Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 27 today, introducing a highly anticipated new feature in the Apple TV app: automatic downloads of upcoming episodes. Discovered by Aaron Perris, this update aims to streamline the viewing experience for users who watch series on the go.
How automatic download works
The new option is located in the "TV" section of the Settings app. When enabled, the Apple TV app automatically downloads the next two episodes of any show that the user has started in the "Continue Watching" row. Apple explains: "The next 2 episodes of shows you start in Continue Watching will automatically download, then delete once you finish." This ensures that users always have the next episodes available for offline viewing, and the files are removed after watching to free up storage.
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Step-by-step activation guide
To enable the feature, open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 27 beta 4. Scroll down to the "TV" section and tap "Automatic Downloads." Toggle the switch on. From then on, whenever you play an episode from "Continue Watching," the following two episodes will begin downloading in the background. Once you finish an episode, the corresponding download is automatically deleted. Note that this feature only applies to titles in the "Continue Watching" list, not to individual episodes selected manually.
User experience benefits
This feature is particularly useful for frequent travelers or anyone with limited data plans. Users can now start a series at home, continue watching on the subway, and finish it at a hotel without worrying about manual downloads or buffering. The feature integrates seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem, leveraging iOS's background download capabilities and intelligent storage management. Apple has also optimized energy consumption to minimize battery drain during automatic downloads.
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Availability and future of iOS 27
Currently, the functionality is limited to developers enrolled in the beta program. It is expected that iOS 27 beta 4 will be followed by a public beta in the coming weeks, ahead of the official release scheduled for September. Other iOS 27 features include Siri interface improvements and new augmented reality APIs. The automatic download in the Apple TV app is one of many enhancements Apple is testing to make the operating system more responsive to user needs.
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For technical details about the operating system, refer to the Wikipedia page for iOS: iOS on Wikipedia.
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/20/ios-27-beta-4-adds-a-useful-apple-tv-app-feature-heres-how-it-works
