Apple TV app Settings you should check when using a low cellular data plan

Apple TV app on your iPhone or iPad not only offers you hours of Apple TV+ content if you are a subscriber, but also allows you the ability to stream other popular channels such as ESPN+, Hulu or Prime video. You can also connect into your Spectrum or AT&T account and watch TV directly on your device.

For users who tend to use their Apple TV app on their iPhone, you may want to check these app settings, particularly if you are on a limited data plan with your carrier.

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Here are 3 must check settings on the Apple TV app for your iPhone

Control Download Quality in Apple TV app

When downloading shows and movies, you can control the quality of the content by opting to switch on or switch off HDR quality in the Apple TV app.

The HDR videos are worth it on your latest iPhone where you can really enjoy the deeper blacks, brighter whites, and extended color space of HDR. 

When downloading content over Wi-Fi, we prefer to download them in HDR and if you are traveling with low cellular limits, you may want to toggle this to OFF.

Change Download Quality on Apple TV app

1. Tap on Settings
2. Tap on TV and then choose iTunes Videos
3. Check the setting for ‘Download HDR videos’

The other setting on this same screen is for ‘Purchases and Rentals’. Here you can tap and select the quality of the videos that you can download.

When using a slower internet connection on your iPhone, select ‘Standard Definition’ as opposed to ‘High definition’ for Purchases and rentals.

Check the Mobile Data switch toggle in Settings

If you are going to be using a lot of internet data and are on a cellular data limit, this one setting should definitely be turned off or else you may end up eating most of the monthly bandwidth that is available on your device.

1. Tap on Settings
2. Tap on TV
3. Tap on iTunes Videos
4. Switch off ‘Use Mobile data for Playback’ 

Understand the playback quality options available on Apple TV app

There are two key sub-sections here. One is related to the playback quality of your content when you are using Wi-Fi and the other corresponds to playback quality when using Mobile data.

You can change the Wi-Fi related setting to ‘Best available’ and for the mobile play back quality, keep it to the default ‘Good’ if you have data limits.

Lastly, if you dont want to use Cellular at all for Apple TV app, tap on Settings > Cellular and scroll down to the section called ‘Cellular Data’. Here you can completely turn off the toggle for TV.

Have you started enjoying some of the Apple TV+ shows on your iPhone or iPad? What are some of your favorite streaming shows?  Let us know if you have any questions or comments.

SK( Managing Editor )

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.