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How to Stream Your Google Play Movies & TV Shows on an iPad or iPhone

Jan 18, 2014 12:16 AM

Apple and Google are not only two of the biggest names in the tech world, but also two of the biggest competitors. So, it's no surprise that you can't watch movies or TV shows purchased from iTunes on an Android device. Likewise, you can't watch any videos purchased on Google Play with your iPad or iPhone—until now.

Google recently released Google Play Movies & TV in the iOS App Store, which lets you stream any movie or TV show that you bought or rented from the Google Play Store right on your iPad or iPhone.

Movie selection screen with titles such as "Drive" and "Breaking Bad."
My Rentals: Toy Story, Inception; My Movies: Mini Movies.
Movie selection screen with titles such as "Drive" and "Breaking Bad."
My Rentals: Toy Story, Inception; My Movies: Mini Movies.

There are a few things to note about this app.

  • No, you cannot make purchases within the app. Due to Apple's ToS, you have to either purchase from the web or with an Android device. Actually, you can't even search the Play Store. You will only see your purchased content, so if you bought nothing, you'll see nothing.
  • Yes, you're Chromecast will absolutely work. Finally!
  • No, you can't go crazy streaming with your 4G connection. The app requires Wi-Fi to function—and only Wi-Fi.

If these don't sound like good options to you, there is another option.

Watch Your Google Play Content on YouTube Instead

If you've purchased a movie or TV show from the Play Store, you can watch them directly from the YouTube app on your iPad or iPhone. It's a little-known trick, but definitely works.

Just go into the Settings, make sure you're singed in, and head to the section labeled Purchases. Once there, your Google Play purchases will be listed and you can view them directly from the YouTube app.

Menu navigation with "Purchases" highlighted in red.
Video purchase interface displaying titles and durations of purchased content.
Menu navigation with "Purchases" highlighted in red.
Video purchase interface displaying titles and durations of purchased content.

Pretty legit. You've got full Chromecast support, and unlike the Google Play Movies & TV app, you can stream these videos without a Wi-Fi connection.

Haven't tried out Google Play Movies & TV? Get started by grabbing a bunch of free episodes, and happy streaming!

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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