I have never paid for cable television. For years, I survived on broadcast networks and DVDs. With Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and YouTube on Apple TV, I am fully satisfied with my TV, movie, and entertainment choices. And, I get to choose when I watch, instead of having to follow a programmed schedule.
If you are a cable cord-cutter, or you just like having the extra streaming services around, Apple TV makes it easy for you to watch the movies and shows you want, when you want.
This post assumes that you already have a subscription to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, or a YouTube account.
- How to watch Netflix on Apple TV
- How to watch Hulu on Apple TV
- How to watch HBO Now on Apple TV
- How to watch YouTube on Apple TV
How to watch Netflix on Apple TV
Netflix offers a huge selection of blockbuster hit movies, as well as entire seasons of popular TV shows at least a year after they are first broadcast. You may be behind on fan favorites like The Walking Dead, but at least you can binge watch an entire season in one night instead of having to wait each week like those cable-subscribing suckers.
- Download the Netflix app.
- Open the Netflix app on your Home screen.
- Select Sign In.
- Sign in with your Netflix username and password.
- Select Who's Watching.
- Choose a title.
- When you choose a title, you can read a synopsis of the movie or TV show.
- Select Play.
- Select Add to My List to save a movie or TV show to watch at a later time.
- When you are done watching a movie or TV show, give it a Star Rating.
- Select Remove from My List to remove a title from your watchlist.
The My List section will be amongst the content, four rows down, under Trending Now.
The more you watch content and add titles to your Watch List, the more the Netflix app will recommend new movies and TV shows that you may like.
When you rate a title, Netflix will show you more or less content based on that rating.
How to watch Hulu on Apple TV
Hulu is my go-to Apple TV app for watching current, timely shows like The Daily Show and The Nightly Show, both of which would just be weird to watch a year after they premiered. You can also stay up-to-date on plenty of broadcast and cable shows, like Empire and Saturday Night Live. Shows update on Hulu one day after they originally air on their networks.
- Download the Hulu app.
- Open the Hulu app on your Home screen.
- Select Already a User? Log In.
- Sign in with your Hulu username and password.
- Choose a title.
- When you choose a title, you can read a synopsis of the movie or TV show.
- Select Play.
- Select Add to Watchlist to save a movie or TV show to watch at a later time.
- Select You May Also Like to see other titles Hulu recommends based on the type of movie or show you are viewing.
- Select Remove Show or Remove Video to remove a title from your Watchlist.
You can turn auto play on or off in the settings section.
- Select the top row of content, which includes TV, Movies, Switch to no Commercials, etc.
- Swipe to the right and select Account at the end of the list.
- Select Autoplay. This will turn the feature on or off.
How to watch HBO Now on Apple TV
Finally! You don't have to have a cable subscription to be able to watch shows and movies on HBO. HBO Now is exactly like HBO GO with all of the same content, but you don't have to be a cable subscriber to access the service. Instead, you can pay $14.99 per month just for HBO's full selection of TV shows and movies.
- Download the HBO Now app.
- Open the HBO Now app on your Home screen.
- Select Sign In.If you signed up for HBO Now through Apple TV, log in using iTunes: Restore Purchase.
- Sign in with your username and password.
- Swipe down to select a category.
- Swipe down again to select a subcategory.
- Swipe to the right to access content within a subcategory.
- To return to the HBO Now menu, select the Menu button on the Siri Remote, which is the top button on the left side of the face of the remote with the word "menu" on it.
- Choose a title.
- When you choose a title, you can read a synopsis of the movie or TV show.
- Select Play.
- Select Add to Watchlist to save a movie or TV show to watch at a later time.
- Select Preview to watch a trailer.
- Select Remove from Watchlist to remove a title from your Watchlist.
- Select Watchlist from the HBO Now menu to view movies and TV shows you have saved.
How to watch YouTube on Apple TV
YouTube has millions of cat videos, home movies, fan films, and more. But, it also has hundreds, even thousands, of movies and TV shows, many of which aren't available on any of the streaming media services available.
- Download the YouTube app.
- Open the YouTube app on your Home screen.
- Swipe to the right to select Settings.
- Swipe down to select Sign In.
- Visit YouTube.com/activate on a tablet, smartphone or computer and enter the provided code.
- Swipe to the left to access your My YouTube section, which shows your created and saved playlists, recent watch history, uploads, and more.
- Swipe to the left again to access your Subscriptions, which also includes recommended channels.
- Swipe to the left again to access the Home page, which shows recommend videos, channels, and uploads, and where you can access trending content and videos based on categories, like gaming, movies, news, and more.
Any Questions?
Are you having trouble accessing or playing content from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, or YouTube? If so, let us know in the comments and we'll help you troubleshoot.
