Turner Classic Movies Launches 'Watch TCM' tvOS App With Thousands of Classic Films on Demand

Alongside a major version 3.0 update that rolled out to its iOS app [Direct Link] earlier this week, Turner Classic Movies has also expanded support for its "Watch TCM" app to tvOS devices. Now the app can be downloaded to the fourth-generation Apple TV and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K, with thousands of classic films available on demand.

tcm atv
You'll need to have TCM already on your current cable or satellite TV package, and then once you sync the app to your log-in information you'll get access to its content. This includes two live streams for the east and west coast feed of Turner Classic Movies in addition to the on-demand movies.

Turner Classic Movies presents WATCH TCM, a “TV Everywhere” service that lets you enjoy unlimited access to the best of TCM, at no additional cost with your TV subscription. Not your ordinary “TV Everywhere” service, WATCH TCM is a content rich and in-depth movie companion that lets you experience the richly textured world of classic movies that only Turner Classic Movies can bring you.

The company says this back catalog includes "nearly every title playing on TCM," including introductions by special hosts like Ben Mankiewicz. Both live and on-demand movies are presented uncut, commercial free, and in their original aspect ratios.

The app also features articles, cast and crew information, photo galleries, short films, film collections ("Birthday Tributes", "31 Days of Oscar", "Silent Sunday Nights", etc.) and more. All of the films can be added to your Watchlist so you can keep an organized list of what you want to watch next, but the app doesn't appear to integrate with Apple's TV app as of yet.

Watch TCM differs from Turner Classic Movies' film streaming service "FilmStruck" since it connects to your pre-existing cable subscription. FilmStruck is a standalone subscription service that starts at $6.99/month and raises to $8.25/month ($99 billed annually) and includes most of TCM's classic films as well as the Criterion Collection. The app first debuted on the fourth-generation Apple TV in late 2016.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...

Top Rated Comments

Apple_Robert Avatar
96 months ago
Come on, Directv Now.


TCM is one of the few channels worth watching, in my opinion.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
picaman Avatar
96 months ago
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dyt1983 Avatar
96 months ago
dupe post plz delete
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lord Hamsa Avatar
96 months ago
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
I'm not sure about "woefully incomplete". There are very glaring omissions (like Turner), but it's an extensive list ('https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/directv-now/KM1222524'):


* ABC, A&E, AMC
* BBC America, BTN2GO (Big Ten Network), BET, Bravo Now
* CBS, CMT, CNBC, CSN Bay Area, CSN California, CSN Chicago, CSN Mid-Atlantic, CSN New England, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel
* Disney, Disney Jr., Disney XD, DIY Network
* E! Now, ESPN (Watch ESPN)
* Food Network, FOX Now, FOX Sports Go, Freeform, FX Now, FYI
* HGTV, History, HBO GO® (requires HBO subscription)
* IFC
* Lifetime, LOGO
* MAX GO® (requires Cinemax subscription), MLB Network (Web only), MLB.com At Bat (app only), MSNBC Now, MTV
* National Geographic, NBC, NBC BayArea, NBC California, NBC Chicago, NBC Golf, NBC Mid-Atlantic, NBC New England, NBC Sports, Nick, Nick Jr.
* Olympic Channel, Oxygen Now
* Paramount Network
* Showtime Anytime, SNY (Via NBC Sports), Sprout Now, Sundance TV (Web only), SYFY Now
* Telemundo Now, Travel Channel, TV Land
* UNIVERSO NOW, Univision, Univision-Deportes, Univision NOW, USA NOW
* VH1, Viceland, WEtv
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CentralOffice Avatar
96 months ago
Again, they didn’t let Filmstruck beat them... they ARE Filmstruck.
I feel like an a$$hat now lol but I’m glad I’m wrong. They should be the ones to do it.
[doublepost=1529765913][/doublepost]
The above makes no sense:
"Here’s another TV programmer that wants to sell you TV, over the web, without signing up for a pay TV bundle: Time Warner’s Turner is going to launch an on-demand service for movie buffs next fall.

Turner has a name for the service — FilmStruck — and says it will be managed by the people behind its Turner Classic Movies network. It’s supposed to feature an “eclectic mix of contemporary and classic art house, indie, foreign and cult films."
Now Turner wants to sell you a web video service, too ('https://www.recode.net/2016/4/26/11586398/turner-filmstruck-criterion-subscription')

"FilmStruck is a film streaming service from Turner Classic Movies which caters to cinephiles and focuses on rare, classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent cinema."

Filmstruck ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FilmStruck')

You don't even need to reference the links above, it's right there in the main article:
Thanks for the comprehensive tear down of my misinformed post. I’m glad to be wrong — Turner should be the one anyway so this is a good thing. I’ve been eyeing starting a free trial to test it I’m a moderate classic movie fan.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarHeadz Avatar
96 months ago
Add me to the list of disappointed for NOW, no DIRECTV NOW!
I also wish Directv now had a west coast feed. It’s a little annoying to be in California and watching shows on EST
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)