How to catalog your DVD, Blu-ray & 4K collection

Cataloging a movie shelf used to mean a spreadsheet and an evening of typing. With barcode scanning you can get most of a collection in within an hour. Here's the simple, repeatable way to do it.

1. Install DiscVault

DiscVault is an Android app. Download the APK, allow the install when Android asks, and open it. A short first-run setup walks you through the essentials. Everything you add lives on your device — there's no account to create.

2. Add a free TMDB key

DiscVault uses The Movie Database (TMDB) for cover art and film details, and you supply your own free key (the app never bundles one). Grab a key from your TMDB account settings and paste it in. This is what lets a scan pull in the right poster, cast and runtime.

3. Scan your discs

Open the scanner and point your camera at the barcode on each case. DiscVault reads the UPC, finds the film, and fills in the details — you just confirm the match. Work through a shelf at a time; each scanned barcode is cached on your device, so re-scanning is instant and free.

Tip: if a barcode won't resolve (common with older or import discs), use the manual title search instead — it always works as a fallback.

4. Record the exact edition

This is where a real collection app earns its keep. For each disc, set the format (4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD) and the packaging (standard, steelbook, slipcover, digibook), plus the label and Criterion spine number if it has one. DiscVault models your shelf as title → release → copy, so you can own multiple editions of the same film and track each individual copy's condition, price and photos.

5. Import a list you already have

If you've been tracking your collection elsewhere, you don't have to start over. Export your data as a CLZ CSV and import it into DiscVault to bring all your titles in at once, then enrich them with editions and photos. See our CLZ alternative guide for details.

6. Back up your collection

Because your data lives only on your device, you own your backups. From Settings, export a CSV or JSON backup and stash it somewhere safe. Do this after a big scanning session — if you ever switch phones or clear app data, you can restore from it.

After it's cataloged

Once your shelf is in, DiscVault stops being an inventory and starts being a hub: get a recommendation of what to watch next from discs you actually own, keep a viewing journal, earn collector badges, and check at the store whether you already own a film before you buy. For more, see the FAQ or read about choosing the best collection app.