Find out how to have your iPhone or iPad automatically download the next two episodes of the TV show you’re currently watching and delete them after you have finished watching.
Imagine this: You have an hour-long commute daily, and since the cellular connection during transit isn’t always reliable, you manually download your shows every night or morning so you have something to pass the time.
iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 add a new ‘Automatic Downloads’ feature which is sure to make this part of your life a bit easier. Once you enable it, the TV app on your iPhone or iPad should automatically download the next two episodes of the TV show you’re currently watching.
Plus, once you have watched the downloaded episodes, the app will automatically delete them to make space for the other two episodes. And the cycle continues.
This handy little feature is not new. Two of the biggest streaming platforms – Netflix and YouTube – both give you the Smart Downloads option.
Netflix, in fact, has two versions of Smart Downloads, introduced way back in 2018. Their ‘Download Next Episode’ feature is similar to Apple’s in that it automatically downloads the next episode and deletes it after you have finished watching. Netflix also has a ‘Downloads for You’ option that automatically downloads TV shows and movies that their algorithm thinks you will like. YouTube’s Smart Downloads is precisely the same.
Turn on automatic downloads for Apple TV
- Update your iPhone or iPad to the latest version of iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 (both are currently in beta).
- Open the Settings app and tap Apps at the bottom.
- Scroll down and select TV from the list of applications.
- Turn on the new Automatic Downloads switch. The feature description reads: “The next 2 episodes of shows you start in Continue Watching will automatically download, then delete once you finish.”
- From this same screen, you can set the Download Options to suit your preferences and cellular data plan.
Here’s how it looks on iPad:
Moving forward, the TV app should automatically download the next two episodes of the TV show you’re watching. You’ll find the downloaded episodes in the Library section of the TV app.
In case your iPhone or iPad is already on the latest version of iOS 27 beta but you still don’t see the ‘Automatic Downloads’ option, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and make sure it’s enabled, at least for the TV app. Then force quit and reopen the Settings app, and you should see the ‘Automatic Downloads’ toggle. If not, restart your device.
This new download feature is limited to iOS and iPadOS. My MacBook Air is on the latest version of macOS 27 Golden Gate developer beta, and I don’t have a similar automatic downloads switch that downloads the next two episodes of the show I’m watching. The ‘Automatic Downloads’ toggle in Mac’s TV app Settings is to automatically download movies and TV shows purchased from the iTunes Store on other devices, such as iPhone or iPad.
Also, new in iOS 27: