Nyaa Indexer — Sonarr
Sonarr, also known as NZBdrone, is an application that helps you manage and download TV shows. It integrates with various indexers and download clients to provide a seamless experience for users. Sonarr automatically searches for episodes, takes care of creating folders, and even renames files to make them more manageable and organized.
This guide is for educational purposes. Nyaa indexes copyrighted content. Depending on your country (e.g., Germany, USA, Japan), accessing Nyaa without a VPN may lead to ISP warnings or fines.
Best Practices:
The Sonarr Nyaa indexer combination is arguably the most powerful setup available for automated anime downloads. When configured correctly – with precise categories, custom release profiles, and quality scoring – Sonarr becomes a silent curator, grabbing the exact release group and quality you prefer, the moment an episode airs in Japan.
Remember: Out of the box, Sonarr + Nyaa will work, but it won't work well. Take 20 minutes to set up your Release Profiles and Custom Formats. Once done, you will never manually search for an anime episode again.
Final Checklist for Success:
Now enjoy your flawless, automated anime library.
The primary way to add as an indexer in is by using a proxy like
. Because Sonarr does not support Nyaa natively "out of the box," these tools act as a bridge to translate Nyaa’s specialized anime indexing into a format Sonarr understands. Core Implementation Methods Prowlarr (Recommended)
: This is the modern standard for indexer management. You add Nyaa once in Prowlarr, and it automatically syncs the settings to Sonarr. It handles the "Newznab" or "Torznab" translation seamlessly.
: An older but reliable alternative. You manually search for Nyaa in Jackett, copy the generated API Key and Torznab URL, and paste them into Sonarr’s Indexer settings. Built-in "Nyaa" (Deprecated/Limited) sonarr nyaa indexer
: While some versions of Sonarr have a native "Nyaa" option, it is frequently broken or blocked by Cloudflare. Proxying through Prowlarr is significantly more stable. Step-by-Step Setup (via Prowlarr) Add Indexer : In Prowlarr, go to and search for "Nyaa". Configure Categories : Ensure the categories for Anime (usually ) are selected. Sync to Sonarr
in Prowlarr. Add your Sonarr instance using its IP address and API Key. Prowlarr will now push the Nyaa indexer directly into Sonarr. . You should see "Nyaa (Prowlarr)" listed. Ensure Enable RSS Enable Automatic Search are checked. Key Features of the Nyaa Indexer Integration Anime Specialized Mapping
: Nyaa uses unique tags (e.g., [SubsPlease], [Erai-raws]). Using a proxy ensures Sonarr correctly identifies the "Release Group" and quality (1080p, 720p). Automated Grab
: Once configured, Sonarr will monitor Nyaa’s RSS feed every 15–60 minutes. When a new episode from your "Monitored" list appears, it sends the magnet link to your download client (like qBittorrent) automatically. Custom Formats
: Because anime often has multiple subtitle versions, you can use Sonarr's Custom Formats
(under Settings > Profiles) to prioritize specific Nyaa uploaders like SubsPlease Troubleshooting Tips Categories : If Sonarr isn't finding episodes, check that the
IDs in the indexer settings match Nyaa's anime categories (typically for Torznab). Connection Errors
: If the indexer fails a "Test," it is likely due to your ISP blocking Nyaa. In this case, you may need to run your proxy (Prowlarr/Jackett) or Sonarr through a VPN. Custom Format strings to prioritize high-quality Nyaa release groups?
To automate your anime library, setting up Nyaa as a Sonarr indexer is the most effective way to ensure you never miss a new release. Nyaa.si is the primary source for the vast majority of anime torrents, but because it does not natively support the standard APIs used by media managers, you often need an intermediary like Prowlarr or Jackett to bridge the gap. Why You Need a Nyaa Indexer in Sonarr
Sonarr is a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) that automatically monitors trackers for new episodes of your favorite shows. While Sonarr has a native Nyaa implementation, it often faces compatibility issues with modern search parameters or IP bans due to high request frequency. Using a proxy manager provides: Sonarr, also known as NZBdrone, is an application
Stability: Handles API translation and prevents common "400 Bad Request" errors.
Optimization: Allows for "Raw Search" and custom tagging so only anime-related queries hit Nyaa.
Reliability: Proxies can manage the search frequency to avoid temporary IP bans from Nyaa's servers. Step-by-Step Setup: The Recommended Way (Prowlarr)
Prowlarr is currently the gold standard for managing indexers because it automatically syncs with Sonarr and other "Arr" apps. Sonarr System | Servarr Wiki
To get Nyaa (specifically Nyaa.si) working properly with Sonarr, the "proper story" is that Sonarr's built-in Nyaa indexer is often considered legacy or broken because it was designed for the original (now defunct) Nyaa site. The Best Way: Use Prowlarr or Jackett
The modern standard is to use a proxy like Prowlarr or Jackett. These tools provide a Torznab feed that Sonarr can parse more reliably.
Install Prowlarr or Jackett: Add Nyaa.si as an indexer within that app. Add to Sonarr: In Sonarr, go to Settings > Indexers > Add (+). Select Torznab (Custom). Copy the URL and API Key from Prowlarr/Jackett.
Categories: For anime, use categories like 5070 (Anime). In Jackett, you often need to manually specify these numbers. Critical Configuration Fixes
If you are already using Nyaa but it isn't finding anything or is failing, check these common pitfalls:
Series Type: You must set the "Series Type" to Anime for each show in Sonarr. If it's set to "Standard," Sonarr will look for S01E01 formatting, whereas anime on Nyaa often uses "Absolute" numbering (e.g., Episode 01), which causes a mismatch. The Sonarr Nyaa indexer combination is arguably the
Additional Parameters: If using the built-in indexer, some users fix failures by adding &c=1_2&f=1 to the Additional Parameters field in settings to force the correct category filters.
Categories in Prowlarr/Jackett: Ensure you have selected the correct categories for Nyaa (usually Anime - English-translated) so Sonarr knows which results to request.
Incorrect language profile downloaded from nyaa · Issue #5411
Setting up as an indexer in is a bit unique because Sonarr doesn't support Nyaa natively. To bridge the gap, you need a "proxy" or "mediator" like 1. The Essential Tool: Prowlarr (Recommended) While Jackett is the classic choice,
is generally preferred today because it syncs automatically with Sonarr. Install Prowlarr : If you don't have it, install Prowlarr alongside your Sonarr instance. Open Prowlarr and go to Search for Select your desired categories (usually Anime - English-translated Sync to Sonarr In Prowlarr, go to and select Enter your Sonarr Server URL (found in Sonarr under Settings > General
. Nyaa will now automatically appear in Sonarr's Indexers list. 2. The Manual Way: Jackett If you prefer , follow these steps: Add Nyaa in Jackett + Add Indexer , search for Nyaa, and click the green plus icon. Copy API Details : On the Jackett dashboard, click Copy Torznab Feed for Nyaa and take note of your (top right of the page). Add to Sonarr Open Sonarr and go to and select : Paste the Torznab Feed URL you copied. : Paste your Jackett API Key. Categories : Standard anime categories are 3. Crucial Sonarr Settings for Anime
Sonarr treats Anime differently than standard TV. For Nyaa to work correctly: Series Type : When adding a show to Sonarr, ensure the Series Type
. If it's set to "Standard," Sonarr will look for "S01E01" formatting, while Nyaa often uses absolute numbering (e.g., "Episode 01"), causing searches to fail. Categories
: Ensure the category IDs in your Torznab settings match what Nyaa uses (typically 4. Optional: Use "Nyaa Pantsu" If the main site is down or blocked, both Prowlarr and Jackett support NyaaPantsu as an alternative indexer. The setup process is identical. or setting up Download Clients to work with these indexers?
Here’s a short, actionable piece for setting up Nyaa as an indexer in Sonarr (primarily for anime):
Go to Settings → Release Profiles → +.
