The short answer

Use manual logging when you watch across several places and want control over what counts as watched. Use a file import to restore past history. Use scrobbling when a supported player can report new viewing to your tracker. Many people need an initial import, selective automatic tracking and occasional manual corrections.

Which approach fits me?

Open the situation that sounds like you. Each suggestion explains the trade-off; more than one can fit.

I watch in cinemas and across different apps

Manual logging works wherever you watch, without requiring a player integration. You need to remember to log it.

Use a simple manual routine

I already have an old history file

An import restores records from that file. It does not automatically record what you watch tomorrow.

Check the import workflow

I watch through a supported player or media server

Scrobbling can send new events, but only for the supported integration and authorized account.

Check automatic tracking

Three different data paths

You → tracker

Manual: mark the movie or episode after watching.

Old export → tracker

Import: copy the historical records present in a file.

Player → integration → tracker

Scrobbling: report new viewing events while an integration is connected.

Manual: a small habit with broad coverage

After a cinema visit, mark the movie watched and choose the correct date. After a series episode, record that episode before starting the next. Moviebase is one option for keeping those film and TV records together; see the tracking guide.

This approach works without a streaming integration, but delayed logging is easy to forget. Agree on what counts: finishing a movie, abandoning it halfway and rewatching it are different records.

Import: restore an old export

Imagine you have a ZIP or CSV from a previous tracker. Keep the original unchanged, then inspect which importer accepts that source and format. A CSV extension alone does not guarantee compatibility.

Identify the source, export date and included fields.
Try a small sample if the destination supports it.
Check a watched date, a rating, a repeat watch and a partially watched season.
Review unmatched titles before importing the remainder.
Keep the original archive until you have a verified backup of the new library.

Letterboxd's import documentation illustrates why identifiers and dates matter. Simkl's import page separates source-specific and custom-file importers. These are examples of destination rules, not promises that the same files work in Moviebase.

For a move from your old tracker into Moviebase, check the source and format offered by your installed version. Additional imports are planned. You do not need to route your history through Trakt merely to follow this guide.

Automatic: connect a supported viewing source

Yamtrack's release documentation lists Plex, Jellyfin and Emby integrations for new viewing, alongside periodic imports from tracking services. Those are different mechanisms: a scheduled service import copies another library, whereas a player event reports viewing activity.

Simkl's integration directory lists its available automatic trackers. WatchSocial's App Store listing also describes media-server and streaming integrations. Check the specific setup, current plan and supported device. None of these claims means that an app observes every streaming service on your phone.

Before connecting, read what access is requested and which user or profile will be recorded. Try one episode, confirm the resulting date and status, and check how to disconnect the integration. A movie played on another profile or an unsupported device may never send an event.

When the record looks wrong

What you see	What to check	What to do
An episode is missing	Supported device, selected profile and connection status	Mark it manually, then test one fresh event
The same watch appears twice	Two integrations or a repeated history import	Keep one intended record; check how repeats are represented
A title was marked too early	Completion rule, autoplay or another household viewer	Correct the status and adjust the integration if supported
Dates changed after importing	Time zone and whether the file contained dates	Inspect the source record before changing the destination

These are troubleshooting checks, not claims about measured failure rates. Avoid repeatedly importing a full archive until you understand how the destination handles existing records.

Your next step

For a new service, compare Trakt alternatives. For a move into Moviebase, use the switching checklist. Choose one authoritative record of your history before enabling multiple automatic connections.

Sources and verification

Written by Moviebase. Official import and integration documentation linked above reviewed September 13, 2026. Workflows are explanatory examples; integration reliability, provider coverage and import success were not tested. Check current platform and plan requirements before connecting.