The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

How to sign up to Apple TV+ for a free trial and what to watch

Watch these top shows to make the most out of your subscription

Steve Hogarty
Thursday 11 January 2024 16:59 GMT
<p>The free seven-day trial is back, so you can dip your toes into great shows before you commit to spending £8.99 per month </p>

The free seven-day trial is back, so you can dip your toes into great shows before you commit to spending £8.99 per month

Launched in 2019, Apple TV+ stood apart from other streaming services with a strong focus on producing original and exclusive new programming, rather than licensing existing shows and movies.

The platform soon racked up awards for shows like Severance, Slow Horses and Ted Lasso, which can only be watched on Apple TV+. Since 2020, the streaming service began including more third-party content from film and television studios to bolster its back catalogue and keep pace with rival platforms.

Apple TV+ costs £8.99 per month and comes with a free seven-day trial, so you can try out a few shows before you commit. Apple TV+ can also be added to an Apple One subscription (from £18.95 per month, Apple.com), which bundles services like iCloud, Apple Music and Apple Fitness into a single subscription.

If you’re considering signing up for Apple TV+ but still aren’t sure if it’s right for you, head to the Apple website to check out its growing library of entertainment. And if you’re stuck on what to watch, we’ve rounded up the best shows on Apple TV+.

How to sign up for Apple TV+

Signing up for Apple TV+ couldn’t be easier. Simply head to the Apple website and complete the sign-up process using a browser.

You can also download the free Apple TV app (Android / iOS) or on smart TVs, consoles or other smart devices and complete the sign-up process there. Apple’s iPhones, iPads and TV devices all come with the app included.

Is there an Apple TV+ free trial?

Yes, there is. Apple TV+ recently reintroduced a seven-day free trial for new viewers.

If you’ve recently purchased a qualifying Apple product you might also be eligible for a three-month Apple TV+ subscription. This offer must be redeemed within 90 days of purchasing the product.

Read more: How to sign up to Disney+ and what shows are on it

How to watch Apple TV+ for free

There are also other ways to watch Apple TV+ at no extra cost. If a family member already has a subscription to the streaming service and you are included on their family plan you will be given access to the same viewing privileges as them. Up to six accounts can be shared on the same subscription.

Apple TV+ makes some of its premieres free to watch online, giving you a taste of shows like Slow Horses, Pachinko and Tehran before diving into the full box set.

What to watch on Apple TV+

Servant

The fourth and final season of M. Night Shyamalan’s horror series Servant has just arrived on Apple TV+, so now’s a good time to dive back into the first season and catch up. The dark thriller tells the story of a family torn apart by the loss of a child, only to have the kid mysteriously arrive back on the scene in true Shyamalan fashion.

Criminal Record

A brand new show for 2024, Criminal Record sees Peter Capaldi assume the role of a grizzled Met Police copper who’s dragged into a cold murder case by an upstart young detective, played by The Good Wife’s Cush Jumbo.

Ted Lasso

The runaway success for Apple TV+ is the Emmy award-winning Ted Lasso, Jason Sudeikis’s feel-good comedy about a hapless American football coach hired to manage a British football team.

Ted Lasso on Apple TV+

Severance

Another huge hit on Apple TV+ is the excellent Severance, a sci-fi thriller starring Adam Scott and set in a world in which office workers can choose to undergo experimental brain surgery to split their work lives and personal lives in two.

The Morning Show

The Morning Show is another critically acclaimed show that boasts an A-list cast, including Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. It is a workplace drama set inside a news production company amid the #MeToo movement.

Pachinko

Pachinko, meanwhile, is a poignant multigenerational saga spanning 100 years of history and chronicling the story a Korean immigrant family in Japan.

Slow Horses

Fans of schlocky British spy thrillers will adore Slow Horses, which stars Gary Oldman as the soused head of a dead-end department of MI5 rejects.

Silo

A recent addition to the platform is Silo, a human-focused sci-fi mystery series in which society has been driven underground after an unknown event rendered the Earth’s surface uninhabitable.

For kids

If you have children, Apple TV+ also has a number of kids’ shows, such as The Snoopy Show and the reboot of Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock.

Movies

Some movies are also available exclusively on Apple TV+, such as the Oscar-winning film Coda, about a young child of deaf parents who must balance helping her family keep their fishing business afloat with her new-found passion for singing.

Martin Scorsese’s box office hit Killers of the Flower Moon is also available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.

Read more: How much does Netflix cost in UK and US and what’s included?

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on TVs and other tech offers, try the links below:

Read more about TV streaming services:

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in