper/Repack detection
Audio codec preference (Atmos, DTS-HD)

Best for:

Advanced users with custom format expertise
Fine-tuned quality control beyond resolution
TraSH Guides users

Custom Formats Guide

See Custom Formats for detailed setup and examples.

Strategy 4: Strict Enforcement (Aggressive)¶

Goal: Reject anything below custom format minimum score

Configuration:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true  # Remove releases below minimum
SearchRequestsEvery = 600

How it works:

qBitrr checks custom format scores
Removes and blacklists torrents below minimum score
Triggers immediate search for higher-scoring release

Warning: Very aggressive! Only use if:

You have strict quality requirements
Your custom formats are well-tested
You're confident in your scoring system

Best for:

High-end home theaters
Strict quality control environments
Users who know exactly what they want

Strategy 5: Staged Upgrade Path¶

Goal: Gradually improve quality over time

Phase 1: Build Library (Get Anything)

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
UseTempForMissing = true  # Accept lower quality for missing
QualityProfileMappings = {"Ultra HD" = "HD-1080p"}

Phase 2: Upgrade to Target Quality

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Upgrade to cutoff
UseTempForMissing = false

Phase 3: Continuous Improvement

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Always look for better
QualityUnmetSearch = true

How it works:

Build: Accept any quality just to have the content
Stabilize: Upgrade everything to minimum acceptable quality
Optimize: Continuously seek better versions

Best for:

New library builds
Limited initial bandwidth
Long-term quality improvement plans

Configuration Reference¶

DoUpgradeSearch¶

Type: Boolean Default: false

Enable continuous upgrade searching for all media.

DoUpgradeSearch = true

When enabled:

Searches all existing media for better versions
Runs continuously (not just for missing items)
Respects quality profile upgrade settings

Bandwidth Impact: ⚠️ HIGH - can download many GB per movie/episode

QualityUnmetSearch¶

Type: Boolean Default: false

Search only for media below quality profile cutoff.

QualityUnmetSearch = true

When enabled:

Only searches media below cutoff quality
Stops searching once cutoff is met
More efficient than DoUpgradeSearch

Bandwidth Impact: ⚠️ MEDIUM - targeted upgrades only

CustomFormatUnmetSearch¶

Type: Boolean Default: false

Search for media below custom format score requirements.

CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true

When enabled:

Checks custom format scores
Searches for higher-scoring releases
Upgrades based on format quality, not just resolution

Bandwidth Impact: ⚠️ MEDIUM to HIGH - depends on format strictness

ForceMinimumCustomFormat¶

Type: Boolean Default: false

Automatically remove torrents below minimum custom format score.

ForceMinimumCustomFormat = true

When enabled:

Deletes torrents with insufficient custom format scores
Blacklists the release
Triggers immediate new search

Bandwidth Impact: ⚠️ VERY HIGH - aggressive re-downloading

Use with Caution

This will delete downloaded content if it doesn't meet your custom format requirements. Only enable if you're confident in your custom format configuration.

Quality Profile Setup¶

Radarr Quality Profile Example¶

Goal: Accept 1080p minimum, upgrade to 4K when available

In Radarr:

Go to Settings → Profiles
Create or edit a profile
Set Cutoff: 1080p
Enable qualities: 720p, 1080p, 2160p
Upgrade Until: 2160p
Upgrade Until Custom Format Score: (optional)

In qBitrr:

[Radarr-Movies.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Search until 1080p cutoff met
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Continue searching for 4K
SearchRequestsEvery = 1200

Result:

Missing movies: Download any quality (720p, 1080p, or 4K)
720p movies: Upgrade to 1080p (cutoff)
1080p movies: Upgrade to 4K (ultimate goal)

Sonarr Quality Profile Example¶

Goal: WEB-1080p for new episodes, upgrade to Bluray later

In Sonarr:

Settings → Profiles
Set Cutoff: WEB-1080p
Enable: WEB-720p, WEB-1080p, Bluray-1080p, Bluray-2160p
Upgrade Until: Bluray-2160p

In qBitrr:

[Sonarr-TV.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
PrioritizeTodaysReleases = true  # Get new episodes fast
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Upgrade to Bluray later
SearchRequestsEvery = 600

Result:

New episodes: Download WEB-1080p immediately
Older episodes: Gradually upgrade to Bluray-1080p/2160p

Lidarr Quality Profile Example¶

Goal: Accept MP3-320 initially, upgrade to FLAC later

In Lidarr:

Settings → Profiles
Set Cutoff: MP3-320
Enable: MP3-320, FLAC
Upgrade Until: FLAC

In qBitrr:

[Lidarr-Music.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
UseTempForMissing = true
QualityProfileMappings = {"Lossless (FLAC)" = "Lossy (MP3-320)"}
QualityUnmetSearch = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true
SearchRequestsEvery = 1800

Result:

Missing albums: Download MP3-320 (temp profile)
Profile switches back to Lossless
Future searches look for FLAC upgrades

Upgrade Workflows¶

Workflow 1: New Library Build → Quality Improvement¶

Timeline:

Week 1-2: Rapid Library Build

SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
UseTempForMissing = true
QualityProfileMappings = {"HD-1080p" = "SD"}

Result: 1000 movies downloaded (mixed quality)

Week 3-4: Quality Baseline

SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Upgrade to 1080p cutoff
UseTempForMissing = false

Result: 500 movies upgraded to 1080p

Month 2+: Continuous Optimization

SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Always look for better
QualityUnmetSearch = true
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true

Result: Gradual upgrades to 4K, better release groups, HDR

Workflow 2: Seasonal TV Shows (Sonarr)¶

Goal: Get episodes fast, upgrade to Bluray when released

During Airing Season:

[Sonarr-OngoingTV.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
PrioritizeTodaysReleases = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
SearchRequestsEvery = 300  # Check every 5 minutes

Result: WEB-DL episodes available within minutes of release

After Season Ends:

[Sonarr-OngoingTV.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = true  # Now look for Bluray
SearchRequestsEvery = 3600  # Less frequent (hourly)

Result: Gradual upgrade to Bluray-1080p as releases become available

Workflow 3: Music Collection (Lidarr)¶

Goal: Build library with any quality, upgrade to lossless over time

Phase 1: Accept Anything

[Lidarr-Music.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
DoUpgradeSearch = false
UseTempForMissing = true
QualityProfileMappings = {"Lossless" = "Any"}

Phase 2: Target Lossless

[Lidarr-Music.EntrySearch]
SearchMissing = true
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Upgrade to FLAC
DoUpgradeSearch = true
UseTempForMissing = false
SearchRequestsEvery = 1800

Troubleshooting¶

Upgrades Not Happening¶

Symptom: DoUpgradeSearch is enabled but no upgrades occur

Possible Causes:

Quality Profile:
"Upgrade Until" is set to current quality
"Upgrade Allowed" is disabled
Already at Cutoff:
Media already meets cutoff quality
Use DoUpgradeSearch (not QualityUnmetSearch)
No Better Releases:
Indexers don't have higher quality
Check Radarr/Sonarr activity history

Solution:

# Check Radarr quality profile settings
curl http://localhost:7878/api/v3/qualityprofile \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

# Look for:
# - "upgradeAllowed": true
# - "cutoff" vs "items" quality IDs

Too Many Upgrades (Bandwidth Issues)¶

Symptom: Constantly downloading huge files

Solutions:

Option 1: Disable Continuous Upgrades

DoUpgradeSearch = false
QualityUnmetSearch = true  # Only upgrade to cutoff

Option 2: Increase Search Delay

SearchRequestsEvery = 3600  # Check hourly instead of every 5 minutes

Option 3: Pin Quality

In Radarr/Sonarr, set "Upgrade Until" to current quality (e.g., 1080p)

Upgrades Stuck in Queue¶

Symptom: Arr shows "Queued" upgrades but nothing happens

Possible Causes:

Indexer Rate Limits: Too many searches too fast
Download Client Full: No space for new torrents
Seeding Requirements: Old torrent still seeding, can't replace

Solutions:

# Increase search delay
SearchRequestsEvery = 1200

# Enable disk space management
FreeSpace = "100G"
AutoPauseResume = true

Custom Format Upgrades Not Working¶

Symptom: CustomFormatUnmetSearch enabled but no upgrades

Check Custom Format Setup:

In Radarr/Sonarr:
Custom formats exist
Formats have non-zero scores
Quality profile has minimum custom format score set
In qBitrr:
```
CustomFormatUnmetSearch = true
```

Debug:

# Check movie custom format scores
curl http://localhost:7878/api/v3/movie \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" | jq '.[].movieFile.customFormats'

Performance Optimization¶

Reduce Indexer Load¶

# Increase search intervals
SearchRequestsEvery = 1800  # 30 minutes

# Disable continuous loops
SearchAgainOnSearchCompletion = false

Prioritize Recent Content¶

# Search recent releases first
SearchByYear = true
SearchInReverse = false

Limit Concurrent Searches¶

# Sonarr only
SearchLimit = 3  # Match Sonarr's concurrent task limit

Best Practices¶

Start Conservative: Begin with QualityUnmetSearch only, enable DoUpgradeSearch later
Monitor Bandwidth: Track download volume for first week before expanding
Test Custom Formats: Validate custom format scoring before enabling ForceMinimumCustomFormat
Respect Indexers: Use reasonable SearchRequestsEvery intervals (10+ minutes)
Storage Planning: Ensure adequate free space for simultaneous old + new files
Seeding Compliance: Check private tracker rules before aggressive upgrades

Automated Search - Complete search configuration reference
Custom Formats - Advanced quality filtering
Quality Profiles - Profile setup and mappings
Seeding Configuration - Manage seeding during upgrades

Summary¶

DoUpgradeSearch - Continuous quality improvement (high bandwidth)
QualityUnmetSearch - Targeted upgrades to cutoff (moderate bandwidth)
CustomFormatUnmetSearch - Advanced format-based upgrades
ForceMinimumCustomFormat - Strict enforcement (very aggressive)
Staged approach - Build library first, upgrade later
Monitor bandwidth and adjust SearchRequestsEvery accordingly

Quality Upgrades¶

Overview¶

Upgrade Strategies¶

Strategy 1: Continuous Upgrade Search¶

Strategy 2: Quality Target Enforcement¶

Strategy 3: Custom Format Upgrades¶

Strategy 4: Strict Enforcement (Aggressive)¶

Strategy 5: Staged Upgrade Path¶

Configuration Reference¶

DoUpgradeSearch¶

QualityUnmetSearch¶

CustomFormatUnmetSearch¶

ForceMinimumCustomFormat¶

Quality Profile Setup¶

Radarr Quality Profile Example¶

Sonarr Quality Profile Example¶

Lidarr Quality Profile Example¶

Upgrade Workflows¶

Workflow 1: New Library Build → Quality Improvement¶

Workflow 2: Seasonal TV Shows (Sonarr)¶

Workflow 3: Music Collection (Lidarr)¶

Troubleshooting¶

Upgrades Not Happening¶

Too Many Upgrades (Bandwidth Issues)¶

Upgrades Stuck in Queue¶

Custom Format Upgrades Not Working¶

Performance Optimization¶

Reduce Indexer Load¶

Prioritize Recent Content¶

Limit Concurrent Searches¶

Best Practices¶

Related Documentation¶

Summary¶