Start watching on the Home screen in the Apple TV app
The Home screen in the Apple TV app is the place to start watching your favourite movies, TV shows, news and sports. Pick up where you left off, browse recommendations, explore collections or just start watching.
Play a movie, TV show, news program or sports event
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate to a movie, TV show or event you want to watch, then select it.
The options you see depend on what kind of content you’re viewing and whether or not it’s available for you to watch.
Note: When you select an item in the Continue Watching row, it begins playing immediately (unless you haven't yet rented it, purchased it or subscribed to its channel).
Do any of the following:
Play the item: Select Play or Open In.
Subscribe to Apple TV+: Select the subscription button, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Subscribe to an Apple TV channel: Select the subscription button, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Buy or rent a movie or TV show: Select Buy or Rent, then select the option you want and confirm your purchase or rental. For details, see Buy or rent movies and TV shows in the Apple TV app.
Watch a sports event: Select Watch Live to tune in to the live broadcast or Start Again to watch from the beginning. For details, see Watch sport in the Apple TV app.
Pick up where you left off in the Continue Watching row
The Continue Watching row displays content you’ve already started to watch or plan to watch. Shows and movies appear in the order you’re most likely to want to watch them. For example, when a TV episode is finished, the next episode automatically appears in Continue Watching. When a live sports event for a team you follow is in progress, it appears first on the Continue Watching row if it’s available to watch in the Apple TV app.
Tip: If you use the Apple TV app on an iPhone or iPad and are signed in with the same Apple Account you use on Apple TV, your viewing progress and episode selection stay in sync. For example, you can start watching a show on your Apple TV and finish watching it on your iPad, or vice versa.
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate to an item in the Continue Watching row, then select it.
If the item is available for you to watch, it begins playing immediately.
Note: The Continue Watching row on the Home screen displays, movies, TV shows and live sports events from any app or channel you’ve connected to the Apple TV app. For information on connecting apps and channels, see Adjust Apple TV app settings on Apple TV.
Add or remove an item from your Watchlist
When you add movies and TV shows to your Watchlist for later viewing, they appear in the Continue Watching and Watchlist rows.
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Do either of the following:
Add an item to your Watchlist: Navigate to an item anywhere in the Apple TV app, press and hold the clickpad or touch surface to view more options, then select Add to Watchlist.
Remove an item from your Watchlist: Navigate to an item in your Continue Watching or Watchlist row, press and hold the clickpad or touch surface to view more options, then select Remove from Watchlist.
Tip: If you’re viewing a page for a movie or TV show, you can add it to your Watchlist by selecting Add to Watchlist. If the item is already in your Watchlist, select Added to Watchlist to remove it.
View personalised recommendations
The Home screen in the Apple TV app has recommendations based on your viewing history.
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate down to the For You row, the If You Like [show name] row, or similar rows to see recommendations based on your viewing history.
Navigate left and right in a row to browse items, then select an item to see its rating, description, available viewing options, and purchase or rental information.
You can adjust your recommendation settings to see recommendations for just you or for multiple members of your household.
Watch a movie or TV show shared by a friend
When someone shares a movie or TV show with you in the Messages app, you can find it on the Home screen in the Apple TV app.
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate down to the Shared with You row.
This row appears only if someone has shared a movie or TV show with you in the Messages app. The sender’s name and icon appear next to the movie or programme.
Navigate left and right in a row to browse items shared with you, then select an item to see its rating, description, available viewing options, and purchase or rental information.
Note: Shared with You recommendations only appear for the default user on Apple TV. To see shared items on Apple TV, you must first enable Shared with You on your iPhone or iPad, then confirm on Apple TV.
Explore channels and apps
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate down to the row of channels and apps, then navigate right to browse either of the following:
Channels & Apps: Directly access all the channels you’ve subscribed to or apps you’ve connected to the Apple TV app. These channels and apps also appear in the sidebar.
More to Explore: Find new channels or apps to subscribe to or watch.
Select a channel or app to open it or view more information.
Browse top charts, collections and more
Go to the Apple TV app
on Apple TV.Open the sidebar, then select Home.
Navigate down to see top charts, new releases, trending shows and movies, collections hand-picked by experts, seasonal selections and more.
Navigate left and right in a row to browse items, then select an item to see its rating, description, available viewing options, and purchase or rental information.