# Aerial TV — documentation bundle for AI This file is generated at build time from the same source as https://aerialtv.app/docs. It is meant for tools that fetch a single URL instead of running JavaScript on the SPA. ## About Aerial TV (key messages) Aerial TV is a **high-performance, accessible IPTV media player built for everyone**—for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, and Android. It is **engineered for speed, stability, and total accessibility**. The product includes **cross-device cloud sync** and **AI-powered setup assistance** on the marketing site. **Aerial TV does not provide any TV channels, movies, or other content;** users connect their own IPTV playlists (e.g. M3U/M3U8) or Xtream-style credentials from a legal provider. - Official site: https://aerialtv.app/ - Documentation hub: https://aerialtv.app/docs - Machine-readable index: https://aerialtv.app/llms.txt - Extended summary: https://aerialtv.app/llms-full.md --- # Getting Started *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/getting-started* ## Welcome to Aerial TV Aerial TV is a premium IPTV player available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, and Android. It lets you stream live TV, movies, and TV series from your own IPTV service provider using M3U playlists or Xtream Codes API connections. *Note: Aerial TV does not provide any TV content. You need a subscription from an IPTV service provider to use the app.* ## Download the App Aerial TV is available on all major platforms. Download it from your device's app store to get started. 1. Open the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android) on your device. 2. Search for "Aerial TV". 3. Tap Get or Install to download the app. 4. Open Aerial TV once the installation is complete. ## First Launch When you open Aerial TV for the first time, you'll be guided through the initial setup process. **Tip:** Setting up on Apple TV? Use QR Code Device Linking to avoid typing long URLs with the remote. (/docs/qr-code-device-linking) 1. Choose your preferred language from the language selector. 2. Create your first user profile by entering a name. 3. Add your IPTV playlist — enter an M3U URL or Xtream Codes credentials from your provider. 4. Wait for the app to load your channels, movies, and series from the playlist. 5. Start watching! Browse live channels, movies, or series from the home screen. ## Navigating the App Aerial TV is organized into several main sections, accessible from the tab bar at the bottom of the screen (or sidebar on Mac). - Home — Your personalized dashboard with continue watching, trending content, and recommendations. - Channels — Browse all live TV channels, organized by category. Mark favorites for quick access. - Movies — Your full movie library with filtering by genre, year, and rating. - Series — Browse TV series with full season and episode support. - TV Guide — An interactive electronic program guide showing what's on now and next. - Settings — Manage your playlists, profiles, subscriptions, and app preferences. ## Next Steps Now that you're set up, explore the rest of our documentation to make the most of Aerial TV. - Learn about Adding Playlists to manage multiple IPTV services. - Set up Cloud Sync to keep your progress in sync across all your devices. - Configure Parental Controls to keep content family-safe. - Check out the Video Player guide to learn about playback controls and settings. --- # Adding Playlists *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/adding-playlists* ## What Are Playlists? A playlist is how Aerial TV connects to your IPTV service. Your IPTV provider will supply you with either an M3U/M3U8 playlist URL or Xtream Codes API credentials. This playlist tells Aerial TV where to find your live channels, movies, and TV series. Think of it as the key that unlocks all the content your provider offers. *Note: Aerial TV does not provide any IPTV content. You must have an active subscription with an IPTV service provider to obtain playlist credentials.* - M3U / M3U8 URL — A single web address that contains your full channel and content lineup. This is the most common format. - Xtream Codes API — A set of three credentials (server URL, username, and password) that connects to your provider's API. This format often provides richer metadata, EPG data, and catch-up TV support. ## Adding an M3U / M3U8 Playlist If your IPTV provider gave you a URL ending in .m3u or .m3u8, follow these steps to add it to Aerial TV. **Warning:** Make sure you paste the complete URL exactly as provided. Even a single missing character will prevent the playlist from loading. **Tip:** Setting up on Apple TV? Use QR Code Device Linking to transfer your playlist URL from your phone instead of typing it with the Siri Remote. (/docs/qr-code-device-linking) 1. Open Aerial TV and navigate to Settings. 2. Tap on Playlists (or Manage Playlists). 3. Tap the Add Playlist button. 4. Select M3U URL as the playlist type. 5. Paste the full M3U/M3U8 URL provided by your IPTV service into the URL field. 6. Give your playlist a name (e.g., "My IPTV Service") so you can identify it later. 7. Tap Save. Aerial TV will connect to the URL and begin loading your channels and content. ## Adding an Xtream Codes API Playlist Xtream Codes is a popular API format used by many IPTV providers. Instead of a single URL, you enter three separate fields: the server address, your username, and your password. *Note: Xtream Codes connections often provide additional features such as catch-up TV, richer EPG data, and content metadata like movie posters and descriptions. If your provider supports both formats, Xtream Codes is generally the better choice.* 1. Open Aerial TV and navigate to Settings. 2. Tap on Playlists (or Manage Playlists). 3. Tap the Add Playlist button. 4. Select Xtream Codes API as the playlist type. 5. Enter the Server URL provided by your IPTV service (e.g., http://provider.example.com:8080). 6. Enter your Username. 7. Enter your Password. 8. Give your playlist a recognizable name. 9. Tap Save. Aerial TV will authenticate with the server and load your content library. ## Managing Multiple Playlists Aerial TV supports multiple playlists, allowing you to connect to more than one IPTV service at the same time. This is useful if you subscribe to multiple providers or have separate playlists for different types of content. **Tip:** Give each playlist a clear, descriptive name so you can easily tell them apart when managing your subscriptions. 1. Navigate to Settings and tap Playlists. 2. You will see a list of all your added playlists. 3. Tap Add Playlist to add another service alongside your existing ones. 4. Each playlist is loaded independently, so content from all active playlists is available throughout the app. ## Switching, Editing, and Removing Playlists You can manage your playlists at any time from the Settings screen. Switch between playlists to change which content is displayed, edit credentials if your provider issues new ones, or remove a playlist you no longer need. **Warning:** Removing a playlist will delete all favorites, watch history, and downloaded content associated with it. This action cannot be undone. - Switch Playlist — Tap on a different playlist from your list to make it the active source. The app will reload with content from the selected playlist. - Edit Playlist — Tap the edit button (or swipe on the playlist) to update the name, URL, or credentials. This is useful when your provider changes server addresses. - Remove Playlist — Swipe left on a playlist and tap Delete, or use the edit button to remove it. This removes all associated data including favorites and watch history for that playlist. ## Refreshing Playlist Data Your IPTV provider may update their channel lineup, add new movies, or change server configurations. Refreshing your playlist pulls the latest data from your provider so your content stays up to date. **Tip:** If channels suddenly stop working or you notice missing content, a playlist refresh is usually the first thing to try. 1. Navigate to Settings and tap Playlists. 2. Tap on the playlist you want to refresh. 3. Tap the Refresh button to pull the latest data from your provider. 4. Wait for the refresh to complete. The app will update your channel list, movie library, and series catalog. --- # QR Code Device Linking *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/qr-code-device-linking* ## Why Use QR Code Device Linking? Entering long playlist URLs or complex passwords using a TV remote is tedious and error-prone. QR Code Device Linking solves this by letting you set up your IPTV playlist on your iPhone or iPad first, then instantly transfer those credentials to your Apple TV by scanning a QR code. The entire process takes just seconds and eliminates the frustration of on-screen keyboard entry. - No typing on your Apple TV — avoid the painful process of entering long URLs character by character with the Siri Remote. - Zero errors — credentials are transferred digitally, so there are no typos or missing characters. - Fast setup — the whole linking process takes under 30 seconds. - Works with both M3U URLs and Xtream Codes API credentials. ## How It Works QR Code Device Linking uses a secure, local transfer mechanism. Your Apple TV generates a unique QR code on screen. When you scan it with your iPhone or iPad running Aerial TV, the two devices establish a connection and your playlist credentials are sent directly from your phone to your Apple TV. No data passes through external servers during this process. *Note: Both devices must be connected to the same local Wi-Fi network for QR Code Device Linking to work. The transfer happens directly between your devices on your local network.* ## Generating the QR Code on Apple TV The QR code is generated on your Apple TV when you are ready to add a new playlist. **Tip:** The QR code will remain active on screen for several minutes. If it expires, simply go back and select the option again to generate a fresh code. 1. Open Aerial TV on your Apple TV. 2. Navigate to Settings and select Playlists. 3. Tap Add Playlist. 4. Select the Link from iPhone/iPad option (or QR Code Linking). 5. A QR code will appear on your TV screen. Keep this screen open while you complete the next steps on your iPhone or iPad. ## Scanning from Your iPhone or iPad Once the QR code is displayed on your Apple TV, use your iPhone or iPad to scan it and send your playlist credentials. 1. Open Aerial TV on your iPhone or iPad. 2. Make sure you already have a playlist configured on this device. If not, add one first using the Adding Playlists guide. 3. Navigate to Settings and select Playlists. 4. Tap the Share to Apple TV button (or the QR scan icon). 5. Point your device's camera at the QR code displayed on your Apple TV screen. 6. Once the QR code is recognized, you will see a confirmation prompt showing which playlist credentials will be transferred. 7. Tap Confirm to send the credentials to your Apple TV. 8. Your Apple TV will automatically receive the playlist and begin loading your channels and content. ## What Gets Transferred When you link devices via QR code, the following playlist information is securely transferred from your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV. *Note: Personal data such as favorites, watch history, and app settings are not transferred via QR linking. Only the playlist connection credentials are sent. Use Cloud Sync to keep your favorites and watch history in sync across devices.* - Playlist type — whether it is an M3U/M3U8 URL or Xtream Codes API connection. - M3U URL — the full playlist URL, if using an M3U playlist. - Xtream Codes credentials — the server URL, username, and password, if using Xtream Codes API. - Playlist name — the display name you assigned to the playlist. ## Troubleshooting QR Scanning Issues If you are having trouble scanning the QR code or completing the device linking process, try the following solutions. **Warning:** If the linking process fails repeatedly, check that both devices are running the latest version of Aerial TV. QR Code Device Linking requires a compatible app version on both the sending and receiving device. - Same Wi-Fi network — Ensure both your Apple TV and your iPhone/iPad are connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network. If your router has separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, try connecting both devices to the same band. - Camera permissions — Make sure Aerial TV has permission to access your device's camera. Go to your device's Settings, find Aerial TV, and enable Camera access. - Distance and angle — Hold your phone steady, about 6 to 12 inches from the TV screen. Make sure the entire QR code is visible within the camera frame. - Screen glare — If your TV has reflective glass, adjust your viewing angle or dim nearby lights to reduce glare on the QR code. - Regenerate the code — If the QR code has been on screen for too long, go back and generate a new one on your Apple TV. - Restart both apps — Close Aerial TV on both devices completely and reopen them, then try the process again. --- # Live TV & Channels *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/live-tv-channels* ## Browsing the Channels View The Channels section is where you browse and watch live TV in Aerial TV. Channels are organized into categories provided by your IPTV service, such as Sports, News, Entertainment, Kids, and more. Tap the Channels tab from the main navigation to access your full channel lineup. Each channel displays its name, logo (when available), and current program information from the EPG. **Tip:** On Apple TV, use the Siri Remote to swipe between categories quickly. On iPhone and iPad, scroll horizontally through the category tabs at the top of the screen. ## Category Filtering and Hiding With potentially hundreds of channels available, category filtering helps you find what you want to watch. You can also permanently hide categories you are not interested in to keep your channel list clean and focused. *Note: Hidden categories can be restored at any time from Settings > Setup > Category Management. Hiding a category does not delete it from your playlist.* - Filter by category — Tap on any category tab at the top of the Channels view to show only channels in that group. Tap "All" to return to the full list. - Hide categories — Go to Settings > Setup > Category Management and tap Channel Categories. Toggle off any categories you do not want to see. Hidden categories will no longer appear in the Channels view or search results. - Reorder categories — Some views allow you to rearrange the order of categories. Long-press on a category tab and drag it to your preferred position. ## Searching for Channels When you know exactly what channel you are looking for, use the search feature to find it instantly instead of scrolling through categories. **Tip:** On Apple TV, you can use Siri voice search by holding the microphone button on your Siri Remote and saying the channel name. 1. Open the Channels view. 2. Tap the search icon or pull down to reveal the search bar. 3. Type the name of the channel you are looking for (e.g., "BBC", "ESPN", "CNN"). 4. Results will filter in real time as you type, showing matching channels across all categories. 5. Tap a channel from the results to start watching immediately. ## Adding and Removing Favorites Mark your most-watched channels as favorites so they appear at the top of your channel list for instant access. Favorites are saved per profile, so each user in your household can have their own set. *Note: Favorites are stored locally on your device by default. Enable Cloud Sync in Settings > Cloud Sync to keep your favorites consistent across all your devices.* 1. Navigate to the channel you want to favorite in the Channels view. 2. Long-press on the channel (or swipe and tap the star icon, depending on your platform). 3. Select Add to Favorites from the context menu. 4. The channel will now appear in the Favorites category at the top of your channel list. 5. To remove a favorite, long-press the channel again and select Remove from Favorites. ## Channel Preview (Mini-Player) Aerial TV includes a channel preview feature that lets you see a live preview of a channel before committing to watching it full screen. As you browse through your channel list, a mini-player shows a live preview of the currently highlighted channel. **Tip:** If you prefer to save bandwidth and not auto-preview channels, you can disable the mini-player preview in Settings > Playback. - On Apple TV — As you navigate through the channel list with the Siri Remote, the highlighted channel automatically starts playing in a preview window. - On iPhone/iPad — Tap and hold on a channel to see a quick preview popup. - Tap the preview or press Select to go full screen. - The preview loads automatically — no extra steps required. ## Sorting Options Customize how your channels are displayed by changing the sort order. Different sorting options help you find channels based on what matters most to you. **Tip:** Change the sort order by tapping the sort icon in the top-right corner of the Channels view. - Default — Channels appear in the order provided by your IPTV service. - Alphabetical (A-Z) — Channels are sorted by name in ascending order. - Alphabetical (Z-A) — Channels are sorted by name in descending order. - Favorites First — Your favorited channels are pinned to the top, with the remaining channels listed below. --- # TV Guide (EPG) *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/tv-guide-epg* ## What Is the Electronic Program Guide (EPG)? The Electronic Program Guide, commonly called the EPG or TV Guide, is an interactive schedule that shows you what is currently airing, what aired earlier, and what is coming up next across all your live TV channels. It works like a traditional TV listings grid but is fully interactive — you can browse programs, read descriptions, and jump directly into watching with a single tap. EPG data is provided by your IPTV service and is loaded automatically when you add a playlist. *Note: EPG availability and accuracy depend entirely on your IPTV provider. Some providers offer comprehensive multi-day guides, while others may have limited or no EPG data for certain channels.* ## Navigating the TV Guide Grid The TV Guide presents your channels and their schedules in a familiar grid layout. Channels are listed vertically on the left side, and time slots extend horizontally across the screen. A vertical line indicates the current time, making it easy to see what is live right now. **Tip:** On Apple TV, use the touchpad on the Siri Remote to quickly swipe through the grid. Swipe left/right to move through time and up/down to scroll through channels. - Scroll vertically to browse through different channels. - Scroll horizontally to move forward or backward in time across the schedule. - The current time marker (a vertical line) shows you exactly where "now" falls in the grid. - Programs are displayed as colored blocks within the grid. The width of each block represents the program duration. - Tap any program block to see its full details. ## Timeline Navigation The TV Guide supports navigating through several days of programming so you can check what aired in the past or plan your viewing for later. *Note: How far back and forward you can navigate depends on the EPG data provided by your IPTV service. Most providers supply between 3 and 7 days of schedule data.* 1. At the top of the TV Guide, you will see date and time navigation controls. 2. Tap the left arrow or swipe backward to view past programming (useful for catch-up TV). 3. Tap the right arrow or swipe forward to see upcoming schedules for the next several days. 4. Tap the "Now" button to instantly jump back to the current time slot. 5. Use the date picker (where available) to jump directly to a specific day. ## Viewing Program Details Tapping on any program in the TV Guide opens a detail view with all available information about that show or event. **Tip:** If the program is currently airing, you can start watching it directly from the detail view without going back to the Channels section. - Program title and episode name (for series). - Start time and end time with total duration. - Full description or synopsis of the program. - Genre and category tags. - A Watch Now button to tune into the channel immediately (for currently airing programs). - A reminder or notification option for upcoming programs. ## Current and Upcoming Programs The TV Guide highlights what is airing right now and what is coming up next so you can quickly decide what to watch. Currently airing programs are visually distinguished in the grid, and the "Now and Next" view provides a simplified list of what is live across all channels. - Now Playing — Programs currently airing are highlighted with a distinct color or progress bar showing how far into the program you are. - Up Next — The next scheduled program for each channel is displayed alongside the current one. - Progress indicator — A progress bar on currently airing programs shows how much time has elapsed and how much remains. ## Catch-Up TV Catch-up TV allows you to watch programs that have already aired. If your IPTV provider supports catch-up (sometimes called timeshift or archive), you can go back in the TV Guide to past programs and play them on demand. *Note: Catch-up content is typically available for 24 to 72 hours after the original broadcast, depending on your provider.* **Warning:** Catch-up TV is not available on all channels or from all providers. If you do not see a Watch option on past programs, your IPTV service may not support this feature for that channel. 1. Navigate backward in the TV Guide timeline to find a program that has already finished airing. 2. Tap on the past program to open its details. 3. If catch-up is available, you will see a Watch button or a Catch-Up label on the program. 4. Tap Watch to start playing the archived program from the beginning. 5. Use standard playback controls to pause, rewind, or fast-forward through the catch-up content. --- # Movies *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/movies* ## Browsing the Movie Library The Movies section in Aerial TV gives you access to the full catalog of movies provided by your IPTV service. Movies are presented in a visually rich grid of posters, making it easy to browse and discover something to watch. The library is organized with featured and recently added titles at the top, followed by genre categories you can scroll through. Tap the Movies tab in the main navigation to access your movie library. **Tip:** The movie library can contain thousands of titles. Use the filtering and search features described below to quickly narrow down your options. ## Filtering by Genre, Year, and Rating Aerial TV provides powerful filtering tools to help you find exactly the type of movie you are in the mood for. Filters can be combined to narrow your results further. *Note: The available filters depend on the metadata provided by your IPTV service. Some providers include detailed metadata with ratings and release years, while others may have limited information.* - Genre — Filter by categories such as Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Documentary, and more. Tap the genre dropdown or genre tabs to select one. - Year — Narrow results to movies released in a specific year or range of years. Great for finding new releases or classic films. - Rating — Filter by content rating (e.g., PG, PG-13, R) to find age-appropriate movies, or sort by audience/critic ratings to surface the highest-rated titles. - Combined filters — Apply multiple filters at once. For example, filter by "Action" genre and "2025" year to see the latest action movies. ## Searching for Movies When you know what you want to watch, search is the fastest way to find it in your library. **Tip:** On Apple TV, hold the microphone button on the Siri Remote and say the movie name to search using your voice. 1. Open the Movies section from the main navigation. 2. Tap the search icon or pull down to reveal the search bar. 3. Type the movie title, actor name, or keyword. 4. Results update in real time as you type, showing matching movies with their poster, title, and year. 5. Tap a movie from the search results to open its detail view. ## Movie Detail View Tapping on any movie opens a rich detail view with all available information about the title. This view is designed to give you everything you need to decide whether to watch. - Poster and backdrop — A high-resolution movie poster and background image (when available from your provider). - Title and year — The movie title and its release year. - Rating — Content rating (PG, R, etc.) and audience scores when available. - Duration — The total runtime of the movie. - Genre tags — One or more genre labels for the movie. - Plot synopsis — A full description of the movie storyline. - Cast and crew — The director, lead actors, and other key crew members (when provided by your IPTV service). - Play button — A prominent button to start watching immediately. ## Playing a Movie and Resume Watching Starting a movie is simple — just tap the Play button from the movie detail view or from the movie poster in the grid. If you stop watching partway through, Aerial TV remembers your position so you can pick up right where you left off. *Note: Your playback position is saved automatically whenever you exit a movie. Enable Cloud Sync in Settings > Cloud Sync to sync your resume positions across all your devices.* 1. Open the movie detail view by tapping on any movie. 2. Tap the Play button to start watching from the beginning. 3. If you have previously started this movie, you will see a Resume button instead, showing your last playback position (e.g., "Resume from 45:22"). 4. Tap Resume to continue from where you stopped, or tap Play from Beginning to start over. 5. Movies you have started watching will also appear in the Continue Watching section on the Home screen for quick access. ## Downloading Movies for Offline Viewing Aerial TV allows you to download movies to your device so you can watch them without an internet connection. This is ideal for flights, commutes, or areas with limited connectivity. **Warning:** Downloaded movies may expire or become unavailable if your IPTV subscription lapses or your provider removes the title from their catalog. Make sure your subscription is active to retain access. **Tip:** Check your available device storage before downloading large movies. A high-quality two-hour movie can use several gigabytes of space. 1. Open the movie detail view for the movie you want to download. 2. Tap the Download icon (a downward arrow) next to the Play button. 3. Select your preferred quality: High, Medium, or Low. Higher quality uses more storage space. 4. The download will begin in the background. You can monitor progress from Settings > Data > Manage Downloads. 5. Once the download is complete, the movie will be available in your Downloads library and can be played without an internet connection. 6. To remove a downloaded movie and free up storage, go to Settings > Data > Manage Downloads, swipe left on the title, and tap Delete. --- # TV Series *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/tv-series* ## Browsing Your Series Library The Series section in Aerial TV gives you access to every TV series available through your IPTV provider. Series are loaded directly from your playlist, so the library depends entirely on what your provider offers. You can browse the full catalog from the Series tab in the bottom navigation bar (or sidebar on Mac and iPad). **Tip:** Favorite a series by long-pressing its poster card to add it to your Favorites for quick access from the Home screen. - Series are displayed as poster cards with the show title, and are organized alphabetically by default. - Use the category filter at the top to narrow by genre such as Drama, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Documentary, and more. - Pull down on the list to refresh and pick up any newly added series from your provider. - On Apple TV, use the Siri Remote to swipe through rows of series grouped by category. ## Series Detail View Tap on any series poster to open the Series Detail View. This screen gives you a complete overview of the show, including metadata pulled from your IPTV provider such as the plot synopsis, genre, cast, rating, and cover art. *Note: The amount of metadata displayed depends on what your IPTV provider includes in their playlist. Some providers include rich details while others may only list episode numbers.* - The top section displays the series backdrop or poster, title, year, genre tags, and a plot summary. - Below the overview, seasons are listed in a horizontal picker. Tap a season number to switch between them. - Each season shows its episodes in a vertical list with episode numbers, titles, and duration when available. - If your provider supplies episode thumbnails or individual episode descriptions, these will appear alongside each entry. ## Watching Episodes To start watching an episode, simply tap on it from the episode list in the Series Detail View. The video player will launch and begin streaming the episode from your IPTV provider. **Tip:** If an episode fails to play, try switching the player backend from AVPlayer to VLC in Settings > Playback > Video Player. Some streams require VLC for proper decoding. (/docs/video-player) 1. Navigate to the Series tab and find the show you want to watch. 2. Tap the series poster to open the detail view. 3. Select the correct season using the season picker. 4. Tap on the episode you want to watch. 5. The video player will open and begin playback. Use the on-screen controls to pause, seek, or adjust settings. ## Continue Watching & Watch Progress Aerial TV automatically tracks your watch progress for every episode you play. When you stop watching partway through an episode, a progress bar appears on the episode entry showing how far you got. The next time you open that episode, playback resumes from where you left off. *Note: Watch progress is stored locally on your device by default. Enable Cloud Sync to keep progress in sync across multiple devices.* - A "Continue Watching" row appears on the Home screen showing your most recently watched series episodes with progress indicators. - Progress is tracked per profile, so each user in your household has their own watch history. - When Cloud Sync is enabled, your watch progress syncs across all your devices automatically. - Completed episodes (watched past 90% of the duration) are marked as fully watched. ## Marking Episodes as Watched You can manually mark individual episodes or entire seasons as watched. This is useful when you have already seen episodes outside of Aerial TV and want your library to reflect that. **Warning:** Marking a season as watched cannot be undone in a single action. You would need to individually mark each episode as unwatched if you change your mind. 1. Open the Series Detail View for the show you want to update. 2. To mark a single episode: long-press the episode and select "Mark as Watched" from the context menu. 3. To mark an entire season: long-press any episode in the season and select "Mark Season as Watched." 4. Watched episodes display a checkmark icon and their progress bar shows as complete. 5. To undo, long-press again and select "Mark as Unwatched" to reset the progress. ## Filtering & Searching Series Finding a specific series is fast with the built-in search and filtering tools. You can search across your entire series library or narrow results using genre filters. **Tip:** On Apple TV, you can use Siri voice search by holding the microphone button on your remote and saying the name of the show. 1. Tap the search icon at the top of the Series screen to open the search bar. 2. Type the name of the series you are looking for. Results filter in real time as you type. 3. Use the genre filter tabs below the search bar to narrow results to a specific category. 4. Tap on a result to jump directly to that series' detail view. --- # User Profiles *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/user-profiles* ## What Are User Profiles? User Profiles let multiple people use Aerial TV on the same device without mixing up their preferences. Each profile maintains its own separate favorites, watch history, continue watching progress, and app settings. This means everyone in your household gets a personalized experience tailored to what they watch. *Note: Profiles are created during first launch. You must have at least one profile to use Aerial TV.* - Each profile has its own set of favorite channels, movies, and series. - Watch history and continue watching progress are tracked independently per profile. - Profiles can have different display names and avatar colors to make switching easy. - When Cloud Sync is enabled, each profile syncs its own data separately across your devices. ## Creating a New Profile You can create up to 5 user profiles on a single Aerial TV installation. Each profile starts fresh with no favorites or watch history, giving every user a clean slate. **Warning:** The maximum number of profiles is 5. If you need to add another, you will need to delete an existing profile first. 1. Open the Settings tab from the bottom navigation bar. 2. Tap on "Profiles" to open the profiles management screen. 3. Tap the "Add Profile" button. 4. Enter a display name for the new profile (for example, the person's first name). 5. Choose an avatar color to help visually distinguish the profile. 6. Tap "Save" to create the profile. It is now available from the profile switcher. ## Switching Between Profiles Switching profiles is quick and does not require any authentication. When you switch, Aerial TV loads that profile's favorites, watch history, and settings immediately. **Tip:** On Apple TV, the profile switcher is accessible from the top-left corner of the Home screen. Press up on the Siri Remote from the top row to reach it. 1. Tap your profile avatar or name displayed at the top of the Home screen or in the Settings tab. 2. The profile switcher appears, showing all available profiles. 3. Tap the profile you want to switch to. 4. The app reloads with that profile's personalized data, including their favorites and continue watching list. ## Editing a Profile You can change a profile's display name or avatar color at any time. Editing a profile does not affect its saved favorites, watch history, or other data. *Note: Changing a profile's name or color is cosmetic only. All watch history, favorites, and settings are preserved.* 1. Go to Settings and tap "Profiles." 2. Tap the profile you want to edit. 3. Update the display name or select a new avatar color. 4. Tap "Save" to apply the changes. ## Deleting a Profile If a profile is no longer needed, you can delete it to free up a slot. Deleting a profile permanently removes all of its associated data, including favorites, watch history, and settings. **Warning:** Deleting a profile permanently erases all of its data, including favorites, watch progress, and personalized settings. This action cannot be reversed. If Cloud Sync is enabled, the profile data will also be removed from the cloud. 1. Open Settings and tap "Profiles." 2. Tap the profile you want to remove. 3. Scroll down and tap "Delete Profile." 4. Confirm the deletion when prompted. This action cannot be undone. ## Profile-Specific Settings Certain settings in Aerial TV are stored per profile rather than globally. This allows each user to customize their experience without affecting others. **Tip:** Use separate profiles for children and adults so you can apply parental controls to specific profiles without restricting the entire app. (/docs/parental-controls) - Favorites — Each profile maintains its own list of favorite channels, movies, and series. - Watch History — Episode progress, continue watching entries, and watched markers are all profile-specific. - Preferred Player — Each profile can independently choose between AVPlayer and VLC as their default video player backend. - Parental Controls — Parental control settings, including content restrictions and PIN, can be configured per profile. - Home Screen Layout — The order and visibility of Home screen rows can differ between profiles. --- # Cloud Sync *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/cloud-sync* ## What Is Cloud Sync? Cloud Sync keeps your Aerial TV experience consistent across all your devices. When enabled, your favorites, watch progress, playlists, and profile data are automatically synced to the cloud and pushed to every device linked to your account. Start watching a movie on your iPhone, pause it, and pick up right where you left off on your Apple TV or iPad. *Note: Cloud Sync requires an active Aerial TV Family plan subscription. It is not available on the Free or Standard plans.* - Favorites for channels, movies, and series sync across all linked devices. - Watch progress and continue watching history stay up to date everywhere. - Playlist configurations (M3U URLs and Xtream Codes credentials) sync so you only need to add them once. - Profile data, including profile names and avatar colors, sync across devices. ## Signing In To use Cloud Sync, you need to sign in with either your Google account or Apple ID. This creates your Aerial TV cloud account that ties all your devices together. **Tip:** Use Apple Sign-In if you prefer to keep your email private. Apple provides a relay email address that forwards to your real inbox. 1. Open the Settings tab in Aerial TV. 2. Navigate to the Cloud Sync section and tap "Sign In." 3. Choose your preferred sign-in method: Google Sign-In or Apple Sign-In. 4. Follow the authentication prompts to complete the sign-in process. 5. Once signed in, your account email is displayed in the Settings screen under your profile. ## Linking Devices After signing in on your first device, you need to sign in on each additional device to link them to the same account. All devices signed in with the same account automatically sync data between them. *Note: You can link up to 10 devices to a single Aerial TV cloud account.* 1. On the new device, open Aerial TV and go to Settings > Cloud Sync. 2. Tap "Sign In." 3. Sign in with the same Google or Apple account you used on your first device. 4. The device will automatically download your existing cloud data, including favorites, playlists, profiles, and watch history. 5. From this point forward, changes made on any linked device are synced to all others. ## QR Code Device Linking for Apple TV Typing email addresses and passwords with the Apple TV remote is tedious. Aerial TV supports QR Code Device Linking, which lets you sign in on your Apple TV by scanning a QR code with your iPhone or iPad. **Tip:** Make sure your iPhone or iPad is already signed in to Aerial TV with the account you want to use on Apple TV before scanning the QR code. (/docs/qr-code-device-linking) 1. On your Apple TV, open Aerial TV and go to Settings > Cloud Sync. 2. Select "Sign In" or "Generate QR Code" — a QR code will be displayed on screen. 3. Open the camera app on your iPhone or iPad (which must already be signed in to Aerial TV). 4. Scan the QR code displayed on the Apple TV. 5. Confirm the link on your iPhone or iPad when prompted. 6. Your Apple TV will automatically sign in and begin syncing your cloud data. ## What Data Syncs Cloud Sync handles the most important parts of your Aerial TV setup so you do not have to reconfigure anything when moving between devices. **Warning:** Downloaded content is NOT synced between devices. Downloads are stored locally and must be downloaded separately on each device where you want offline access. - Playlists — Your M3U URLs and Xtream Codes API credentials, so you only enter them once. - Favorites — Favorited channels, movies, and series for each profile. - Watch Progress — How far you are through any movie or episode, so you can resume anywhere. - Continue Watching — Your recently watched items list, shared across devices. - User Profiles — All profile names, avatar colors, and per-profile settings. - Watched Markers — Episodes and movies you have marked as fully watched. ## Family Plan Requirement Cloud Sync is a premium feature available exclusively to subscribers on the Aerial TV Family plan. The Family plan also unlocks other advanced features beyond cloud sync. **Tip:** Check the Subscription & Billing guide for details on plan pricing and how to manage your subscription. (/docs/subscription-billing) - The Family plan is required to enable Cloud Sync across devices. - Free and Standard plan users can still use Aerial TV on multiple devices, but data will not sync between them. - You can upgrade to the Family plan at any time from Settings > Subscription. - When you upgrade, your existing local data (favorites, watch history) is uploaded to the cloud automatically. - If your Family plan expires, your cloud data is preserved for 90 days. Re-subscribing restores it. --- # Trakt.tv Integration *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/trakt* ## What Is Trakt? Trakt automatically tracks TV shows and movies you watch across all your apps and devices. Aerial TV integrates with Trakt so you can sync your watch history, get personalized recommendations, manage your watchlist, and see community ratings—all connected to your Trakt.tv account. **Tip:** You need a free Trakt.tv account. Create one at trakt.tv if you do not have one yet. - Two-way watch history sync — Watched movies and episodes sync between Aerial TV and Trakt. - Live scrobbling — Your progress is sent to Trakt in real-time as you watch. - Watchlist & recommendations — Items from your Trakt watchlist and personalized recommendations appear in Aerial TV, matched to your local library. - Community ratings — Trakt community ratings are shown on movie and series detail screens. ## Connecting Your Trakt Account Aerial TV uses Trakt's device authentication flow. You connect by entering a short code on the Trakt website. **Warning:** The activation code expires after 10 minutes. If it expires, cancel and start again to get a new code. 1. Open the Settings tab in Aerial TV. 2. Scroll to the Trakt section and tap "Connect with Trakt." 3. A sheet appears with your activation code (e.g. ABCD-1234) and a button to open Trakt.tv. 4. On iPhone or iPad: Tap "Open Trakt.tv" — the code is copied to your clipboard and your browser opens. Sign in to Trakt (if needed) and enter the code when prompted. 5. On Apple TV: On another device (phone or computer), go to the URL shown on screen, sign in to Trakt, and enter the code displayed on your Apple TV. 6. After you authorize the app on Trakt, Aerial TV automatically completes the connection. You will see "Connected to Trakt.tv" with your username. ## Trakt Settings Once connected, you can control how Aerial TV uses your Trakt account. - Auto-scrobble while watching — When enabled, your playback progress is sent to Trakt in real-time. Disable this if you prefer not to report what you are watching. - Sync watch history — When enabled, Aerial TV syncs your watched movies and episodes with Trakt. This runs automatically in the background and can also be triggered manually. - Sync Now — Tap to manually sync your watch history with Trakt right away. ## Watchlist & Recommendations If you have items in your Trakt watchlist or receive recommendations from Trakt, Aerial TV shows them on the Home screen. Items are matched to your local IPTV library—you only see movies and shows that exist in your playlists. *Note: Watchlist and recommendation rows only appear when you have Trakt connected and there are matching items in your library.* ## Disconnecting Trakt To stop syncing with Trakt, go to Settings > Trakt and tap "Disconnect Trakt Account." Your data remains on Trakt.tv, but Aerial TV will no longer sync. You can reconnect at any time. --- # Downloads & Offline *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/downloads-offline* ## What Can Be Downloaded? Aerial TV lets you download movies and TV series episodes to your device for offline playback. This is ideal for watching on the go when you do not have a reliable internet connection, such as on flights, commutes, or in areas with poor coverage. *Note: Download availability depends on your IPTV provider's stream format. Some streams that use DRM or certain encryption methods may not be downloadable.* - Movies — Any movie in your library can be downloaded for offline viewing. - TV Series Episodes — Individual episodes can be downloaded from the series detail view. - Live TV channels cannot be downloaded, as they are real-time streams. - Downloaded content remains available as long as it is stored on your device. ## How to Download Content Downloading content in Aerial TV is straightforward. You can initiate a download from the movie detail screen or from individual episodes within a series. **Tip:** Download content while connected to Wi-Fi to avoid using mobile data. You can restrict downloads to Wi-Fi only in Settings > Data > Manage Downloads. 1. Navigate to the movie or series episode you want to download. 2. Tap the download icon (a downward arrow) next to the title or on the detail screen. 3. The download begins immediately and a progress indicator appears on the item. 4. You can continue browsing and streaming while the download runs in the background. 5. Once complete, a checkmark replaces the download icon, indicating the content is available offline. ## Managing Your Downloads All downloaded content is accessible from the Downloads section in the app. This screen shows every item you have downloaded, along with its file size and download status. 1. Open the Settings tab, go to Data, and tap Manage Downloads to view all downloaded content. 2. Each item shows the title, file size, and whether it is fully downloaded or still in progress. 3. Swipe left on any item (or long-press on Apple TV) to reveal the delete option. 4. Tap "Delete" to remove the download and free up storage space. - Downloads in progress can be paused and resumed from this screen. - Failed downloads show an error indicator. Tap to retry the download. - Downloaded items are organized by type — movies and series episodes are grouped separately. ## Storage Usage Downloaded videos can consume significant storage space on your device. Aerial TV provides tools to help you monitor and manage how much space your downloads are using. **Warning:** If your device runs low on storage, iOS or Android may automatically remove downloaded content to free space. Keep enough free storage to prevent unexpected deletions. - The Downloads screen displays the total storage used by all downloaded content at the top. - Individual file sizes are shown next to each downloaded item. - A typical one-hour episode uses approximately 500 MB to 1.5 GB depending on video quality. - Full-length movies can range from 1 GB to 4 GB or more depending on resolution and bitrate. ## Playing Downloaded Content Offline Once content is downloaded, you can watch it without any internet connection. Aerial TV will play the local file instead of streaming from your provider. *Note: Content that has been downloaded will always play from the local file, even when you are online. This can result in faster startup times and smoother playback compared to streaming.* 1. Put your device in airplane mode or disconnect from the internet (optional — downloads play locally regardless). 2. Open Aerial TV and navigate to the downloaded movie or episode as you normally would. 3. Tap to play. Aerial TV detects the local download and plays it directly from your device storage. 4. All standard player controls are available during offline playback, including subtitles if they were included in the download. ## Deleting Downloads & Quality Settings You can delete individual downloads at any time, or clear all downloads at once. Aerial TV also provides quality settings to control the file size of future downloads. **Tip:** If you are short on storage, choose a lower download quality. The visual difference on smaller screens like iPhone is often minimal, and you will fit more content on your device. 1. To delete a single item, go to Settings > Data > Manage Downloads, swipe left on the item, and tap "Delete." 2. To delete all downloads, tap "Clear All Downloads" at the bottom of the Downloads screen and confirm. 3. To adjust download quality, go to Settings > Data > Manage Downloads and look for the quality option. 4. Choose from available quality options. Lower quality results in smaller file sizes and faster downloads, while higher quality provides better picture at the cost of more storage. --- # Video Player *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/video-player* ## Player Controls Overview Aerial TV features a full-featured video player with intuitive controls designed for every platform. Tap the screen (or press the touchpad on Apple TV) to show or hide the player overlay. The controls adapt to the device you are using, but the core functionality is the same everywhere. **Tip:** On Apple TV, swipe up on the Siri Remote touchpad during playback to reveal the info panel with audio track, subtitle, and stream quality options. - Play/Pause — Tap the center button or press the play/pause key on your remote. - Seek — Drag the progress bar to jump to a specific point, or swipe left/right on the Apple TV touchpad. - Volume — Use your device's hardware volume buttons or the on-screen volume slider. - Back 10s / Forward 10s — Tap the skip buttons for quick jumps, or double-tap the left/right edges of the screen on iPhone and iPad. - Fullscreen — Tap the expand icon to switch between fullscreen and windowed modes (iPad and Mac). - Close — Tap the X button or swipe down to exit the player and return to the previous screen. ## AVPlayer vs VLC: Choosing Your Player Backend Aerial TV gives you a choice between two video player backends: AVPlayer and VLC. Each has different strengths, and the best choice depends on the streams your IPTV provider delivers. You can switch between them at any time from Settings. *Note: You can also switch the player backend on the fly during playback by tapping the player settings icon in the control overlay.* 1. Open Settings and navigate to Playback. 2. Select your preferred player backend: AVPlayer or VLC. 3. The setting takes effect immediately for the next stream you play. - AVPlayer is Apple's native media player. It provides the best integration with iOS and tvOS features like Picture-in-Picture, AirPlay, and system media controls. - VLC is a powerful open-source media engine that supports a wider range of video codecs and container formats. - AVPlayer is the default and recommended starting point for most users. - VLC is included as a fallback for streams that AVPlayer cannot handle. ## When to Use Each Player Knowing when to use AVPlayer versus VLC can save you time troubleshooting playback issues. Here are guidelines for choosing the right player. **Tip:** If a channel or movie will not play, the first troubleshooting step is always to try the other player backend before reporting an issue. - Use AVPlayer when streams play smoothly, when you want Picture-in-Picture support, or when you need AirPlay to stream to other devices. - Use VLC if a stream shows a black screen or produces audio without video on AVPlayer. - Use VLC for streams that use less common codecs like HEVC with certain container formats, or MKV containers. - Use VLC if you experience audio sync issues with AVPlayer, as VLC has more robust audio synchronization. - Use AVPlayer for the lowest latency on live TV channels, as it connects faster on most streams. - Use VLC if you see codec errors or frequent buffering on AVPlayer — VLC handles a broader range of stream configurations. ## Audio & Subtitle Track Selection Many streams include multiple audio tracks (for different languages) and subtitle tracks. Aerial TV lets you select which audio and subtitle track to use during playback. *Note: Available audio and subtitle tracks depend entirely on what your IPTV provider embeds in the stream. If you do not see multiple options, the stream likely only includes a single audio track with no subtitles.* 1. During playback, tap the screen to show the player controls. 2. Tap the audio/subtitle icon (speech bubble or CC icon) in the control bar. 3. A panel appears listing all available audio tracks and subtitle tracks embedded in the stream. 4. Tap an audio track to switch to it. The change takes effect immediately. 5. Tap a subtitle track to enable it, or tap "Off" to disable subtitles. ## OpenSubtitles & Preferred Language If your stream does not include subtitles, Aerial TV can search for and download them from OpenSubtitles.org. Note that external subtitle search is currently only supported when using the **VLC** player backend. **Tip:** If you are using AVPlayer and need external subtitles, you can switch to VLC via the player settings menu during playback. (/docs/subtitle-settings) - OpenSubtitles Integration — Sign in to your OpenSubtitles.org account in Settings > Subtitles to enable external subtitle searching. - Search for Subtitles (VLC only) — During playback with VLC, tap the subtitle icon and select "Search on OpenSubtitles" to find and download subtitles. - Preferred Language — Set your preferred subtitle language in Settings > Subtitles. Aerial TV will prioritize this language when selecting both embedded and external subtitle tracks. - Auto-Show Subtitles — Toggle "Auto-Show Subtitles" in Settings to automatically enable the first available subtitle track in your preferred language. ## Stream Diagnostics & Picture-in-Picture Aerial TV includes a stream diagnostics overlay for troubleshooting, and supports Picture-in-Picture mode for multitasking while watching. *Note: Picture-in-Picture and AirPlay are only available when using the **AVPlayer** backend. VLC does not currently support these system features.* - Stream Diagnostics — Access the diagnostics overlay from the player settings menu during playback. It shows real-time information including resolution, bitrate, codec, buffer health, frame drops, and connection protocol. - Use diagnostics to identify whether playback issues stem from network problems (high buffer underruns) or codec problems (frame drops). - Picture-in-Picture — Tap the PiP button in the player controls to shrink the video to a floating window. This works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. - AirPlay Support — Seamlessly stream your content to Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible speakers. ## Skip Intro, Recap & Credits Save time when binge-watching series with skip buttons. Aerial TV automatically detects intros, recaps, and end credits for supported content. **Tip:** Skip segments are powered by IntroDB. If skip buttons do not appear for a specific show, the data may not yet be available or the content may need accurate IMDB metadata. - Skip Buttons — When an intro, recap, or end credit segment is detected, a skip button appears on screen. Tap to jump straight to the next segment. - Auto-Skip — Enable automatic skipping in Settings > Playback to seamlessly jump over intros and recaps without manual input. - Play Next Episode — When the end credits begin, a "Play Next" countdown appears, allowing you to jump to the next episode immediately. ## Playback Troubleshooting If you experience issues during playback, follow these steps to diagnose and resolve common problems. **Warning:** Persistent playback failures across all channels and content usually indicate an issue with your IPTV provider rather than with Aerial TV. Contact your provider to confirm your subscription is active and your credentials are correct. 1. If the stream shows a black screen, switch to the VLC player backend in Settings > Playback > Video Player. 2. If audio plays without video, try VLC — this usually indicates a codec that AVPlayer does not support. 3. If the stream buffers frequently, check your internet connection speed. IPTV streams typically require at least 10-15 Mbps for HD content. 4. If the stream freezes or stutters, open the diagnostics overlay to check for frame drops or buffer underruns. 5. If subtitles are out of sync, try switching between AVPlayer and VLC, as each handles subtitle timing differently. 6. If no streams play at all, verify your playlist is still valid in Settings > Setup > Manage Playlists. Your provider may have changed the URL or your subscription may have expired. --- # Parental Controls *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/parental-controls* ## Why Use Parental Controls IPTV playlists can contain a wide range of content, including channels and categories that may not be appropriate for younger viewers. Aerial TV includes a built-in parental controls system that lets you lock specific channel categories behind a PIN code, so only authorized users can access restricted content. - Prevent children from browsing adult or mature content categories. - Keep your playlist fully loaded while restricting access to specific sections. - Each user profile can have its own parental control settings. - PIN protection works across live channels, movies, and series categories. ## Setting Up a PIN Before you can enable parental controls, you need to create a 4-digit PIN. This PIN will be required any time someone tries to access a restricted category. **Tip:** Choose a PIN that is easy for you to remember but not obvious to children — avoid simple combinations like 1234 or 0000. 1. Open Aerial TV and go to Settings > Setup. 2. Tap on Parental Controls under the Parental Controls section. 3. You will be prompted to create a 4-digit PIN. Enter your desired PIN. 4. Re-enter the PIN to confirm it. 5. Your PIN is now saved and ready to use with parental controls. ## Enabling Parental Controls Once your PIN is set, you can enable parental controls and begin restricting content categories. When enabled, any category you mark as restricted will require your PIN to view. *Note: Parental controls apply per user profile. If you have multiple profiles set up, you will need to configure restrictions separately for each one.* 1. Go to Settings > Setup > Parental Controls. 2. Toggle the Enable Parental Controls switch to on. 3. You will see a list of all channel categories from your loaded playlists. 4. Tap on any category to mark it as restricted. A lock icon will appear next to restricted categories. 5. Repeat for all categories you wish to restrict. ## Restricting Specific Categories Aerial TV lets you choose exactly which categories to restrict rather than applying a blanket block. This gives you fine-grained control over what is accessible without a PIN. **Tip:** Review your restricted categories periodically, especially after adding a new playlist, since new playlists may introduce additional categories. - Live TV categories — Restrict specific channel groups such as adult entertainment or pay-per-view. - Movie categories — Lock genres like horror or unrated films. - Series categories — Restrict series collections that contain mature themes. - You can restrict as many or as few categories as you need. - Changes take effect immediately — no restart required. ## Accessing Restricted Content When parental controls are active, any restricted category will display a lock icon. Attempting to browse a restricted category or play content within one will trigger a PIN prompt. **Warning:** If an incorrect PIN is entered five times in a row, PIN entry will be temporarily disabled for 5 minutes to prevent guessing. 1. Navigate to a restricted category in Channels, Movies, or Series. 2. A PIN entry screen will appear asking for your 4-digit code. 3. Enter the correct PIN to temporarily unlock and view the category. 4. The category remains unlocked for the duration of your current session. Once you close the app or switch profiles, the lock is re-applied. ## Changing or Resetting Your PIN You can change your parental controls PIN at any time from the settings menu. If you have forgotten your PIN, you can reset it by verifying your identity. *Note: If you have forgotten your PIN entirely, you can reset it by deleting and reinstalling the app, or by signing out and back in to your account. Be aware that resetting this way may clear your local settings and preferences.* 1. Go to Settings > Setup > Parental Controls. 2. Tap Change PIN. 3. Enter your current PIN to verify your identity. 4. Enter your new 4-digit PIN and confirm it. 5. Your new PIN is now active and will be required for all future restricted content access. --- # Settings & Cache *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/settings-cache* ## App Settings Overview Aerial TV offers a comprehensive settings menu that lets you customize the app to suit your viewing preferences. From playback behavior and caching to appearance and language, the settings screen gives you full control over how the app works across all your devices. **Tip:** Settings are stored locally on each device by default. Subscribe to the Family plan and enable Cloud Sync to keep your settings consistent across all devices. Connect Trakt in Settings to sync your watch history with Trakt.tv. (/docs/cloud-sync) - Cache Management — Control how playlist data is stored and refreshed. - Player Preferences — Choose your default video player and auto-play behavior. - Language — Set the interface language for the app. - Appearance — Toggle between light, dark, and system-matched themes. - Trakt — Connect your Trakt.tv account for watch history sync, scrobbling, and recommendations. - Analytics — Manage your data sharing preferences. - Account & Subscription — View and manage your subscription details. ## Understanding the Cache When you load a playlist, Aerial TV caches the channel list, movie catalog, series library, and EPG (TV Guide) data locally on your device. This means the app does not need to re-download your entire playlist every time you open it, resulting in faster launch times and reduced data usage. *Note: The cache only stores metadata and images — it does not store video content. Streams are always loaded live from your IPTV provider.* - Channel and category data from your M3U or Xtream Codes playlists. - Movie and series metadata including titles, descriptions, and poster images. - EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data for the TV Guide. - Poster and thumbnail images for faster browsing. ## Adjusting Cache Expiry You can control how long cached playlist data is considered valid before the app automatically refreshes it from your IPTV provider. The cache expiry can be set anywhere from 1 hour to 168 hours (7 days). **Tip:** If your provider has recently added or removed channels and you are not seeing the changes, try lowering the cache expiry or manually clearing the cache. 1. Go to Settings > Data. 2. Locate the Cache Expiry setting. 3. Use the slider or input field to set your desired expiry time in hours (1-168). 4. The app will automatically refresh your playlist data once the cache expires. - 1-6 hours — Best if your provider updates channels frequently or you want the freshest data. - 12-24 hours — A good balance between freshness and performance for most users. - 48-168 hours — Ideal for stable playlists that rarely change, minimizing data usage and load times. ## Clearing the Cache If you are experiencing issues with outdated channel listings, missing content, or incorrect EPG data, clearing the cache forces the app to re-download all playlist data from scratch. **Warning:** Clearing the cache will cause the app to re-download all playlist data on the next launch, which may take a few moments depending on the size of your playlists and your internet connection speed. 1. Go to Settings > Data. 2. Tap Clear Cache. 3. Confirm the action when prompted. 4. The app will reload your playlists and re-download all channel, movie, series, and EPG data. ## Playback Settings Aerial TV includes a built-in video player optimized for IPTV streaming, but also supports VLC as an alternative player. You can configure these options in Settings > Playback. **Tip:** If you experience playback issues with certain channels, try switching to VLC in Settings > Playback > Video Player. VLC has broader codec support and can often play streams that the built-in player cannot. - Video Player — Choose between AVPlayer (Apple's native player) or VLC. AVPlayer works well for most streams, while VLC can handle a wider range of codecs and container formats. - Auto Play — When enabled, the app will automatically begin playing a channel or video when you select it, without requiring a separate play action. - Incognito Mode — Watch content without adding to continue watching or recent channels. Automatically resets when the app goes to background. - Streaming Diagnostics — Configure diagnostic mode and enable an overlay showing real-time stream information during playback. ## Power User Features Professional users and enthusiasts can take advantage of advanced features to customize their streaming experience and privacy. **Tip:** You can also manage which categories are visible for Channels, movies, and series in Category Management. Use PIN protection to hide specific adult or sensitive categories. - Custom User Agent — Set a custom User-Agent string for each playlist in Playlist settings. This can help bypass provider restrictions or mimic specific hardware. - Incognito Mode — Enable this in Settings > Personalization to watch content without saving to your continue watching or recent channels history. It automatically resets for privacy when the app goes to the background. - Clean Up Titles — Automatically remove quality tags (4K, HD) and provider prefixes from movie and channel titles for a cleaner, native look. - TVDB Metadata — Replace provider artwork with official posters and metadata from TheTVDB for a premium library experience. ## Advanced Playback & Buffering Fine-tune how Aerial TV handles video streams to optimize for your network conditions. **Tip:** If you experience frequent buffering, try increasing the "Forward Buffer" or "Network Cache" settings in Settings > Advanced Player Settings. - Buffer Duration — Adjust the AVPlayer forward buffer to balance between quick startup and stability on slower connections. - VLC Network Cache — Configure the network and file cache for the VLC player backend to prevent stuttering on high-bitrate streams. - Streaming Diagnostics — Enable the diagnostic overlay during playback to see real-time technical stats like bitrate, resolution, and dropped frames. - Auto-Play Next Episode — Seamlessly binge-watch series with configurable countdown timers between episodes. ## Adjusting Cache Expiry You can control how long cached playlist data is considered valid before the app automatically refreshes it from your IPTV provider. The cache expiry can be set anywhere from 1 hour to 168 hours (7 days). **Tip:** If your provider has recently added or removed channels and you are not seeing the changes, try lowering the cache expiry or manually clearing the cache. 1. Go to Settings > Data. 2. Locate the Cache Expiry setting. 3. Use the slider or input field to set your desired expiry time in hours (1-168). 4. The app will automatically refresh your playlist data once the cache expires. - 1-6 hours — Best if your provider updates channels frequently or you want the freshest data. - 12-24 hours — A good balance between freshness and performance for most users. - 48-168 hours — Ideal for stable playlists that rarely change, minimizing data usage and load times. ## Language, Analytics, and Appearance Aerial TV supports multiple interface languages, offers privacy-respecting analytics options, and lets you choose your preferred visual theme. *Note: Language settings apply to the Aerial TV interface only. Channel names, EPG data, and content descriptions come from your IPTV provider and are displayed in whatever language they provide.* - Language — Select your preferred language for the app interface. The app supports a wide range of languages and the change takes effect immediately. - Analytics — You can opt in or out of anonymous usage analytics. When enabled, Aerial TV collects anonymized data about feature usage to help improve the app. No personal information or viewing history is ever collected. - Appearance — Choose from Light, Dark, or System theme. The System option follows your device's current appearance setting, switching automatically between light and dark modes. --- # Subscription & Billing *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/subscription-billing* ## Subscription Plans Aerial TV offers two subscription tiers designed to suit individual users and families alike. Both plans unlock the full Aerial TV experience with no ads and no feature gating — the difference is in how many devices and profiles you can use, and whether cloud sync is included. - Solo Plan — Designed for individual users with a single device setup. - Family Plan — Built for households with multiple viewers and devices, with cloud sync included. - Both plans include full access to all app features: live TV, movies, series, TV Guide, downloads, parental controls, and more. - Subscriptions are billed through the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android). ## What Is Included in Each Plan Here is a breakdown of what each subscription tier includes so you can pick the right plan for your needs. **Tip:** If you use Aerial TV on more than one device — for example, an iPhone and an Apple TV — the Family plan with Cloud Sync will save you from having to set up everything twice. - Solo Plan — Unlimited playlists, all player features, TV Guide, downloads for offline viewing, parental controls, and full customization options. - Solo Plan — Supports a single user profile on one device. - Family Plan — Everything in Solo, plus support for multiple user profiles and up to 5 devices. - Family Plan — Cloud Sync keeps your favorites, watch history, continue watching progress, and settings synchronized across all linked devices via iCloud or Google account. - Family Plan — Each family member can have their own profile with personalized favorites and watch history. ## How to Subscribe Subscribing to Aerial TV is handled entirely through your device's app store, using your existing Apple ID or Google account for payment. *Note: Pricing may vary by region and is set by the App Store or Google Play Store. Aerial TV offers monthly and annual billing options — the annual plan typically offers a significant discount over monthly billing.* 1. Open Aerial TV on your device. 2. Go to Settings > Subscription, or tap the subscription banner if prompted. 3. Review the available plans — Solo and Family — along with pricing. 4. Select the plan you want and confirm the purchase through the App Store or Google Play. 5. Your subscription is activated immediately and you can begin using all features right away. ## Managing Your Subscription Since subscriptions are processed through the App Store or Google Play, you manage billing, renewal, and payment methods through your device's account settings rather than within Aerial TV itself. **Tip:** You can upgrade from Solo to Family at any time. The price difference is prorated for the remainder of your current billing period. 1. On iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app > tap your name > Subscriptions > Aerial TV. 2. On Mac, open the App Store > click your account > Manage Subscriptions. 3. On Apple TV, open Settings > Users & Accounts > your account > Subscriptions. 4. On Android, open Google Play Store > tap your profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions > Aerial TV. 5. From there you can change your plan, update payment methods, or view your next billing date. ## Restoring Purchases on a New Device If you have reinstalled Aerial TV or set it up on a new device, you may need to restore your subscription to re-activate your plan. Restoration verifies your purchase with the App Store or Google Play. **Warning:** You must use the same Apple ID or Google account that was used for the original subscription. Purchases cannot be transferred between Apple and Google accounts or across platforms. 1. Open Aerial TV on the new device. 2. Go to Settings > Subscription. 3. Tap Restore Purchases. 4. Sign in with the same Apple ID or Google account you used for the original purchase if prompted. 5. Your subscription will be verified and all features will be unlocked. ## Canceling Your Subscription You can cancel your Aerial TV subscription at any time. After cancellation, you will retain access to all subscription features until the end of your current billing period. *Note: Canceling does not issue a refund for the current billing period. If you need a refund, you must request one directly from Apple or Google through their respective support channels. Aerial TV does not process payments or refunds directly.* 1. Open your device's subscription management screen (see "Managing Your Subscription" above for instructions by platform). 2. Select Aerial TV from your active subscriptions. 3. Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm. 4. Your subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing cycle, after which it will not renew. --- # Troubleshooting *Last updated: February 2026 · Canonical: https://aerialtv.app/docs/troubleshooting* ## Channels Not Loading If your channels are not appearing or the channel list is empty after adding a playlist, the issue is usually related to your playlist URL or a temporary problem with your IPTV provider. **Tip:** If the playlist loads in a browser but not in the app, your provider may be blocking certain user agents or requiring specific headers. Contact your IPTV provider for the correct connection details. 1. Verify your playlist URL or Xtream Codes credentials are correct — even a small typo will prevent loading. 2. Check that your IPTV subscription with your provider is still active and has not expired. 3. Try opening your M3U URL directly in a web browser to confirm it returns valid playlist data. 4. Go to Settings > Setup and use Full Content Refresh or Refresh Playlist to force a fresh download of the channel list. 5. If you recently changed providers or your provider changed their URL, delete the old playlist and add the new one. ## Buffering and Playback Issues Buffering, stuttering, or streams that fail to play are the most common issues with IPTV. These problems are almost always caused by your internet connection, your IPTV provider's servers, or codec incompatibility — not the Aerial TV app itself. **Warning:** Aerial TV is a player application and does not control the quality or availability of streams. If a stream is offline or overloaded on your provider's end, no player app can fix that. 1. Check your internet connection speed. IPTV streaming typically requires at least 10-15 Mbps for stable HD playback. 2. Try switching to the VLC player in Settings > Playback > Video Player. VLC handles a wider range of stream formats and codecs. 3. If using Wi-Fi, move closer to your router or switch to a wired Ethernet connection for more stable throughput. 4. Try a different channel to determine if the issue is specific to one stream or affects all channels. 5. Clear the cache in Settings > Data > Clear Cache to ensure you have fresh stream URLs from your provider. - If only certain channels buffer, the issue is likely on your provider's side — those specific streams may be overloaded. - If all channels buffer, your internet connection is the most likely cause. - Using a VPN can sometimes help if your ISP is throttling IPTV traffic, but can also add latency. ## App Crashes or Freezes If Aerial TV is crashing on launch or freezing during use, try the following steps to resolve the issue. *Note: If the app crashes immediately on launch and you cannot access Settings, delete and reinstall the app. This clears all local data including cached playlists and preferences but does not affect your subscription.* 1. Make sure you are running the latest version of Aerial TV. Open the App Store or Google Play Store and check for updates. 2. Force close the app completely, then reopen it. 3. Go to Settings > Data and tap Clear Cache to remove any corrupted cached data. 4. Restart your device to clear any system-level issues that may be affecting performance. 5. If the problem persists, try deleting and reinstalling the app. Your subscription can be restored after reinstallation. ## Subscription Not Recognized If you are subscribed but the app is showing the free tier or prompting you to subscribe, your purchase may need to be restored or verified with the App Store or Google Play. **Tip:** On Apple devices, you can check your active subscriptions by going to the Settings app > your name > Subscriptions. On Android, open Google Play Store > your profile > Payments & subscriptions. 1. Open Aerial TV and go to Settings > Subscription. 2. Tap Restore Purchases to re-verify your subscription with the store. 3. Ensure you are signed in with the same Apple ID or Google account that was used to purchase the subscription. 4. Check that your subscription is still active in your device's subscription management settings. 5. If restoration fails, restart the app and try again — store verification can occasionally experience temporary delays. ## Cloud Sync Not Working Cloud Sync requires the Family plan and an active iCloud or Google account sign-in. If your favorites, watch history, or settings are not syncing across devices, check the following. *Note: Cloud Sync may take a few moments to propagate changes across devices, especially on the first sync or after adding a large number of favorites. Give it a minute or two before troubleshooting further.* 1. Confirm you are subscribed to the Family plan. Cloud Sync is not available on the Solo plan. 2. Verify that you are signed in to the same iCloud account (Apple) or Google account (Android) on all devices you want to sync. 3. Check that iCloud Drive is enabled on your Apple devices (Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Drive). 4. Ensure your device has an active internet connection — sync requires connectivity to upload and download changes. 5. Try toggling Cloud Sync off and back on in Aerial TV Settings > Cloud Sync. ## Trakt Connection Issues If you are having trouble connecting your Trakt account or your watch history is not syncing, try these steps. *Note: Trakt watchlist and recommendations only show items that exist in your local IPTV library. If you do not see a Trakt item, it may not be available in your playlists.* **Tip:** See the Trakt.tv Integration guide for full setup instructions. (/docs/trakt) 1. Ensure you have a valid Trakt.tv account. Create one at trakt.tv if needed. 2. The activation code expires after 10 minutes. If it expires, cancel and tap "Connect with Trakt" again to get a new code. 3. Make sure you complete the authorization on the Trakt website — the app waits for you to enter the code and approve the connection. 4. On Apple TV, use another device (phone or computer) to visit the Trakt activation URL and enter the code shown on your TV. 5. If sync seems stuck, go to Settings > Trakt and tap "Sync Now" to trigger a manual sync. 6. Check that "Sync watch history" and "Auto-scrobble" are enabled if you want progress and history to sync. ## Contacting Support If none of the above solutions resolve your issue, the Aerial TV support team is here to help. When reaching out, providing detailed information will help us diagnose and resolve your problem faster. **Tip:** Taking a screenshot or screen recording of the issue can be extremely helpful and often speeds up the support process. - Email support at the address listed on the Aerial TV website or in the app under Settings > About. - Include your device model and operating system version (e.g., iPhone 16, iOS 18.3). - Describe the issue in detail — what you were doing, what happened, and any error messages you saw. - Mention whether the issue is reproducible or intermittent. - If the issue involves playback, note which player you are using (built-in or VLC) and whether the problem affects all channels or specific ones. - Never share your IPTV provider credentials in the initial support email — we will request them securely if needed. ---