Short answer: sort your library into a handful of categories by reading state (Reading, Caught up, Completed, On hold, Plan to read), turn on unread/downloaded badges, and use filters instead of scrolling. Libraries organized by genre alone always end up as one giant pile.
Categories that actually get used
- Create categories under More → Settings → Library → Categories (or from the library’s category tab).
- Assign in bulk: long-press titles in the library to select several, then use the menu to set categories for all of them at once.
- Keep the count small — five or six state-based categories beat thirty genre folders you never open. A title can live in more than one category if you do want a genre shelf as well.
Sorting, filtering and badges
- Sort each category by last read, unread count, or latest chapter — “unread count, descending” turns your Reading shelf into a to-do list.
- Filters (downloaded, unread, completed, tracked) answer questions like “what downloaded manga can I read on this flight?” instantly.
- Badges for unread and downloaded counts on covers make the state of the library visible without opening anything.
Library updates without the noise
Global library updates check every series for new chapters. Restrict automatic updates to your active categories, and use per-series update restrictions for completed or slow series so update runs stay fast and sources do not rate-limit you. Repeated update errors are usually a source problem — see library update failed — not a library problem.
Clean up duplicates
Duplicates sneak in when you add the same series from two sources, or when a source renames a series. They are more than untidy: Mihon’s 0.21.1 release notes describe updates taking up to hours on libraries with many duplicate entries (fixed in that version). Pick the copy with your progress and tracking attached, remove the other, and use the migration tool on a title’s page when you deliberately move a series to a different source. A tidy library also makes backups restore cleanly.
Related: all tutorials · tracking setup