Disney Plus on Apple TV — everything you need to know

Disney Plus on Apple TV
(Image credit: WhatToWatch.com)

Apple TV is some of the best streaming hardware you can buy. And Disney Plus has quickly become one of the best streaming services, with more than 120 million subscribers worldwide. So Disney Plus on Apple TV? It just makes sense.

And truth be told, Disney Plus is the perfect service to have on Apple TV because they both support all the features you want in a home entertainment package. Apple TV 4K supports 4K resolution, and Disney Plus streams the best of its content in 4K resolution. Apple TV 4K supports Dolby Vision for HDR, and so does Disney Plus. Same, too, for Dolby Vision, which gives you even better audio quality. (As long as you also have a speaker setup that supports Atmos.)

Disney Plus on Apple TV is pretty much a no-brainer at this point. But let's break it down. Here's everything you need to know about watching Disney Plus on Apple TV.

Apple TV 4K 2021 model

Apple TV 4K is the perfect match for Disney Plus. (Image credit: WhatToWatch.com)

Which Apple TV is best for Disney Plus?

In our minds, there best Apple TV that you should be considering is the Apple TV 4K

Apple TV 4K is best for Disney Plus for the same reasons we mentioned above. It's got all the specs you want in a modern streamer — 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision — and it's powered by the A10X processor, which still has CPU cycles to spare. That is to say that the overall experience of using Apple TV remains better than just about everything else out there. The Apple TV HD is the next best option

How to watch Disney Plus on Apple TV with the app

The best way to watch Disney Plus on Apple TV is to use the Disney Plus app. That'll get you all the shows and movies — as well as all the information and extras that go with them — in one place. The app also lets you lean back and watch things in a proper living room environment with a good remote control. (Just not the Apple TV remote control, which is still pretty awful.)

Yes, you can use the Disney Plus app on your iPhone or iPad and use AirPlay to shoot the video onto your Apple TV, but that's really an extra step and just not the way to do things. If you've got an Apple TV (which is why you're reading this in the first place), then you should watch Disney Plus on Apple TV using the Disney Plus app.

Here's how to get the Disney Plus app on Apple TV:

  1. Go to the App Store on your Apple TV.
  2. Search for "Disney+."
  3. Select the little cloud download button.
  4. Click Open.
  5. You now have the choice to either sign up for Disney Plus or to use an existing login.

When it comes to logging in, you have a couple of options. The most obvious is to just use whatever remote you've got and the on-screen keyboard and have at it.

The even-easier option requires an iPhone and the iOS Disney Plus app. If you're logged in to Disney Plus on your phone, just open the app and your iPhone and Apple TV will talk to each other. You'll automatically be logged in to Disney Plus on Apple TV. Very cool.

Disney Plus app with AirPlay to Apple TV

Disney Plus on Apple TV via AirPlay 2. (Image credit: WhatToWatch.com)

Watch Disney Plus on Apple TV with AirPlay

OK, fine. You want to do things the hard way. Here's how to watch Disney Plus on Apple TV using AirPlay from an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

  1. Open the Disney Plus app and find something you want to watch.
  2. Start playing it.
  3. Tap (or click) the AirPlay icon.
  4. Choose the Apple TV you want to watch the video on.
  5. Sit back and wonder why you didn't just watch Disney Plus on the Apple TV app in the first place.
Phil Nickinson

Phil spent his 20s in the newsroom of the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, his 30s on the road for AndroidCentral.com and Mobile Nations and is the Dad part of Modern Dad.