Watchlists and Custom Lists
Understanding Watchlists on Simkl: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Shows and Movies.
Introduction
Simkl is a popular platform that allows members to track, discover, and organize their favorite TV shows, movies, and anime. One of its most useful features is the watchlist, which helps members keep track of their viewing habits and preferences. This article will discuss the watchlist feature in detail, explaining its default lists and how they work, as well as how to create custom lists for a more personalized experience.
Simkl provides an option to add shows and movies to a Watchlist or to a Custom list (in V2 beta).
What are Watchlists on Simkl?
Watchlists are a core feature of Simkl that allows members to categorize and manage their TV shows, movies, and anime. By adding content to a watchlist, members can easily keep track of what they're watching, plan to watch, or have already completed. Watchlists also help members stay organized and make it easy to pick up where they left off when they return to a show or movie and have specific rules on how notifications are handled.
Default Watchlist Lists on Simkl
Watching (For TV Shows and Anime only)
Plan to watch
On hold (For TV Shows and Anime only)
Completed
Dropped
Simkl provides members with five default watchlist lists to help them categorize their content. These lists are:
Watching: This list contains TV shows and Anime that a member is currently watching. As members make progress through episodes or movies, Simkl will automatically update the list to reflect their progress.
Plan to watch: TV Shows, Anime, and Movies that you have not started to watch. This list is for members to keep track of TV shows and movies they intend to watch in the future. Adding content to this list is an excellent way to create a personal watch queue.
On hold: When members need to take a break from a show or anime but plan to return to it later, they can add the content to the "On hold" list. This list helps members remember which content they've paused and want to resume later.
Completed: Once members finish watching a TV show that has ended or watched a movie, Simkl will automatically move it to the "Completed" list. This list serves as a record of everything a member has watched, making it easy to look back and reminisce or find recommendations for friends. *** Note: You can only move shows to Completed lists if the show has ended and all episodes have been released, otherwise the show will be kept in the Watching list so you would continue to receive new notifications when new episodes air.
Dropped: If a member decides to stop watching a TV show or movie without finishing it, they can add it to the "Dropped" list. This list is a useful way to remember which content didn't hold a member's interest, preventing them from accidentally returning to it in the future.
Color identification
We’ve added colored circles to help you quickly identify what’s more relevant.
• Red — Not released, also displays the number of days to the release date. • Green — Shows that are still airing • White — New movies that are currently in Theaters and New Shows that have been just released and only have 1 episode aired.
How are notifications handled for each watchlist?
Simkl's notification system is designed to keep members informed about their watchlists and enhance their viewing experience. Here's how notifications are handled for each watchlist:
Watching: When a new episode is released for a show in the "Watching" list, Simkl will send a notification to the member, reminding them that new content is available. Members can also receive notifications for upcoming air dates before the episode starts airing, ensuring they stay up-to-date with their favorite shows.
Plan to watch: For the "Plan to watch" list, members may receive notifications when a show or movie is about to premiere or when the first episodes of the show are released. This helps members keep track of the content they intend to watch and encourages them to start watching when new content is available. You will only receive a notification that the first episode has been released, Simkl will not bother you with new notifications of other new episodes for shows that are on your Plan to Watch list.
On Hold: Members will not receive any new notifications for shows that are in the On Hold watchlist.
Completed: Members typically do not receive notifications for content in the "Completed" list, as they have already finished watching the TV shows or movies. However, they may occasionally receive notifications for related content, such as sequels, spin-offs, or other recommendations based on their completed shows and movies.
Dropped: Similar to the "Completed" list, members generally do not receive notifications for content in the "Dropped" list. This prevents members from receiving updates on the content they have chosen not to continue watching.
Customizing Notification Settings
Simkl allows members to customize their notification preferences to suit their needs. Members can choose which types of notifications they would like to receive and can enable or disable notifications for specific watchlists. By adjusting these settings, members can ensure they receive the most relevant updates for their viewing habits and preferences.
Displaying Watchlist Content on Simkl's Dashboard
Simkl's dashboard is designed to provide members with an overview of their watchlists, updates on newly aired episodes, and easy access to their content. Here's how shows from each watchlist are displayed on the website's dashboard:
Shows and Movies are displayed in the order of episode air times and movie theater release dates.
Watching: TV shows and movies in the "Watching" list are prominently displayed on the dashboard. Members can see the progress of each show or movie, including the number of episodes not yet watched and the next episode number to watch. This makes it easy for members to continue watching their current content and keep track of their progress.
Plan to watch: Simkl will only display a first episode of a show in Plan to watch in the first line of the Dashboard so that members would know that the show has released its first premiere episode. Content in the "Plan to watch" list is also displayed on the dashboard, usually in a separate line. This allows members to view their planned content and start watching it with just a few clicks. The list may also show movie theater premieres, helping members plan a trip to a theater.
On hold: TV shows and Anime in the "On hold" list will not be displayed in the dashboard.
Completed: TV shows and Movies in the "Completed" list will not be displayed in the dashboard.
Dropped: TV shows and Movies in the "Dropped" list will not be displayed in the dashboard.
Overall, the dashboard is designed to provide a comprehensive and organized overview of a member's watchlists, making it simple to manage and access their content.
What is the difference between Watchlists and Custom lists?
Watchlists and Custom lists are both essential features of Simkl that help members organize their TV shows, movies, and anime. Although they serve similar purposes, there are some key differences between the two:
Watchlists:
Purpose: Watchlists are primarily designed to help members track and manage their viewing progress for TV shows, movies, and anime. They provide a way to categorize content based on the member's current and future viewing intentions.
Default lists: Simkl offers five default watchlist lists: Watching, Plan to watch, On hold, Completed, and Dropped. These lists help members keep their content organized and make it easy to track their progress.
Automatic updates: Watchlists are automatically updated by Simkl based on the member's viewing progress. For example, when a member finishes watching a show or movie, it will be moved to the "Completed" list.
Notifications: Members receive notifications related to the content in their watchlists, such as new episode releases or reminders to continue watching a paused show or movie.
Custom lists is a new feature of the V2 Beta that is currently in development.
Purpose: Custom lists allow members to create personalized collections of TV shows, movies, and anime based on their specific interests or themes. These lists offer more flexibility in organizing content, as members can create as many custom lists as they want.
Member-defined: Unlike watchlists, custom lists are created by members themselves. Members can choose a title and description for their custom lists and add any content they want, regardless of their current viewing progress or intentions.
Manual updates: Content in custom lists is not automatically updated based on viewing progress. Members have full control over what they add or remove from their custom lists.
Notifications: Custom lists do not typically generate notifications, as they are intended for a personal organization rather than tracking progress or updates.
In summary, watchlists are designed to help members manage and track their viewing progress, while custom lists offer a more flexible and personalized way to organize content. Members can utilize both features to keep their favorite TV shows, movies, and anime organized and easily accessible on Simkl.
Full instructions for Custom Lists:
FAQ
Can I use a custom list as a watchlist?
Yes, the Custom List displays your progress from your existing Watchlists it can also contain shows and movies that are not yet in your Watchlists.
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