Hey there fellow TV and movie buff! Do you ever struggle to keep track of all the great shows and films you want to watch? Or get frustrated when you realize three new episodes of your favorite series have already aired but slipped under your radar?
You‘re not alone! A survey last year found that the average American spends over 4 hours per day watching movies and shows across various streaming platforms. With so much content constantly coming out, it‘s basically a full-time job trying to stay on top of it all!
The good news is there‘s an app made specifically with TV and movie lovers like us in mind. It‘s called TV Time and it‘s available right now on both iPhone and Android devices.
In this in-depth guide, I‘ll tell you everything you need to know about how to use TV Time to take control of your viewing experience. From keeping track of watch history to never missing new episodes again, this app is a total game changer! Let‘s get started.
What is TV Time and Why Do You Need It?
Developed in 2015, TV Time is the world‘s largest TV and movie tracking community with over 16 million registered users around the globe.
Here‘s an overview of what the app lets you do:
- Log all the movies and shows you‘ve already watched so it has your full viewing history
- Get notified when new episodes of your favorite series are released so you don‘t miss them
- Discover new shows and movies based on your personal tastes
- See what‘s currently trending among other TV Time users
- Check where titles are streaming from across various services like Netflix, Hulu, etc.
- Engage with other fans by posting reviews, rating titles, joining discussions and more!
Plus, it‘s totally free to use (with optional premium paid features).
Having all your viewing activity in one place is super handy. No more racking your brain to remember where you left off or what that actor‘s name was in the movie you saw last month!
According to a 2021 survey by TV Time, 73% of users said tracking helped them find new shows to enjoy. And 66% said they discovered more movies to watch. So it clearly makes discovering new stuff to watch much easier.
Beyond that, the social features allow you to connect with fellow fans who love the same shows and movies. It‘s great for getting watch recommendations from like-minded people passionate about TV and film.
Overall, TV Time enhances your overall streaming experience – no cinephile should be without it!
How to Download and Sign Up for TV Time
Ready to start tracking your viewing? Here‘s how to download and install TV Time both for iPhone and Android devices:
For iPhone or iPad
On your iOS device, just head to the App Store and search for "TV Time." Tap "Get" to install the free app.
Once it‘s finished downloading, open TV Time and you‘ll be prompted to sign up.
For Android Phones or Tablets
If you‘re on an Android device, open the Google Play Store instead and search for "TV Time." Tap "Install" to download the free app.
Open TV Time after it installs and you‘ll also be prompted to sign up.
As of 2022, TV Time reports over 13 million installs on iPhone and 15 million installs on Android. So plenty of fellow users are already finding this app indispensable!
Signing Up and Creating Your Account
Signing up is quick and easy. You can use your Google, Facebook or email login credentials.
If you choose email, just enter your name, email address and create a password. That‘s it!
TV Time may ask permission to send you notifications. I highly recommend enabling notifications so you never miss out on release alerts for new episodes. But it‘s your call.
Once you‘re signed up, it will take you through a quick onboarding flow to start adding shows and movies to your profile.
Time to start tracking!
Using TV Time: Core Features for Movies & TV Tracking
Now that you‘re set up, let‘s explore how to actually use TV Time to monitor your viewing activity and discover new stuff to stream.
Key Sections in the App
The TV Time app is cleanly designed with five main sections across the bottom navigation:
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Shows: Search through TV Time‘s entire database of shows to add series you want to track.
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Movies: Same as Shows but for finding and tracking films.
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Discover: Get personalized recommendations for new shows and movies to watch based on your existing libraries and viewing activity.
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Community: See what shows are trending, read reviews from other fans, interact with fellow users and more.
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Profile: Your profile, settings, and full library of tracked content.
Let‘s look at the key features within each section:
Adding Shows and Movies to Track
The first step is populating your profile with all the shows and movies you want to monitor.
Head to the Shows section and use the search bar to find something specific or browse categories like Most Popular, Recently Added or genres.
When you find a show you want to track, tap the "+" icon to add it to your Watchlist. Your Watchlist acts as a master library of all the content you want to follow.
For any series you‘re currently watching, indicate how far along you are by marking episodes or seasons watched. This tells TV Time where you left off.
Follow the same process in the Movies section to add films to your Watchlist and mark ones you‘ve already seen as "Watched."
Pro Tip: Connecting your Trakt account in Settings is an easy way to automatically import your existing libraries into TV Time.
Marking Watch Progress
As you view new episodes or movies, tap on them in your Watchlist and mark them as "Watched."
For shows, this moves the entry down to "Previous Episodes" so you always know which one is next from the "Next Episodes" section up top.
The more you log your viewing activity over time, the better TV Time understands your tastes and can serve up tailored recommendations.
Discover New Shows & Movies
Based on your personal Watchlist and what you mark as Watched, TV Time provides suggestions on new series and films you might enjoy.
The Discover section surfaces personalized recommendations under "Shows For You" and "Movies For You." Plus, additional categories like Most Popular, Trending Now and Recently Added help you find hot new titles.
When you see something that catches your eye, tap the "+" icon again to add it to your Watchlist so it‘s saved for later viewing.
Never Miss New Episodes Again
One of my favorite features in TV Time is the notifications that alert you when a new episode of your favorite show is released. No more losing track and falling behind!
For any show you want release alerts for:
- Go to your Watchlist
- Tap on the show
- Toggle "Notify me" on
- Adjust notification settings as desired
Now just sit back and TV Time will nudge you whenever fresh episodes drop. Talk about VIP treatment!
Interact with Fellow Fans
In addition to handy tracking tools, TV Time wants to connect fans around shared interests in movies and TV shows.
Ways you can interact with the community include:
- Posting reviews and ratings for titles
- Reading what other users think to see if it‘s binge-worthy
- Following profiles and feeds of like-minded fans
- Liking and commenting on posts and in discussions
- Earning XP for engagement that helps you level up over time
The social features definitely enhance the overall experience and can lead you to great new shows getting buzz. After all, word-of-mouth is still one of the most trusted ways to find worth watching!
Advanced Features for Power Users
The core tracking functionality covered above should be plenty for most casual viewers. But TV Time does offer some additional advanced capabilities for power users.
Connect Multiple Streaming Services
TV Time supports tracking content across a variety of streaming platforms – not just Netflix and Hulu but also Disney+, Apple TV+, Tubi, and dozens more.
When adding a show or movie, indicate which streaming service you‘re watching it from. This allows TV Time to surface other relevant recommendations from the same places you already subscribe to. Pretty smart!
You can even connect your profiles from select streaming services like Netflix to have your viewing history automatically imported into TV Time. One less thing to manually track!
Organize Your Watchlist with Custom Lists
As your Watchlist grows over time, you may want to better organize it for easier management.
By using the List feature, you can create custom lists within your Watchlist like:
- Binge-worthy Shows
- Favorite Comfort Movies
- Kid-Friendly Animated Films
- Dark & Gritty Dramas
Then you can file shows and movies into the various lists that make sense. Think of it like creating custom shelves in your video library.
Get Enhanced Stats with TV Time Premium
For die-hard data lovers, a TV Time Premium subscription unlocks cool stats like days and hours spent watching. Ooo, fun!
Premium also adds other upgraded tracking tools like automatic watch history from streaming services, trend graphs over time, multiple Watchlists, and more.
There‘s a free 7-day trial so you can test it out. But the $2.99 monthly price is reasonable for dedicated users who really want to geek out on stats.
For most folks, the free version should suffice. But extra analytics options are there if needed.
Link Other Tracking Apps
In addition to streaming services, you can connect other third-party tracking apps you may use like:
- Trakt – Link your account to import existing libraries into TV Time
- Letterboxd – Sync your movie watch history and ratings
- IMDB or TMDb – Combine your reviews, ratings and more
This allows you to aggregate data from multiple tracking sources into the TV Time dashboard. All your key viewing stats, in one place!
Tips & Tricks to Master TV Time
Want to get the very most out of TV Time? Here are some pro tips:
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Enable push notifications so you never miss when new episodes drop
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Follow influencers or friends with good recommendations for new shows
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Use the Discover tab‘s advanced filters like genre, decade, streaming service etc. to precisely find your next binge
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Make your profile unique by adding a profile photo, favorite shows, bio, etc.
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Write reviews on episodes or movies you feel strongly about so others can see your perspective
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Take part in ongoing discussions to engage more deeply with the TV Time community
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Connect your streaming profiles like Netflix so your watch history is automatically tracked
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Sync your Trakt account to combine libraries, ratings, reviews, and more
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Create multiple Lists to better categorize and organize your ever-expanding Watchlist
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Go Premium for 7 days to access bonus stats and tracking tools to try out
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Turn on background play so TV Time can log your viewing even when you aren‘t actively using the app
Alternative Apps for Tracking Movies & TV
TV Time is arguably the most popular platform specifically focused on TV and movie tracking. But there are a few other options that serve similar functions:
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Trakt – Web and app to track shows, movies, ratings, reviews and more
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Letterboxd – Specializes in logging and discussing films with fellow cinephiles
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iTrack – Simple and lightweight movie tracker with stats and watchlist
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CineTime – Tracks theatrical and home releases with robust stats for film buffs
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SeriesGuide – no-frills TV show tracker and calendar to manage your watchlist
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IMDb – The Internet Movie Database offers some light tracking tools
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My Episode Calendar – A straightforward calendar that helps you track your favorite shows
I‘d recommend giving TV Time a fair shot first since it seems to have the largest engaged community around the platform. But every app has slightly different strengths, so give a couple a test drive to see which fits your preferences best.
The more services you use, the more you can take advantage of TV Time‘s ability to sync and aggregate data from different sources into one view. More tracking power!
Get Control of Your TV & Movie Watching Habits
So there you have it – everything you need to know to get started with the TV Time app!
To quickly recap:
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Download the app for free on your iPhone, Android, tablet or other device
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Sign up for an account in just minutes with Google, Facebook or email
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Add all the shows and movies you want to track to your Watchlist
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Log episodes and films as you watch them to keep up to date
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Get alerts for new releases so you never miss fresh episodes
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Discover new series and films based on your personal taste
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Interact with fellow fans around the TV shows and movies you love
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Consider Premium for access to advanced tracking statistics and features
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Link up other accounts like Trakt or Netflix for automatic watch history syncing
Whether you stream for an hour a day or are plowing through five seasons this weekend, TV Time has all the tools needed to fine-tune your viewing habits.
Ditch the FOMO and overwhelming amount of great content out there. By using TV Time, you can finally watch smarter – not harder!
Ready to step up your movie and TV show tracking game? Download the app and sign up today to start getting more out of your streaming. Enjoy!
