When you update to iOS 10.2, the old Videos app is deleted and replaced by the TV app. If you try to sync videos from a computer using iTunes — such as a movie or TV show — they are supposed to show up in the TV app in the Library tab at the bottom. But as I was transferring some videos from my computer to my old iPhone (which my son now uses without a SIM card), whenever I tapped the Library tab in the TV app the screen said “No Videos.” That made no sense because I knew that I had indeed transferred the videos. For example, if I went to Settings -> General -> Storage & iCloud Usage -> Manage Storage (under “Storage”) -> TV, each of the movies that I had downloaded to the iPhone were listed. They were on the iPhone, and were taking up space on the iPhone, but did not show up in the TV app and thus could not be played.
I found the solution after digging around for a while on Apple’s online support discussions. It turns out that in iOS 10.2, you need to install something that you bought from iTunes before you can watch something that you transferred from a computer. This is obviously a bug, but there is a work-around that you can use until Apple fixes this. If you go to the bottom of the TV app and tap on the Store icon, you can scroll to the bottom to see buttons to press that will let you buy content from iTunes. I recommend that you tap Free Episodes. That opens up the iTunes app, and if you download anything — including something that is free — the TV app works. For example, I downloaded a very short trailer under the “Free Featurettes” section. After you buy or get something, go back to the TV app and now you should be able to tap the Library button at the bottom of the screen and you will see all of your transferred content.
Finally, I noticed that after I added more movie content to the iPhone, I would sometimes have to force quit the TV app and launch it again to see the additional downloaded content.
Hopefully this fix works for others too. And if anyone finds a better work-around, please post about it in the comments. I assume this bug will be fixed in the next iOS update, but who knows how long that will take to come out.
Thanks for this. It’s a bit of a basic error on the part of Apple though.
It’s also incredibly buggy if don’t have an internet connection. Good luck watching your videos on the airplane!
Great solution worked as a charm, thanks body
Is it also working when you are not connected to the wifi ? For example in a plane ?
Yes. Once I did this fix, I could use the TV app on a plane with no Wi-Fi to watch a video that I downloaded to my device.
-Jeff
On the other hand, for other countries with TV app disabled, the old Video app will display all purchased videos even Show iTunes Purchases is turned off from settings. It’s a mess
I am trying to watch my downloaded tv shows right now on China Airlines..will not work, Though a downloaded movie does work. Help!
Thanks so much…in flight …now have tv.
I did exactly as described, but did NOT work for me, unfortunately. VERY frustrating on the plane yesterday.
Yes and no for me, Jeff. If I’ve been on the Internet, then disconnect, you can still access your videos, movies or downloaded shows. But if you ever disconnect from the internet for a few hours (try overnight), all you’ll get is a white screen. I’m going on a cruise and already paid for and downloaded some movies from them only to see (after several home tests and a dozen at-work tests) that I can’t access my videos/movies/shows without an internet connection. What good is that when at sea? I was on the phone off and on with a senior Apple advisor for FIVE HOURS and we’re still trying to figure out what’s wrong. And it’s NOT my iPad, that has been confirmed. I wish I could restore back to IOS 9. Nothing was wrong with it before this Apple TV app. I hate it. And don’t get me started on my own personal videos that aren’t even showing up in the library. Yes, I know how to get them back using my MacBook, but it should be a big to-do, you know? (Glad it all worked out for you, though!)
Faith Hicks, I’m have the same problem also, i have to keep connecting it to wifi to see my movies. your correct after the ipad is disconnected from wifi no movies show. I wish they would fix this.
I had this kind of problem too but i think i figured out a solution for iPhone 5s. i ended up buying a used iPhone on craigslist, synced my movies to my phone but when i would first open TV app it would just show a loading screen then would go blank. after repeating it for awhile nothing just a blank screen then i found something online saying “delete the app then reinstall it again” did that and it would open up normally. it was working perfectly even without internet after syncing but after jailbreaking it my TV app looked different and it was telling my i needed internet to watch my movies, at first i thought it was something to do with the jailbreak but i just deleted the app again and reinstalled it and it opened perfectly like when i first got the iPhone but i had to sync some of my movies back to my iPhone. but now it plays even without internet. i don’t know if this will work on all iphones but it worked on my 5s ios 10.2 i don’t know if this will help but just wanted to share
I have the perfect solution: Strip the DRM from all iTunes movies, then import to a Microsoft or Android device. Works perfectly fine, and we need to send Apple a message to get back to quality control!
I just got off a flight and found out the hard why I had the same problem watching anything that was downloaded on the new TV app. Just tried this fix, and to test switched over to airplane mode while at home – the free movie trailer I downloaded now appears along with the content I already paid for. Thank you for posting this – huge help.
BTW this app works even worse than the issues listed above for me. It will only show half of my purchased content on my US iTunes account, while the other half of the US iTunes content is only available when I’m logged into the Australian store. I’ve also lost the ability to remove my downloads without connecting to iTunes, and the app often crashes.
Also right now the app is corrupted, showing **TV.Libary** and **TV.Button.SeeAll* instead of regular text. The app is a joke.
ugh this app is the WORST, like everyone else i can’t play my already-downloaded content (visible in storage so definitely there) unless i’m connected to the internet, but as i am not using an iphone i don’t even have the option of a cellular-data-based workaround, i need wifi and only then can i watch my stuff. (plus the app just sucks as far as no longer being able to delete watched content from within the app, the forced grid view, no more screen rotation while playing content, etc.) this is such b.s.. and removing the videos app from the app store just adds insult to injury. i too have spent hours on the phone with apple support and they’re as baffled and frustrated as i am. what the EFF, apple?! PLEASE FIX THIS OR AT LEAST GIVE US BACK THE VIDEOS APP!!! (knowing this is shouting into the void i have also submitted this comment to ipad and ipod touch feedback, please, everyone who has a moment should do this too, apple support told me that’s the best way to try to communicate problems like this, without a fair amount of negative feedback this may never be fixed.) what garbage but also what a relief to know i’m not alone in my suffering. dang it all.
okay, i moved all of my content from the tv app to vlc and it’s been fine, so i guess i’ll just stick with vlc from here out. my only complaint is the funky way the content is listed (reverse alphabetical, and for completely unfathomable reasons certain shows don’t register as shows at all, so i have to revert to “all files” display rather than “tv shows”).
but at least i don’t need the internet to access my already-downloaded/-synced content, and i can delete watched files from within the app instead of navigating through settings/storage/etc. i would still prefer for the videos app to be resurrected, or the tv app overhauled, but for now vlc is an easy free workaround to tv app’s numerous problems.
I found that turning on airplane mode forces the tv app to display videos only on the device. Tested it a few times. If I turn it off in a no service area, nothing is displayed. But as soon as airplane mode is turned on it goes back to showing me the episodes of archer which are downloaded to my SE. I hope this helps some of you who are having trouble with your downloaded programs not showing up without a connection.
Thanks. Turning off airplane mode worked for me.
Been having this problem for months. Nothing is watchable while offline, including home movies of my kids. I can see the spinning circle as my iPhone 6 tries to connect somewhere. . . I think the problem is actually in iTunes, not the phones or iPads iOS. All of my video content is now listed in the iTunes sidebar under a heading called “Downloads” or “Downloaded” I own virtually NOTHING downloaded (at least from Apple) but it has replicated my entire video library in to a “Downloaded” section. On my iPhone, the top bold header on the screen reads “Downloaded” instead of Library.
WTF Apple?
I saw a fix about downloading a free sample trailer from the iTunes store. That is the ONLY thing that will successfully play offline. It’s all backwards!!!
STILL an ongoing issue even after multiple updates since the TV App’s inception you would think it would have been fixed by now to be able to see your library when offline if it hasnt been opened arghhhh
I solved this issue by clicking the “Library” drop down and selecting “Home Videos”.
If it’s completely empty and you don’t even see the Home Videos option:
Open Settings | TV.
Scroll down to the bottom and select Clear Play History.
Acknowledge the prompt to continue.
Return to the TV app and the Library will now shoe Home Videos and all your personal downloaded videos.
I have no “clear play history” option…
the point of this thread is we have no “home videos” option, it’s not showing…
I’m so confused, when I go in the store, there is no section for “free” and even when I click anything else, it says “safari cannot open the page because the address is invalid”
I had this problem too, but it was because I had turned off the “Allow” settings for movies and tv with the Parental Controls. Once I changed it back to Allow, the Home Videos appeared.