Get shows, movies, and more in the Apple TV app on iPhone

The Apple TV app brings your favorite shows, movies, and sports together in one place. Quickly find and watch your favorites, pick up where you left off with Up Next, or discover something new—personalized just for you.

The Watch Now screen showing a featured TV show in the center, above the New & Notable on Apple TV+ row. At the bottom, from left to right, are the Watch Now, Originals, Store, Library, and Search tabs.

Note: The availability of Apple Media Services varies by country or region. See the Apple Support article Availability of Apple Media Services.

Discover shows and movies

In the Apple TV app, tap Watch Now, then do any of the following:

Get recommendations: Browse the What to Watch row for editorial recommendations that are personalized for you. Many rows throughout the app feature personalized recommendations based on your channel subscriptions, supported apps, purchases, and viewing interests.
Browse Apple TV channels: Scroll down to browse channels you subscribe to. In the Channels row, browse other available channels, then tap a channel to explore its titles.
See movies, shows, and episodes sent by friends in Messages: Scroll down to the Shared with You row. See Send and receive content in Messages on iPhone.

Use the Up Next queue

In the Up Next row, you can find titles you recently added, rented, or purchased, catch the next episode in a series you’ve been watching, or resume what you’re watching from the moment you left off.

Do any of the following:

Add an item to Up Next: Touch and hold the item, then tap Add to Up Next.
Remove an item from Up Next: Touch and hold the item, then tap Remove from Up Next.
Continue watching on another device: You can see your Up Next queue in the Apple TV app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or supported smart TV where you’re signed in with your Apple ID.

Browse Apple TV+

Discover Apple Originals—award-winning series, compelling dramas, groundbreaking documentaries, kids’ entertainment, comedies, and more—with new items added every month.

The Apple TV+ screen showing a featured Apple Original in the center, above the Most Popular row. At the bottom, from left to right, are the Watch Now, Originals, Store, Library, and Search tabs.

Tap Originals, then do any of the following:

See what’s up next: In the Up Next on Apple TV+ row, find titles you recently added, play the next episode in a series, or continue watching where you left off.
Browse a collection: Swipe left on the collection or tap to see all items.
See descriptions and ratings: Tap an item.

Search for shows, movies, and more

Tap Search, then enter what you’re looking for in the search field. You can search by title, sport, team, cast member, Apple TV channel, or topic (such as “car chase”).

Stream or download content

Content from Apple TV+ and Apple TV channels play in the Apple TV app, while content from other providers plays in their video app.

Tap an item to see its details.
Choose any of the following options (not all options are available for all titles):
- Watch Apple TV+ or Apple TV channels: Tap Play. If you’re not a current subscriber, tap Try It Free (available for eligible Apple ID accounts) or Subscribe.
- Choose a different video app: If the title is available from multiple apps, scroll down to How To Watch, then choose an app.
- Download: Tap . You can find the downloaded item in your library and watch it even when iPhone isn’t connected to the internet.

Buy, rent, or pre-order items

Tap Store, then tap TV Shows or Movies.
Choose any of the following options (not all options are available for all titles):
- Buy: Purchased items are added to your library.
- Rent: When you rent a movie, you have 30 days to start watching it. After you start watching the movie, you can play it as many times as you want for 48 hours, after which the rental period ends. When the rental period ends, the movie is deleted.
- Pre-order: When the pre-ordered item becomes available, your payment method is billed, and you receive an email notification. If you turned on automatic downloads, the item is automatically downloaded to your iPhone.
Confirm your selection, then complete the payment or pre-order, as applicable.

You can find your purchases and rentals in your library and play them in the Apple TV app.

Helpful?

iPhone User Guide