Are you homebound due to COVID-19? Have you run through your playlist on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services? You’re not alone and, more importantly, you’re not out of options.
Disney Plus, the newish video on-demand service from The Walt Disney Company, launched in the U.S. and elsewhere late last year, and recently reached the U.K. and other markets. While you can easily enjoy Disney’s movies and original series on your Android smartphone, it’s more enjoyable to watch on your big honkin’ TV. If you have an Apple TV handy, you’re in luck. Here’s a quick tutorial to get you up and running in no time.
How to watch Disney Plus on Apple TV
The first thing you need to do is subscribe to Disney Plus. You can do this directly in the Disney Plus app for Android, but we suggest going directly to the Disney Plus web site. The service costs $6.99 per month, or $69.99 per year. If you’re on the fence, you can take advantage of the free seven-day trial to give it a whirl before making a financial commitment. (If you’re really lucky, you can score it for free.)
It’s important to note that you need an Apple TV (4th gen) or newer. Older Apple TVs that don’t have access to the App Store cannot access Disney Plus. Bummer!
Check out these step-by-step instructions:
1. Navigate to the Apple TV home screen and find the App Store.
2. Use the search box to locate “Disney Plus” and, once found, click the “Get” button to download and install.
3. Once the app is finished installing, navigate back to the Apple TV home screen and locate the Disney Plus app.
4. Open the app and sign in with the account you created online. (If you haven’t already created a Disney Plus account, you’ll be prompted to do so here.)
5. With sign-in complete, pick a movie or original series and enjoy!
What can you do with older Apple TVs?
If you have an older Apple TV that cannot access the App Store, you’re not out of luck. There’s a workaround. In this case, however, you’ll need an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad.
With the steps above in mind:
1. Go online and create a Disney Plus account.
2. Using the iTunes App Store on your iOS device, find and download the Disney Plus mobile app.
3. Open the Disney Plus app and sign into (or create) your account.
4. Find the content you want.
5. Connect to the same WiFi network as the Apple TV.
6. Use AirPlay to cast the content from your iOS device to the Apple TV.
