You can use the Apple TV app on an iPhone or iPod touch with the latest version of iOS, iPad with the latest version of iPadOS, Mac with the latest version of macOS, Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD with the latest version of tvOS, Apple TV (3rd generation) with Apple TV Software Update 7.3 or later, eligible smart TVs, and on some streaming devices.

Jun 19, 2020  Each of these TV streaming services allow you to stream live TV right in your internet browser, and many of them also work with phones, video game consoles, and other devices. Some are better if you like sports, some offer a dizzying array of channels, and others offer great options for budget-minded cord cutters. Best entertainment apps YouTube. The YouTube app is a must for any Apple TV owner. You don’t have to pay a subscription and you can get access to a vast wealth of video content, from the latest.

The Apple TV app and features of the Apple TV app aren't available in all countries and regions. See what's available in your country or region.

Explore the Apple TV app

To navigate the Apple TV app, use the tabs at the top or bottom of your screen.

Watch Now

Watch Now shows your favorite TV shows and movies that you watch. It features Up Next, which lets you pick up where you left off. You can also subscribe to Apple TV+ to watch all-new Apple Originals. And subscribe to just the premium channels that you want. Browse movies and TV shows that you can buy. Rent movies. And find movie and TV show suggestions, and dedicated selections based on everything you like to watch.

Library

Find all of your purchases, along with your current rentals, in the Library tab. On your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac, the Library tab also shows Movies, TV shows, and content from Apple TV channels that are downloaded on your device.

Search

Use the Search tab to browse trending content and find movies and TV shows by title, actor, and more.

Control what's playing

Use in the in-app controls to play, pause, turn on subtitles, AirPlay, and control what's playing. To find the playback controls:

• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap the screen.
• On your Mac or PC, move your mouse or tap your trackpad.
• On your Apple TV, smart TV, or streaming device, use the remote.

Change settings

• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > TV.
• On your Mac, open the Apple TV app, then choose TV > Preferences.
• On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Apps > TV.
• On your smart TV or streaming device, open the Apple TV app and go to Settings.

From here, you can adjust the settings of your Apple TV.

Use Play History

You can turn off Use Play History if you don't want to see recommendations based on what you watch. Clear Play History to remove your watch history from all of your devices. And you can find additional settings depending on your device.

Apple Tv App For Mac

Control Apple TV app videos autoplaying on the Home screen

To stop Apple TV app videos from autoplaying on the Home screen of Apple TV, open Settings, select Apps, then select TV. Then select Top Shelf and choose either What to Watch or Up Next. What to Watch shows full-screen previews of TV shows and movies when the TV app is selected. Up Next shows the TV shows and movies in your personal queue at the top of the screen.

Use Cellular Data for Playback

If you have an iPhone or iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular model, go to Settings, select TV, and then select iTunes Videos. Turn on Cellular Data for Playback to stream movies and TV shows when your device is connected to a cellular network and using cellular data. Or turn off Cellular Data to only stream content when your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Turn on restrictions

To turn on restrictions for the Apple TV app, use Screen Time on your Phone, iPad, iPod touch or Screen Time on your Mac. You can also turn on restrictions on your Apple TV, smart TV, or streaming device.

Do more with the Apple TV app

• Subscribe to Apple TV+ to stream all-new Apple Originals, ad-free and on demand.
• Set up the Apple TV app on your smart TV or streaming device.
• If you use your cable provider with your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can access on-demand programming from your cable provider in Watch Now.
• Turn on subtitles or change the audio language for videos.
• Manage your Apple TV+ and Apple TV channel subscriptions.

You may use the Apple TV app only for personal, noncommercial purposes. Read the full terms and conditions.

The Apple TV is a great place to watch content, whether it's your favorite movies, top TV shows, or a helpful YouTube channel. And while video content is still the focus of the Apple TV, there are other excellent apps on the platform, too, that help extend its usefulness beyond content, from getting the weather forecast to checking out nearby houses or apartments available for rent.

Apple TV app

Apple's TV is first on the list because it's built into your Apple TV experience, and it's become really good, particularly with the tvOS 12.3 update. The addition of channels, which allow you to subscribe to services without having to navigate between apps, as well as easier navigation have really taken the TV app experience to the next level.

The Up Next row holds most (looking at you, Netflix) of the shows and movies you've been watching, synced between your Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad, making it easy to pick up where you left off with something, no matter which device you're using. There are curated recommendations and quick access to your library of purchased movies and TV shows so you always have something to watch.

Hulu

If you're going to subscribe to one video service for TV content, my suggestion would be Hulu. It has more new and library TV shows than most other services. If you're a cord cutter, you can use Hulu's live TV service right in the app if you want to become a subscriber. New content is added constant, at a similar rate to Netflix, so you'll never run out of things to watch on Hulu.

A Hulu subscription starts at $7.99 per month, while Hulu + Live TV starts at $39.99 per month. Both plans feature add-one to remove advertisements from library content.

Netflix

In the past few years, Netflix has established itself as a home for a selection of great original content. From original shows to movies and documentaries, Netflix is the home to some of the best streaming-native content there is. Netflix also continually expands its catalog of movies and TV shows from other sources, with new content added daily. If you share a Netflix account with others, you can easily access and switch between the profiles created for your account, which lets you prevent Netflix from mucking up recommendations.

You can sign up for Netflix starting at $8.99 for a non-HD streaming plan, while an HD plan is available for $10.99, and 4K streaming is yours for $15.99.

Amazon Prime Video

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Amazon's Prime Video app rates a spot on the list, but because Amazon's video content library is actually on the Apple TV. Everything from catalog content to Amazon's original content lineup is available on your Apple TV, including 4K HDR content. The app itself could be better, but it's good to actually have Amazon's library on the Apple TV.

You can get a standalone subscription to Prime Video for $8.99 per month, while a full Prime subscription, with free two-day shipping, will run you $12.99 per month.

YouTube

YouTube, at this point, is fairly self-explanatory. You can find millions of videos about pretty much anything on YouTube, from vlogs to instructional videos to Rene Ritchie. With a completely new look compared to when it first launched on Apple TV, YouTube now feels more like a full-fledged app. It's now easier to find new content from your favorite channels, discover something new, and go back through your history.

Spectrum

The Spectrum apps pairs with the Apple TV's new Zero Sign-On capabilities. Using Zero Sign-On and the Spectrum app, your Apple TV can effectively act as your cable box, delivering all of the same live and on-demand content that you've come to expect from your Spectrum cable subscription without bringing additional hardware into your home.

Though this app is only for Spectrum subscribers, it's a great example of what Zero Sign-On allows.

Movies Anywhere

Movies Anywhere is one of those ideas that's just how things should have worked this entire time. All of the movies you buy, all in one place, no matter which platform you used to buy them. The Movies Anywhere service is free, and connects your iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Microsoft, Amazon, Comcast Xfinity, and Fandango Now, pouring all of the movies you've purchased from those services into a single app, and syncing them to each other so they all appear on your accounts for each service, as well as in the Movies Anywhere app.

The app itself, while not serving as a storefront, allows you to quickly access and start playing your shared movies. The app supports 4K HDR/Dolby Vision for all applicable titles, including those from Disney. So if a title is offered in 4K HDR on one service but not on iTunes, you can still watch it in its full-resolution, wide-color glory in Movies Anywhere.

GrubHub

Pair movie night with takeout from your favorite place with GrubHub. Keep your phone in your pocket and place your order using GrubHub's Apple TV app, which lets you sign in to your account (make sure you have a credit card on file), browse through available restaurants, peruse their menus, and order.

Kitchen Stories

Kitchen Stories is especially great if you've got your Apple TV hooked up to a television in your kitchen. The app has hundreds of videos covering different recipes, from main courses to desserts. Each video is a miniature how-to with clear instructions and everything shown in wonderful, high-definition video with a mellow, jazzy soundtrack to put you at ease. Whether you use Kitchen Stories to help your own cooking or just to unwind, it's a great app to have on your Apple TV.

Daily Burn

If you've ever tried to use a video-based home workout app on your iPhone or iPad, you'll know the experience is less than ideal. Daily Burn puts all of your workouts on your Apple TV, letting you follow along on the biggest screen in your home. Daily Burn has courses for beginners, as well as more experienced users.

You'll need a subscription to use Daily Burn, which starts at $14.95 per month.

Amazon

Amazon Prime Video is already on this list, but the company also makes a shopping experience available on the Apple TV as well. You can browse Amazon's massive store and make purchases right on your TV. You can also sign in to get the more personalized version of Amazon you're probably familiar with. On a products page, you can purchase it, add it to one of your lists, or use the 'Push to phone' function to produce a QR code that you can scan with your iPhone's camera to view the product on your phone.

CARROT Weather

You know what I used to use my TV for regularly? Getting the weather. That changed with the advent of smartphones, but now that devices like the Apple TV exist, getting the weather is a much better experience on the TV than it used to be. Enter CARROT Weather, one of the best weather apps for iPhone and iPad, now available on Apple TV. Complete with the trademark CARROT sense of humor, CARROT weather for Apple TV can show you short-term, hourly, and daily forecasts for your area so you're prepared well in advance.

Note that CARROT Weather for Apple TV is a separate app from CARROT Weather on iPhone and iPad, so it will be a separate purchase for you if you already have the mobile version.

Bonus! Cord cutter extras

I've been asked what the best apps are for cord cutters on Apple TV. There are dozens of subscription-based networks, plus many networks that let you access content without paying anyone a dime. These are my favorites.

Network stations that offer content without a cable provider

Most networks that offer content without cable have limited episodes available. But, as long as you're not trying to binge-watch a show's entire series, you can squeeze some fun out of them without needing a subscription or cable provider.

Subscription-based networks

There are also a handful of great channels that unlock dozens (even hundreds) of movies and TV shows for a nominal monthly fee. Sure, if you're not careful, you'll end up paying as much for à la carte channels as you would for a full cable subscription, but at least you get more of what you want when you want it.

Apple Tv App Mac Os

Apple TV Channels

Since tvOS 12.3, Apple has offered standalone channels for cord cutters who want to take an à la carte approach to their subscriptions. You subscribe to channels directly through Apple's own TV app, which is also where channel content plays, rather than through a service's own standalone app. This puts all of your subscribed content in one place, and because of this, you won't even need the service's app to be installed to watch its content.

Here are the channels that are currently available in the TV app.

• HBO
• Showtime
• Cinemax
• Starz
• CBS All Access
• Epix
• Smithsonian Channel Plus
• PBS Living
• Acorn TV
• Sundance Now
• Lifetime Movie Club
• Urban Movie Channel
• Tastemade
• CuriosityStream
• MTV Hits
• Comedy Central Now
• Shudder
• History Channel Vault
• Mubi
• Arrow Video Channel

Your favorites?

There are a lot more apps and channels available on Apple TV. Which are your favorites and why do you love them?

Updated January 2019: Updated for latest Apple TV content.

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