Apple TV includes Apple TV+ originals, channel add-ons, store rentals, purchases, live sports, and free previews in one app.
Confused by the mix of tabs and tiles? You’re not alone. The Apple TV app brings several content sources into one place, and that mix leads to the big question: what you can watch right now, what needs a subscription, and what costs extra. This guide breaks that down in plain terms and shows where the crowd-pleasers live.
Apple TV Plus Shows And Films: What’s Inside Now
Apple TV+ is Apple’s subscription service for original series, documentaries, and feature films. It lives inside the Apple TV app under the “Apple TV+” tab. One subscription unlocks the full catalog of Apple Originals, and fresh seasons or movies arrive most weeks. Crowd favorites span a fish-out-of-water soccer comedy, a sharp newsroom drama, a tense spy unit, and a sci-fi mystery set in an underground workplace. On the film side, you’ll find award winners, big-cast action, music documentaries, and family titles.
Everything The App Can Aggregate
Beyond Apple TV+ originals, the app also bundles purchases, rentals, partner channel subscriptions, and select free episodes. That’s why two people can open the app and see very different shelves. Your “Up Next” pulls from everything you’ve started or added—whether it’s a rented blockbuster, a channel add-on, or an Apple Original you bookmarked.
Quick Map Of What Lives Where
Use this table as your fast directory. It shows the main content sources, sample picks, and where they appear inside the app.
| Source | Sample Titles | Where It Appears |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV+ Originals (Series) | Ted Lasso; Severance; The Morning Show; Slow Horses; Foundation | Apple TV+ tab |
| Apple TV+ Originals (Films & Docs) | CODA; Greyhound; Finch; Killers of the Flower Moon; Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie | Apple TV+ tab |
| Channel Add-Ons | Starz, AMC+, PBS Living, BritBox (varies by region) | Channels rows & Library |
| Purchases & Rentals | Recent theatrical hits, catalog favorites, 4K upgrades | Store & Library (Purchased) |
| Live Sports | MLS Season Pass, Friday Night Baseball | Sports tab & Up Next |
| Free Premieres & Extras | Pilot episodes, bonus features, trailers | Featured rows |
How The Apple TV App Organizes Content
The app is built around tabs and a unified queue. The “Watch Now” tab surfaces a blend of Apple Originals, your subscriptions, and store picks. The “Apple TV+” tab is a clean wall of Apple’s own shows and films. The Store handles rentals and purchases. The Library tab holds everything you own, your channel libraries, and your “Up Next.”
Tabs That Matter
Watch Now
Think of this as the home feed. It rotates rows based on your activity. You’ll see “Up Next” at the top, followed by rows like “New on Apple TV+,” “Latest Premieres,” “From Your Channels,” and “Because You Watched…”
Apple TV+
This is the cleanest way to browse Apple’s originals without store items mixed in. Want seasons one through current? It’s all here, with extras, languages, and Dolby info on title pages. Apple keeps a living index of Apple Originals on its press site — a handy hub when you want the full slate in one scroll — and you can open it on this page.
Store
When you want something outside the Apple TV+ catalog—new releases, classics, or a director’s cut—the Store is the route. You can rent for a short window or buy and keep it in your Library.
Sports
Live and scheduled events sit here. MLS Season Pass and Friday Night Baseball events are listed with fixtures, highlights, and replays. Add a match to “Up Next” to get reminders across devices.
Popular Apple Originals To Start With
New to the subscription tab? Start with a mix of comedy, drama, genre, and docs. Here’s a quick sampler across styles and moods.
Must-Try Series
Workplace stories: A fish-out-of-water soccer coach in the Premier League; an ensemble newsroom showdown led by heavy hitters; a tech thriller about a biotech giant with a secret program. All three deliver sharp writing and binge-ready pacing.
Genre and sci-fi: A slow-burn spy squad where every mission cracks another layer, a grand galactic saga based on classic novels, and an alien-invasion serial that jumps continents each season.
Slice-of-life and travel: A lighthearted travelogue hosted by a longtime TV star, plus culinary field trips with big-name chefs and critics.
International gems: Look beyond the English-language rows. The service programs Spanish, French, Korean, and Japanese titles with subtitles and dubs, plus co-productions that blend casts from multiple markets. You get a steady trickle of crime dramas, prestige mini-series, and festival winners that land day-and-date on the platform. If your home feed feels narrow, open the Genres filter and flip to International to widen the mix.
Standout Films & Documentaries
Looking for a movie night pick? The slate ranges from intimate indies to war epics. A coming-of-age drama that won Best Picture sits alongside a Tom Hanks naval thriller, a Will Smith survival story, and music-forward features built around major artists. The doc bench is strong too, with deep profiles of sports icons and filmmakers.
How Channels And Subscriptions Work
Inside the app you can add premium channels billed through Apple. They live in your Library and inside “Watch Now.” Cancel or restart any time in your subscriptions pane. Selection changes by country or region due to licensing. That’s why one friend may see Starz tiles while another sees BritBox rows.
Apple hosts a browse page for channels and a lot of trials rotate through the year. Some networks keep their own apps outside of Apple’s billing. In that case, the shows appear once you sign in to the channel app on your device.
Purchases, Rentals, And Your Library
The Store inside the app sells movies and series outside the Apple TV+ catalog. Rentals usually give you 30 days to start and 48 hours once you hit play. If you buy, the title lands in your Library with any offered 4K upgrades tied to your account and device support.
Tips To Build A Great Queue
- Use “Add to Up Next” on any title page—store, channel, or Apple Original.
- Follow the “New on Apple TV+” and “Trending” rows to catch fresh arrivals.
- Long-press a title to peek at cast, rating, audio/subs, and runtime.
- Check the “Sports” tab on match days; replays arrive fast.
Regional Availability And Why Your Rows Differ
Licensing changes by market. Some channels don’t operate in every country. Store catalogs also shift. If you travel or change regions, certain titles may disappear and then return when you switch back. Apple maintains a live reference for where its media services operate; the details are laid out on this availability by country or region page.
Notable Picks By Mood
Here’s a flexible watchlist you can tailor to your taste. Swap any row for a nearby match in the same lane.
| Mood Or Lane | Series Or Films | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Feel-Good Comedy | Ted Lasso; Loot; Shrinking | Warm tone, quick episodes, character-first laughs |
| Twisty Thriller | Severance; Slow Horses; Hijack | Cliffhangers, tight plotting, rewatch value |
| Big-Scope Sci-Fi | Foundation; Silo; For All Mankind | World-building, effects, long arcs |
| True-Story Drama | Tetris; Emancipation; The Banker | Based on real events with stylish direction |
| Music & Docs | Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry; Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me; Beastie Boys Story | Artist access and concert-level sound |
| Family Night | Wolfboy and the Everything Factory; Frog and Toad; Luck | Kid-friendly pacing with grown-up charm |
Sports On Apple TV
MLS Season Pass offers every club’s regular-season match, plus playoffs. Friday Night Baseball brings a weekly doubleheader during the MLB season. Live games surface in the Sports tab, and you can track a club to get match alerts in “Up Next.” Blackouts and rights vary by region.
Finding New Releases Fast
Three quick paths work well. First, check the “New” row under the Apple TV+ tab each Friday. Second, skim the Store’s “New & Noteworthy” for rental or purchase drops that aren’t part of the subscription. Third, scroll the “Sports” tab on event days for fresh highlights and replays.
Pricing And Trials, In Short
Apple TV+ runs as a monthly subscription with occasional bundles through Apple One. Channels are separate add-ons with their own monthly rates and trials. Store rentals and purchases are a la carte. Free episodes rotate to help you sample before you commit.
Troubleshooting Common Confusion
“Why am I asked to pay for a movie if I already pay for Apple TV+?” The subscription covers Apple Originals only. New blockbusters in the Store, and non-Apple shows from channels, are billed outside of that subscription.
“Why can’t I find a channel my friend has?” Offers differ by country. Some networks choose not to sell inside Apple’s channel system in certain regions.
“Where did a title go?” If it was an Apple Original, it should remain available. If it came through a channel or the Store, rights windows and regional changes can move items in and out.
Build Your First Week Watch Plan
Want a quick seven-day sampler? Try this flow. Day 1–2: start a buzzy comedy for a breezy entry. Day 3: slot in a thriller pilot and decide if it hooks you. Day 4: movie night with an Apple Original film. Day 5: pick a doc to reset the pace. Day 6: add a sports replay or live match if it’s in season. Day 7: invite friends to a group watch and compare picks for next week.
Key Takeaway
The Apple TV app is a hub. Apple TV+ supplies the originals. The Store brings rentals and purchases. Channels fill extra lanes. Live sports round it out. Once you grasp those pieces, finding something good to watch becomes quick work.