Apple TV

Is the Apple TV app safe?

Yes. The Apple TV app, and the Apple TV subscription inside it, are about as low-risk as streaming gets. Apple's App Store label has no "Data Used to Track You" section, the Android TV version shares no data with third parties according to Google Play, Apple Originals carry no ads, and sign-in uses an Apple Account with two-factorTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary login. We score it 78/100, level with Apple Music (78) and well above Netflix (65).

What holds it back is not tracking by other companies but how much Apple itself records: everything you play, in the Apple TV app and in streaming apps you connect to it.

What Apple records when you watch

Apple's privacy page for the app is specific. Apple collects what you buy, download and watch, and where in each title you paused, on every device signed in to your Apple Account. If you let a third-party app connect to the Apple TV app, Apple also stores what you watch in that app and whether you subscribe. It keeps a detailed history of all playback for the Apple TV subscription and Apple TV Channels.

That history powers Continue Watching and recommendations. It also has other uses. Films and shows you buy help target Apple's own ads in the App Store, Apple News and Stocks, unless you turn off Personalized Ads. If you let the app use your location, it may show local ads in some content. Content owners get viewing and transaction data that Apple calls non-personal, with age group and gender that may be inferred from your name and salutation. Aggregate search queries are used to tune Apple's search model.

The App Store label matches. Coarse location is the only item listed for third-party advertising. Purchases, email, phone number, IDs and viewing activity are listed for Apple's own marketing, and payment details for app functionality and analytics.

Ads and the subscription

Apple TV+ became simply Apple TV in October 2025, so the app and the subscription now share a name. Apple's listing says Apple Originals and weekly new releases have no ads. Speaking in November 2025, Eddy Cue, Apple's head of services, said there was no ad-supported plan, though he did not rule one out. Live sport is different: Apple sells ads in some games, such as MLS matches.

Smart TVs and other devices

The app runs on smart TVs, streaming sticks and Android TV as well as Apple devices. Apple's privacy page says it shares some data with the maker of a non-Apple device so the app works there, such as whether you subscribe. On supported devices you can also choose to share what you watch, buy or rent with the platform, and some makers use it for their own recommendations. You can turn that off in the Apple TV app settings on the device. Clearing your Apple TV history does not remove data a TV maker already holds.

Accounts, history and children

Two-factor authenticationTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary is the default for most Apple Accounts, so a stolen password is not enough to sign in, and Apple's bounty pays up to $2 million for the worst flaws. We found no breach of Apple TV data.

You get real controls over history. Clear Play History removes past playback from your account, Use Play History stops a device feeding recommendations, and Personalized Recommendations can be turned off for your whole account. Retention is long, though: Apple keeps purchase and download records for at least 10 years, 30 in China, and browsing and searches for up to two years.

For children, protection comes from the device rather than the app. Screen Time's Content & Privacy Restrictions can cap film and TV ratings on a child's iPhone or iPad. The store sells and rents films of every rating, so set limits before a child uses a device signed in to your account.

How we scored it

Regulatory record (86) and scams and harmful content (82) are the strongest factors: no fine or order names the app, the content is licensed, and nobody can contact your child. Security (80) reflects default two-factorTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary login and Apple's bounty. Privacy (72) is the weakest, because Apple logs viewing across connected apps, uses purchases for its own ads and passes inferred demographics to content owners.