Apple tv doesnt remember where i left off

Support & Troubleshooting

Apple TV app.

I’m watching a recorded show, pause the show, turn off the Apple TV to go do something. When I come back and start everything off the show restarts from the beginning instead of picking up where I left off. With a 3-hr game that can be a lot of 10-second fast forwards to get back to where I left off.

I see a similar problem with the latest Apple TV client. If you join a recording while it is in progress, not only will you end up always at the current recording point, but it’s basically impossible to get back to the beginning, as the timeline isn’t functional. It doesn’t matter if you chose the recording from the timeline, the recording page, or just choose the channel that’s recording.

On the other hand, since the latest update, I haven’t had a single instance of the recording sometimes jumping back 10 seconds after you start it, so there is some progress…

We’re currently tracking this issue in this thread. We’re working to reproduce the issue and determine its root cause, but don’t have an ETA on a resolution just yet. We’ll be sure to post any updates as they come.

It is happening on mine as well. But I’m on a Beta firmware. When I stop a show and come back it starts from the beginning.

This is not the same issue. The one you linked to is about starting watching a show that is in the midst of recording. This issue is regarding a show that has been recorded. When I pause watching it to take a break it doesn’t remember where I left off, it starts from the beginning of the show.

Hi @tecumsa and @JohnBoy5562,

Both issues look to have been related to the same bug, and we have since discovered a common factor in those users experiencing them and have successfully reproduced them internally.

A fix is now in progress.

Is there an estimated delivery date for this fix? The problem has existed for a couple of months now. The inability to resume where you left off or move around in a live recording severely limits the usefulness of the Tablo. Thank you.

This problem happens to me, too. It’s always worked fine but started happening about 4-6 weeks ago. It’s a big problem!

A fix is on the way:

Hi folks - A new update to Tablo’s app for Apple TV is on the way. Your Apple TV should update automatically in the coming day or so, but you can check the Apple App store for the update now. Here’s what you can expect… Tablo Apple TV App Update (v. 2.4.0) Fix for playback of in-progress recordings Fix for issue where play position of partially viewed recordings was not retained Other bug fixes & performance improvements [tablo_appletv_resume_recording] As always, if you have any …

I know we’ve ragged on you about this problem for a couple months, only feel it’s fair to acknowledge the fix. Mine downloaded last night and it’s working perfectly now. Many thanks.

2 Likes

Is there a way to change this so that it does ?

Edit: an awesome Redditor pointed out that it was likely my user history settings were switched off. And they were. When I switched that setting on, all works as expected now. 👍

If you’re new to Apple TV, you may need a couple of days to get familiar with the UI and the features available on the platform. But even long-time users may sometimes have trouble finding specific settings and options. For example, many users have complained that Apple TV doesn’t have a straightforward resume option. If you pause a video on Apple TV, you often have to start over, you can’t continue where you left off.

Let’s explore if there’s a specific setting you need to enable to continue from the paused sequence.

How Do I Resume a Movie or TV Show on Apple TV?

To resume a movie or TV show on Apple TV, select the Up Next option in the Watch Now tab. The Apple TV app stores your viewing history and progress online linking this information directly to your Apple ID account. The episodes you already watched have a checkmark next to them.

As you can see, Apple TV doesn’t have a straightforward resume option similar to that available on Roku, Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.

Unfortunately, the Up Next option may sometimes stop working, to users’ despair. For example, if you watch Apple TV on Roku and pause an episode, you only have the “Play this episode” option when you go back. You then need to start over from the beginning and fast-forward to where you left off.

What to Do if You Can’t Resume an Episode on Apple TV

• Go to iPhone Settings, select Apple TV settings, and then sign into Home Sharing. The option is available at the bottom of the screen.
• Delete the Apple TV app, restart your media streaming device, reinstall the app, sign back in, and check the results.
• Navigate to iPhone Settings, select Apple TV, and turn on Use Play History.
  
  Then, sign out of iTunes, and enable Airplane Mode. Wait for 30 seconds, go back online, and sign back into your account. Check if all your movies and TV shows are synced up.
• Update the software on your iPhone, streaming device, and smart TV to the latest version. Install the latest Apple TV app version, and check the results.

Conclusion

To resume an episode on Apple TV, go to the Watch Now tab, and select Up Next. If the feature is not working, go to iPhone Settings, and enable Use Play History. Additionally, delete the Apple TV app, restart your media streaming device, and reinstall the app.

Do you think Apple should add a user-friendly resume option to Apple TV? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Apple products always have a brilliant design and are made to be as user-friendly as possible. The same holds for my Apple TV. However, when I first got my hands on the Apple TV I was infuriated since the shows didn’t resume where I left off. Skipping through scenes each time was a hassle and the inconvenience put the thoughts of buying a Google TV or Amazon Fire Stick in my head.

While the latest Apple TV 4K resumes just fine, older versions and old software don’t show the resume option. To get the resume functionality you may need to update your Apple TV or go through your watch history. 

Let’s dig a bit deeper into the problem and figure out the solutions. 

The Software Bug

Apple always designs its user interface with user-friendliness at the forefront. Even my grandpa has an easier time using the Apple TV instead of Google TV or Amazon FireStick. That’s why it’s puzzling when an obvious and necessary feature like resuming your favorite shows is missing. 

However, Apple does have this option on the latest Apple TV. Turns out that when I encountered this problem I was on an older software version. Like me, if you’ve been on tvOS 14.3 or 14.4, you have faced the same situation. That’s because there was a bug on those versions of tvOS that hid the resume option. 

To fix this issue you need to upgrade or downgrade your Apple TV to a software version that doesn’t have this bug. To upgrade the software to the latest version:

https://youtu.be/cPmIMl6ahZk

• Use the Apple TV remote and open the Settings app. 
• From here scroll down and go to System>Software Updates>Update Software. 
• If there is a new software version, you would be prompted for downloading it. Select Download and Install on prompt. 
• After the software is updated and Apple TV reboots, the resume option should work perfectly. 

On the other hand, if you’re on the latest software version and the bug has popped up again, you can factory reset the Apple TV and downgrade to an older software version that didn’t have the bug. Here’s how you can do it:

https://youtu.be/ivYhW35Mn74

• Go to Settings, scroll down, and select System.
• Go down and choose Reset.
• On the next screen, choose Reset instead of Rest and Update. 
• You’ll be prompted again and after you choose Reset, your Apple TV will be factory reset and you would have to set it up again. At least, you don’t have to use it without the resume option. 

Viewing History 

Even if you don’t have the resume option and decide to stick to the buggy software version, you can resume watching your shows from your viewing history. However, this only works if you have enabled iCloud syncing. 

You can find your watching history on the Watch Now tab. Here’s how you can access it:

• With the Apple TV turned on, navigate down to the “Watch Now” tab. 
• Choose Up Next and you’ll find viewing history linked to your Apple ID. Shows you have watched will have a checkmark beside them. 
• To resume watching a movie or a show, select a show from the page or use the Search bar. 
• Select the show you last watched and you’ll get the option of Continue Watching. Click on it and resume watching.  

 Conclusion

You shouldn’t have to use the Viewing History method for resuming where you left off when you pay top dollar for your streaming device. When I encounter such bugs, I report them to the devs via the Feedback Assistant app so that they can solve them as quickly as possible. I hope this article was helpful to you.