The Apple TV app on iPad shows only Library when sign-in, region, restrictions, or network settings hide the storefront sections.
If the Apple TV app on your iPad opens with nothing but the Library view, you’re looking at a state where the app can’t present Watch Now, Sports, MLS Season Pass, or the Store. That usually points to account, country, Screen Time limits, or a network rule that blocks the media services the app needs. The good news: you can isolate the cause in minutes and bring back the missing sections without a full wipe.
What That Library-Only View Means
Library pulls from local downloads and your purchase history. Those entries live under your Apple ID and don’t require the same storefront calls as Watch Now, Sports, or MLS Season Pass. When only Library is there, the app either can’t reach the retail/catalog layer or it thinks your setup isn’t eligible to show it. That’s why four categories tend to be the culprits: sign-in state, region mismatch, restrictions, or a filtered network.
Quick Causes At A Glance
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only Library appears; Watch Now missing | Signed out of Media & Purchases or wrong Apple ID | Sign in under Settings > your name > Media & Purchases |
| Store/Sports tabs gone after travel | Country/region mismatch or catalog not offered in that locale | Match device region and Apple ID country; restart the app |
| Child iPad shows Library only | Screen Time content limits or disallowed media apps | Relax ratings and allow TV/movie purchases for that child |
| Everything vanishes on school/work iPad | MDM profile blocks media services | Ask the admin to enable Apple media domains |
| Tabs reappear on cellular, vanish on Wi-Fi | DNS filter, firewall, or captive portal on that Wi-Fi | Use a clean DNS, sign through the portal, or switch networks |
| Tabs flicker in and out | Apple services outage or flaky connection | Check Apple System Status and retry later |
Apple TV Library-Only On iPad: Account And Region Checks
Start with identity. The Apple TV app reads the Apple ID under Media & Purchases, which can differ from the iCloud sign-in. If you buy shows on one Apple ID but the iPad is using another for media, the app falls back to Library with whatever it can see locally.
Confirm The Right Apple ID
- Open Settings > your name > Media & Purchases > View Account.
- Make sure the email matches the account that owns your purchases and any Apple TV+ or MLS Season Pass plan.
- If needed, sign out, then sign back in. Reopen the TV app.
Match Country/Region Across Device And Account
Catalogs, sports rights, and channel add-ons differ by country. A mismatch between the device region and the Apple ID country can hide storefront views. Align both, then relaunch the app. If you actually need to move your Apple ID to a new country due to a move, follow Apple’s steps on the official page for changing your Apple ID country or region.
Check Purchase Sharing And Hidden Items
Family Sharing can show only content allowed for that child’s rating level. Hidden purchases also won’t feed Watch Now. Unhide as needed: open the TV app, go to Library, find the ellipsis menu on a title, and unhide. Then quit and relaunch the app.
Screen Time, MDM, And Parental Limits
When the iPad is managed by a parent, school, or workplace, controls can strip the app to the bare minimum. Library survives since it’s reading local or owned content, while sales and recommendations vanish.
Relax Screen Time Ratings
- Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy.
- Open Content Restrictions and raise Movies and TV Shows ratings to a level that fits your account.
- Under Allowed Apps, allow TV, iTunes Store, and Books if they’re toggled off.
Ask Your Admin About Media Domains
Managed devices can block media domains at the network or with a device profile. If the iPad is under MDM, ask for access to Apple TV service endpoints. A quick test: sign in on a personal hotspot; if the tabs appear there, the profile or network is the limiter.
Network Issues That Block Storefront Tabs
The storefront needs clean HTTPS access to Apple media servers. Filters and misconfigured networks can block ranges or break TLS in a way that the app won’t accept, leaving you with Library only.
Try A Known-Good Connection
- Disable VPN and iCloud Private Relay for a minute, then relaunch the app.
- Switch from Wi-Fi to cellular, or try a different Wi-Fi.
- Sign through any captive portal (hotel, campus) before opening the TV app.
Use A Clean DNS
Ad-blocking DNS can break the media graph. Set DNS to automatic or use a public resolver that doesn’t filter media domains. After that, force-quit the TV app and relaunch.
Check Live Service Status
When Apple flags service interruptions, storefront tabs may fail to populate. See the live dashboard on Apple System Status and scan entries for Apple TV+, Apple TV Channels, or the iTunes Store. If those lines show an issue, wait it out and try again.
App And iPadOS Maintenance
Stale caches or an outdated build can also lead to odd states. A quick sweep often clears it.
Update Everything
- In Settings > General > Software Update, install the latest iPadOS.
- Open the App Store, update Apple TV and any related media apps.
Clear Corrupted App State
- Force-quit the TV app: swipe up from the bottom, lift to the app switcher, then flick the card away.
- Offload the app under Settings > General > iPad Storage > TV > Offload App, then Reinstall.
- If the issue persists, delete and reinstall. You won’t lose purchases; you’ll just clear local data and caches.
Fix Date, Time, And Region Artifacts
Media rights are touchy about locale. Set Settings > General > Date & Time to Set Automatically, and keep Language & Region aligned with your Apple ID country. Then restart the iPad.
MLS Season Pass, Sports, And Store Tabs
Sports tabs can vanish when the region doesn’t carry those feeds, when the subscription lapses, or when Screen Time blocks sports content by rating. The Store can also hide if the device is locked to business or school policies. Once the account and region line up and the iPad is free to reach the media graph, those sections return on the next launch.
Advanced Diagnostics Matrix
| Test | What You Expect | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| Open TV app on a friend’s Wi-Fi | Watch Now and Store appear | Your home network or router filtering is the blocker |
| Sign in on another iPad with your Apple ID | Full navigation appears | Your device state is the issue, not the account |
| Sign in on the web at tv.apple.com | Catalog loads under your account | Account and region are fine; the iPad app needs cleanup |
| Switch the iPad to a mobile hotspot | Tabs return | The prior network blocks or rewrites media domains |
| New child profile with no limits | Tabs return for that profile | Screen Time settings hide storefront content |
| Apple System Status shows an outage | Tabs still missing | Service interruption; wait for green status, then retry |
Step-By-Step Fix Plan
Use this sequence. It moves from fastest checks to deeper resets while keeping data safe.
- Force-quit and relaunch the TV app.
- Confirm Media & Purchases sign-in under Settings. Use the account that owns your purchases and subscriptions.
- Align country/region between device and Apple ID. If you must switch countries, follow Apple’s country change steps, then restart.
- Check Screen Time: raise rating limits and allow the TV and iTunes Store apps.
- Test a clean network: try cellular or another Wi-Fi, and turn off VPN or filtering for the test.
- Update iPadOS and the TV app to the latest versions.
- Offload, then reinstall the TV app to flush corrupt caches.
- Set Date & Time to automatic and keep Language & Region matched with your account.
- Review MDM or work profiles if this is a managed iPad. Ask for media domains to be enabled.
- Scan Apple System Status for current issues with Apple TV+, Apple TV Channels, or the iTunes Store.
Notes For Travelers And Households
Travel can trigger region shifts that hide tabs until the app refreshes the catalog under the new locale. A restart and a short wait usually restores the correct layout. In mixed households, kids’ profiles may keep Library visible while Watch Now and Store hide based on rating limits. Raising those limits restores the full view, and you can always lower them again later.
Why Region Alignment Matters
Media rights differ by market. The app reads both the device locale and the account’s marketplace. If they don’t match, the app may not be able to present a catalog. Aligning both removes that conflict and lets the storefront load. This is also why a VPN can trigger a Library-only state; the exit node can push you into a region that your account doesn’t use.
Keep Things Stable
- Leave Date & Time on automatic to avoid token drift.
- Stick with one Apple ID for purchases across devices.
- Use a DNS service that doesn’t strip media domains.
- Review Screen Time after major iPadOS updates, since some settings can reset.
When To Contact Apple
If the tabs remain missing after the fix plan, you may have an account flag, purchase history anomaly, or an MDM profile you can’t edit. At that point, gather a short log: Apple ID used for Media & Purchases, iPadOS version, TV app version, and a timestamp of your last failed attempt. Then reach out through the TV app’s support path or via Apple Support. Live service agents can check server-side entitlements for Apple TV+, channels, and MLS Season Pass, and they can clear stuck storefront tokens tied to your Apple ID.
Wrap-Up
When the TV app shows nothing but Library, think eligibility and connectivity first. Fix the sign-in, align region, loosen Screen Time where needed, and try a clean network. In most cases, the full navigation returns right after the app restarts. If not, service status or account-level help will finish the job.