Apple TV iPad free. Apple TV FAQ: Everything you need to know

How to share an Apple TV subscription with your family

Apple TV has gained some ground since it launched in 2019 and is now home to some pretty great entertainment. But if you’ve been keeping your Apple TV subscription all to yourself while your family has been seething with jealousy, you may be wondering, “How do I share Apple TV with my family without paying for more subscriptions?” Fortunately, there’s an easy way for them to check out the latest Apple hits like Central Park, See, and many more without always needing your permission or passwords. It’s all about Apple’s Family Sharing capabilities. Here’s what you need to do.

Make sure you’re subscribed to Apple TV

At least one person needs to be subscribed to Apple TV for Family Sharing to work correctly. If you are that person and you have already been subscribed, then you don’t need to worry about this step. If it’s someone else, you will need to log in under their Apple account for the next steps.

Step 1: If no one in your family is subscribed to Apple TV, you will need to sign up. Visit this webpage to begin.

Step 2: Apple offers a free seven-day trial, followed by a 5 monthly fee.

Step 3: Apple also typically offers free TV deals when you purchase a new Apple device. Currently, you can also get three months of Apple TV free when you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac from Apple or an Apple-authorized reseller.

Set up Family Sharing on your Apple account

With Apple TV ready to go, it’s time to go through the steps of how to share Apple TV with family and set up Family Sharing.

Step 1: On an Apple device, head to Settings and select your Name/icon to get started.

The steps are similar on MacOS, but you’ll need to head to System preferences first to get started. You cannot do this via Apple TV.

Step 2: In your Apple account info, you should see the option to select Family sharing Learn more, which will give you an option to Set up your family. Select this to continue.

Add family members to Family Sharing

If you are wondering, “Can I add another person to my Apple TV subscription?” then now is the time! With Family Sharing enabled, you can start adding people to your account.

Step 1: Select either Invite people for those who already have an Apple account or Create an account for a child to get started (those under 13 can’t create an account of their own without permission).

Step 2: To add a new member, you will need their name and email address to send them an invite. They must then accept the invite to join your group. Follow any additional prompts during setup at this stage.

Step 3: Don’t worry — you can always go back and add other members later as you need to with the Add member button. Your name and account will be titled “Organizer” when you set up Family Sharing.

Make sure Apple TV is enabled for Family Sharing

Step 1: As you move through the setup, make sure you choose Apple TV when managing your subscriptions. You can check at any time under Shared features to make sure TV channels is enabled.

Step 2: In Shared features, you can also check to see who is the original subscriber for Apple TV if people eventually forget.

The other Shared Features aren’t as important for this particular guide, but you may want to swing by Screen time, where you can monitor how much time the kids are spending on their Apple Devices and set limits on specific apps like Apple TV to help avoid problems.

Step 3: Also note that you can enable other family members to make additional purchases, but it’s not a very good idea for Apple TV. The only additional purchases you can make on TV are adding channels like Showtime or Starz. If anyone signs up for those, your own account will be charged for it.

Step 4: If you still can’t share the subscription after setting up Family Sharing, you need to double-check that your Apple TV subscription is not an individual or student plan and also that it is not a third-party subscription that may not be eligible to be shared.

Have family members sign in to Apple TV

Everything should now be set up to allow members to start watching Apple TV. Test it out by having them sign into Apple TV using their own Apple ID information. They should be able to successfully log in and start watching.

Can you share Apple TV with another Apple ID outside of the family?

Sure! The term “Family Sharing” is just a name — there’s no requirement that everyone has to be related. You just need their name and email to send them an invitation. There’s just one important caveat: Only a maximum of six people (including the Organizer) can be part of a Family Sharing plan. You can remove anyone over the age of 13 from your Family Sharing plan at any time, but there is no way to have more than six people at one time.

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Apple TV FAQ: Everything you need to know

Apple’s streaming service is competing with the likes Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Prime. Here’s how to watch, what to watch, what you need, how much it costs.

Apple has joined the ranks of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney, and HBO Max with its own exclusive streaming service. Apple TV, which launched on November 1, 2019, features a wide assortment of shows and many more in the pipeline funded by Apple’s mountainous cash pile.

Below, you’ll find a compendium of everything we know about the ambitious platform, and we’ll keep it updated as the service evolves.

Updated 10/24/22: Apple has increased the price of Apple TV by as much as 40%, bringing it to 6.99/£6.99 per month.

How do I access Apple TV?

You can sign up and watch Apple TV content through the TV app, which is available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and the Mac, It’s also available on many game consoles, Smart TVs, Roku, and Fire TV devices. You can also watch Apple TV on a browser at TV.Apple.com.

The experience of the TV app, though, varies from device to device. On a Roku, Smart TV, game console, or in a browser, you’ll only see Apple’s own content. That includes Apple TV content as well as Apple TV Channels and any movies or TV shows you’ve purchased through iTunes or the TV app.

On iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV hardware, you’ll also see shows from other streaming services like HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. The TV app aggregates content from supporting third-party apps running on the device (Netflix does not support the feature, unfortunately).

Can I watch Apple TV shows on non-Apple devices?

Yes! You can watch Apple TV through the TV app, which is available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and the Mac, as well as many game consoles, Smart TVs, and other streaming devices. If you have a new set from Samsung, LG, Sony, or Vizio, you should also be able to use AirPlay 2 to broadcast content straight from your iPhone or iPad to the set.

You can also watch on the web using Safari, Chrome, or Firefox by heading to TV.Apple.com. See: AirPlay compatible TVs that have Apple TV build in: Guide.

How much does Apple TV cost?

Apple TV costs 6.99/£6.99 per month, and that includes Family Sharing. That makes it the least expensive of any of the major streaming services. You can renew your subscription for one year for 69/£69.

Apple TV is included in all three tiers of the Apple One services bundle, which ranges from 16.95/£16.95 per month to 32.95/£32.95 per month.

Does Apple TV have a free trial?

Yes, but it only lasts for seven days, but there are ways to get a longer trial. Read: How to get Apple TV for free.

Do Apple TV shows have ads?

No. Though you will often see a trailer for another Apple TV show before the one you intend to watch. This is similar to many other streaming services, and it’s skippable.

What shows and movies are available right now?

Apple TV is focusing on a new library of exclusive content rather than buying access to a big back-catalog of TV shows or movies, so there’s not as much available as on some other services. That said, the content is finally starting to build up.

What shows and movies are coming in the future?

Apple has nothing if not deep s and a desire to win. The company has spent a small fortune acquiring exclusive shows and movies from other production companies and has even started its own (Apple Studios) to produce its own.

It’s safe to say there’s a lot on the way, but the pace of new releases pales in comparison to competitors like Netflix.

Does Apple release episodes once a week or drop entire seasons at once?

Apple’s approach varies. With brand-new shows, Apple will often release the first three episodes at once, with the rest of the season coming at a rate of one episode a week. Second seasons and later may start off at just one a week, and some limited series (especially documentary series) make all the episodes available at once.

New releases to Apple TV typically happen on Friday at midnight (so you can watch the latest episode of Ted Lasso at 9pm on Thursday night, Pacific Time).

Can I download shows for offline viewing?

Yes, with a couple of caveats. Apple appears to place no limits on downloads of the same content across iPhones, iPads, and Macs owned by the same account. For example, we downloaded the same episode of Servant on all three of these devices through the TV app with no trouble.

But that’s where the freedom ends. Apple doesn’t allow you to download Apple TV content on the Apple TV, nor does it allow for it on other streaming devices, Smart TVs, or when watching shows on a browser.

Shows you download to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac will be available for 30 days, after which your devices will automatically remove them. You can also manually delete them through the TV app.

Does Apple TV allow simultaneous streaming?

Apple TV allows for six simultaneous streams at once, which is more than you’ll get from any other on-demand streaming service on the market. Multiple family members with Family Sharing can all stream their own content at once.

How do I change the streaming quality so I don’t burn through my data?

A single episode of an Apple TV show like See can use over 2GB of your mobile data. You can prevent Apple’s service from hogging so much data on your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings TV. You’ll see options to use cellular data or not, can change between Automatic and High Quality streaming, and can change the quality of downloads over cellular.

Can you use Family Sharing with Apple TV?

Yes. A single Apple TV subscription can be shared with up to five additional family members.

Each family member has their own watch history and recommendations—it’s as if they had their own individual subscription.

Are all Apple TV shows available in 4K?

Yes. Early on, Apple announced that all shows would be available in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision and that “most” shows would have Dolby Atmos sound, but it didn’t say just how good it would be. According to FlatplanelsHD’s Rasmus Larsen, Apple TV offers the best 4K streaming quality of any service on the market. It’s so good, in fact, that the 4K bitrates are better than what you’ll see in some iTunes movies.

When Larsen wrote his post in November of 2019, See had the highest bitrate of any Apple TV show, with an average bitrate of 29Mbps and a peak of 41Mbps. Snoopy in Space averaged 13Mbps, which is impressive for a cartoon. Netflix’s 4K bitrates, by comparison, tend to peak at 16Mbps.

Apple TV shows and movies: Everything to watch on Apple TV Plus

Apple TV offers exclusive Apple original TV shows and movies in 4K HDR quality. You can watch across all of your screens and pick up where you left off on any device. Apple TV costs 6.99 per month. Here’s every Apple original television show and movie available now on Apple TV, as well as the latest trailers …

Apple TV content is available exclusively through the Apple TV app. You can watch on your Apple TV set-top box, iPhone, or iPad as you might expect.

But you don’t need the latest Apple TV 4K to enjoy Apple TV. The TV app is also available on other platforms like Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Sony Playstation, Xbox, and even the web at TV.Apple.com.

Apple TV offers original comedies, dramas, thrillers, documentaries, and kids shows.

For your 6.99/month subscription, you can watch all of Apple’s originals — as listed below. You can download to watch offline too. Apple is adding new content every single month.

How to watch the free Apple TV shows

The TV app is the exclusive destination for Apple TV, but the TV app is a little confusing because it blends together purchasable TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store, which you can buy or rent, content from other apps like Amazon Prime and Disney, and Apple TV Channels.

The Watch Now screen does not really distinguish between content that you own and can watch, and just Apple’s general recommendations.

The easiest way to get started with Apple TV is to open the Apple TV app on your device, and tap on the Originals tab. (On some platforms, this tab is simply labelled using the ‘TV’ logo.)

This tab takes you to the Apple TV channel page. This shows you all of the Apple TV shows and movies available to watch, separated into categories like comedy, drama and family fun.

Be aware, the web experience at TV.Apple.com is a bit barebonds compared to the native TV app on devices, and it only shows Apple original content. For the best experience, use the TV app on a device like Apple TV 4K.

What to watch on Apple TV

Apple TV (Apple TV Plus, or as some erroneously call it Apple TV) is still in its infancy but has already seen breakout hits including comedy Ted Lasso and workplace sci-fi drama Severance.

Apple aims for premium quality across its drama, comedy, and documentary TV shows and movies so everything should reach a reasonable level of quality and hopefully be worth your time. In terms of personal recommendations, I suggest starting with Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, Severance, Trying, and the movie Finch.

Read on to see all of the TV shows, movies and specials streaming now on Apple TV as well as trailers for upcoming releases.

How to Cancel Apple TV

Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.

What to Know

This article explains how to cancel an Apple TV subscription on any iOS device, Mac, or Apple TV.

How to Unsubscribe on iPhone and iPad

To cancel Apple TV on an iPhone or iPod Touch running iOS 13 and up or an iPad running iPadOS 13 and up, follow these steps:

Tap Subscriptions.

In the pop-up window, tap Confirm to cancel Apple TV.

These images are from an iPhone, but the steps are the same on both devices.

How to Discontinue the Subscription on a Mac

To cancel an Apple TV subscription on a Mac running macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer, follow these steps:

• Open the Apple TV app.

Click Account View My Account.

Sign into the Apple ID used for the Apple TV subscription.

Scroll down to Settings Subscriptions and click Manage.

Click Edit next to Apple TV.

Click Cancel (or, if you’re using a free trial, Cancel Free Trial).

In the pop-up window, click Confirm to cancel Apple TV.

On Macs running macOS Catalina, you can also cancel Apple TV by viewing your account in the Apple Music app. If you’re on a Mac running macOS 10.14 or earlier, use iTunes to view your account and cancel the subscription.

How to Cancel on Apple TV

To cancel Apple TV on an Apple TV running tvOS 13 and up, do the following:

• Open the Settings app.

Click Users Accounts.

Click the account you used when subscribing to Apple TV.

Click Subscriptions.

Click Apple TV. Channel.

Click Cancel (or, if you’re using a free trial, Cancel Free Trial).

Click Confirm to cancel Apple TV.

Cancel if You Don’t Have an Apple Device

If you were using Apple TV on a non-Apple device, such as a Playstation 5, Chromecast, an Nvidia Shield, or another Android-based TV, it’s easy to cancel your subscription on the web.

Navigate to Apple TV.com via a web browser and select the account profile icon from the top right. (You may be prompted to sign in.) Go to Settings Subscriptions and choose Manage, then select Cancel Subscription.

Were you surprised to see an Apple TV subscription in your account? Maybe your spouse or one of your kids subscribed? You can get more control over subscriptions for your household by using Family Sharing, and you can prevent kids from subscribing to things or making in-app purchases by using Parental Controls (on a Mac or an iPhone/iPad).

An Apple TV monthly subscription is 6.99 after a seven-day free trial. If you have the Apple One service bundle, Apple TV is included. If you buy an Apple device, Apple TV is free for three months. Apple Music student plans come with Apple TV free.

An Apple TV subscription gives you access to Apple Originals, including content like original series, documentaries, children’s programming, and more. Apple adds new content every month, and you can download content for offline viewing.

First, set up Apple TV family sharing. On a Mac, go to System Preferences Family Sharing and agree to purchase responsibility. On an iOS device, go to Settings your name Family Sharing Add a Family Member and tap the channels to share. Next, go to Family Sharing TV Channels and ensure Apple TV is on your channel list.

How to get Apple TV Plus for free

Apple TV Plus is the streaming TV and movie service from the team at Cupertino, California. The same company that makes iPhones and iPads is asking for 6.99 a month to watch original TV series and films. Apple hopes to get additional revenue from this service, but what if you don’t want to pay? Is there a way to stream Apple TV Plus for free?

There is! Here are six ways you can watch the growing number of exclusive shows and films on Apple TV Plus for free. You can sign up for the service at the link below:

Apple TV Plus has quickly become a major player in the streaming game since its launch in 2019. Its slate of original programming includes shows like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Foundation, and For All Mankind as well as movies like The Banker, Greyhound, and Palmer.

QUICK ANSWER

There are several different ways to get Apple TV Plus for free, including free trials, and even for as long as you stay signed up to specific wireless plans from Verizon and T-Mobile.

JUMP TO SECTION

Seven-day free trial

The simplest method to get this service for free is to simply sign up for the service and watch it for nothing. Apple is offering a seven-day trial for people who want to test out the new service. Be aware that you will still have to have a credit or debit card on file. That’s because you will be charged 4.99 after the trial period ends if you don’t cancel the service beforehand.

Three months free trial offers

The second method is perfect for people who were already planning to buy an iPhone. Anyone who purchased or plans to purchase certain hardware products can get three months of Apple TV Plus for nothing. This offer covers the purchase of new iPhones, iPads, the iPod Touch, and Apple TV boxes. You can also get this offer when you buy new Mac laptop or desktop PCs.

In order to get this offer, you have to sign up for your Apple TV Plus account within three months of purchasing your device. You have to have a credit or debit card on file. Also, you have to sign up for the three-month free trial on your new Apple hardware device. You will be charged after the three months ends if you don’t cancel the account.

You may remember that Apple used to offer a full year of Apple TV Plus for free with the purchase of a hardware product. However, that deal has since been discontinued.

Third-party offers

The three-month free trial offer is also available for any Spectrum cable TV subscriber from now until November 7, 2023, and from subscribers of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service from now until March 31, 2023.

Playstation owners are also in luck. If you have a PlayStation 4, you can get three months of the service free. With a Ps5, that goes up to six months.

Best Buy currently offers three months of Apple TV Plus for free with no purchase necessary. The deal is available to new and returning subscribers.

Apple TV Plus for free with Apple Music student subscription

This may be the best free offer, but it’s only for a limited audience. Apple Music has a student subscription tier for qualified attendees of degree-granting universities and colleges. It’s just 5.99 a month, which is almost half off the normal 10.99 a month Apple Music subscription. However, Apple quietly announced the Apple Music student subscription will now come with Apple TV Plus for free.

Apple Music for students is available to college attendees in the US, Canada, and Japan. Once you are qualified as being eligible, you can get this lower price for up to 48 months. This bundle of Apple Music and Apple TV Plus will only be available for a “limited time.” That means you may need to jump on this deal ASAP (again, if you’re eligible).