diff --git a/src/app/forms.py b/src/app/forms.py
index 77ef4f06..5b95525b 100644
--- a/src/app/forms.py
+++ b/src/app/forms.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class ManualItemForm(forms.ModelForm):
             instance.media_id = parent_season.item.media_id
             instance.season_number = parent_season.item.season_number
         else:
-            instance.media_id = Item.generate_manual_id(instance.media_type)
+            instance.media_id = Item.generate_manual_id()
 
         if commit:
             instance.save()
diff --git a/src/app/migrations/0056_alter_item_media_id.py b/src/app/migrations/0056_alter_item_media_id.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b144f676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/migrations/0056_alter_item_media_id.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 5.2.12 on 2026-04-02 14:31
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('app', '0055_alter_item_media_type'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='item',
+            name='media_id',
+            field=models.CharField(max_length=36),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/src/app/models.py b/src/app/models.py
index 444e228e..51232618 100644
--- a/src/app/models.py
+++ b/src/app/models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import logging
+import uuid
 
 from django.apps import apps
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -12,14 +13,13 @@ from django.db.models import (
     CheckConstraint,
     Count,
     F,
-    IntegerField,
     Max,
     Prefetch,
     Q,
     UniqueConstraint,
     Window,
 )
-from django.db.models.functions import Cast, RowNumber
+from django.db.models.functions import RowNumber
 from django.utils import timezone
 from model_utils import FieldTracker
 from model_utils.fields import MonitorField
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ class MediaTypes(models.TextChoices):
 class Item(CalendarTriggerMixin, models.Model):
     """Model to store basic information about media items."""
 
-    media_id = models.CharField(max_length=20)
+    # limited by uuid for manual entries
+    media_id = models.CharField(max_length=36)
     source = models.CharField(
         max_length=20,
         choices=Sources,
@@ -168,21 +169,12 @@ class Item(CalendarTriggerMixin, models.Model):
         return name
 
     @classmethod
-    def generate_manual_id(cls, media_type):
-        """Generate a new ID for manual items."""
-        latest_item = (
-            cls.objects.filter(source=Sources.MANUAL.value, media_type=media_type)
-            .annotate(
-                media_id_int=Cast("media_id", IntegerField()),
-            )
-            .order_by("-media_id_int")
-            .first()
-        )
+    def generate_manual_id(cls):
+        """Generate a new ID for manual items.
 
-        if latest_item is None:
-            return "1"
-
-        return str(int(latest_item.media_id) + 1)
+        Uses a UUID to ensure uniqueness.
+        """
+        return str(uuid.uuid4())
 
     def fetch_releases(self, delay):
         """Fetch releases for the item."""
diff --git a/src/app/tests/test_forms.py b/src/app/tests/test_forms.py
index a281a7f8..df707d6b 100644
--- a/src/app/tests/test_forms.py
+++ b/src/app/tests/test_forms.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ class ManualItemFormTest(TestCase):
         # Save and verify
         item = form.save()
         self.assertEqual(item.source, Sources.MANUAL.value)
-        self.assertEqual(item.media_id, "1")
+        self.assertTrue(item.media_id)
         self.assertIsNone(item.season_number)
         self.assertIsNone(item.episode_number)
 
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ class ManualItemFormTest(TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(form2.is_valid())
         item2 = form2.save()
 
-        # IDs should be different but follow the pattern
+        # IDs should be different
         self.assertNotEqual(item1.media_id, item2.media_id)
-        self.assertEqual(item1.media_id, "1")
-        self.assertEqual(item2.media_id, "2")
+        self.assertTrue(item1.media_id)
+        self.assertTrue(item2.media_id)