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WITH plenty of family-friendly content at a reasonable price, Disney+ is an obvious choice for many homes. Disney and Pixar content sits alongside movies and shows from the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, and you’ll find every episode of The Simpsons and the second season of the Mandalorian.

Once you’ve signed up for Disney+, though, you’ll want to get the most out of your subscription, and these tips and tricks can help you do just that. For the most part, it’s an accessible service that’s easy to get to grips with, but there are a few basics and some handy hidden features worth knowing about to enjoy the service to its fullest.

How to set up a Disney+ profile
If you plan to share Disney+ it’s a good idea to create individual profiles for each member of your household. This will allow you to keep track of where you are with different TV shows you like, and it should lead to more tailored recommendations over time.

In the Disney+ app, go to Profile at the top of the sidebar menu on the left of the homepage. If you’re using Disney+ in your browser, then you’ll find Profile at the top right. This is where you can add new profiles and edit existing profiles.

If you’re using Disney+ with a toddler or a young child, selecting the Kid’s Profile option will ensure they only have access to child-friendly content.

How to find your favourite videos

Somerset County Gazette: The Disney search function enables you to search by title, character, or genre. Credit: Disney The Disney search function enables you to search by title, character, or genre. Credit: Disney

There are a ton of titles on Disney+, so it can be tough to find exactly what you’re looking for. You can always type in titles, characters, or genres into the search in the sidebar menu, so even if you don’t remember the movie name Tangled, for example, a search for “Rapunzel” will turn it up.

If you select the Movies or Series tabs you’ll also find categories listed along the top, including an A-Z for the complete content list. These categories in a drop-down list if you’re watching in a browser.

How to check and set video and audio quality
Each series or movie lists the age rating, year of release, running time, the video resolution, and the supported picture and audio formats. This helps you see at a glance if the movie you want is available in 4K with HDR formats like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, as well as sound formats like 5.1 surround sound or Dolby Atmos support. You can always find more information in the Details tab.

The quality of the content you stream or download can be set via App Settings in the sidebar menu. By default, it’s set to Automatic, which means it will stream in the highest possible quality based on your available bandwidth and device capabilities, but you can set it to Moderate for HD quality or Save Data for SD quality. This last option is particularly handy if you’re watching on a phone with no WiFi nearby and you don’t want to hit your monthly data cap.
How to download content to watch offline
The Disney+ app for Android or iPhone allows you to download content for offline viewing. This is ideal for long road trips or flights, times when your mobile data is running low, and those occasions when you know you’ll be off the grid for a while.

To download, simply choose the title you’re interested in and tap the downward arrow icon. By default, this will only work when you’re connected to WiFi, but you can also allow downloads over mobile data.

To do so, tap your profile icon at the bottom of the screen and then tap App Settings. There you can turn off or on the switch that says Download Over WiFi Only. Just be aware that this will use your monthly data allowance. There’s no limit on downloads, but if you run out of space on your device or you’re done with a movie or show, you can go into the downloads section in by clicking the downward arrow at the bottom of the screen, tap the checkmark icon on the right of the title you no longer want, then tap Remove Download.

How to build a watchlist
If you like to browse and then queue up things to watch later, you should get into the habit of using the watchlist function. You’ll see a plus icon next to every movie or series when you click on it. Tap that icon and the title in question will be added to your Watchlist, which is accessible from the sidebar menu.

Somerset County Gazette: Disney offers access to more than 1,000 TV shows and movies Credit: Disney Disney offers access to more than 1,000 TV shows and movies Credit: Disney

How to turn off autoplay
By default, Disney+ will automatically play the next episode of a TV show you’re watching when the current episode ends. This isn’t always ideal, especially if you’re trying to limit your child’s screen time. Thankfully, you can turn it off. Tap Edit Profiles in the sidebar menu and choose the profile on which you want to turn off autoplay. Then simply tap or click to toggle the Autoplay function off.

How to turn off background video
On certain platforms, Disney+ may play background videos when you’re on the information screen for a particular show or movie or play trailers on some landing pages. To turn this off, go to the Edit profiles option in the sidebar menu. Next, choose the profile you want to effect, then toggle off the Background Video option.

How to find special features
Remember all the special features that used to come alongside movies on DVDs and Blu-Ray discs? Most streaming services don’t bother with them, but on Disney+, you’ll find there are often extras included. Simply check out the Extras tab beneath a movie or TV show’s title screen and you’ll get a list of associated special features. There are usually trailers at a minimum, but some titles have director’s commentary, outtakes, and other fun features.

How to customise subtitles
When you watch a movie or show there’s a subtitle icon at the top right. Tap on it, and you can select the audio and subtitle languages you want. If you move to the right (or tap the gear icon if you’re watching in a browser), there’s also a subtitle styling option. This allows you to tweak the font size, colour, style, and more, so you can find a look that suits you.

How to request shows and movies
As packed as Disney+ is, there are still plenty of titles missing. If you’re keen to find a particular Disney classic, or there’s a movie you think should be there, you can request it. There’s no guarantee that Disney will listen, but if you want to try, go to Help in the sidebar menu. In the Disney Help Center, choose Give Feedback and select Request a Film or Show. You can request up to three titles.

How to request changes to Disney+
Alongside the film or show request option, via Help and Give Feedback, there’s also a Suggest a New Feature option. This allows you to suggest a change or tweak to different aspects of the Disney+ service and app. Simply choose the appropriate section from the drop-down menu, and type your suggestion in the box.

These tips should help you get the most out of your Disney+ experience so you can start streaming like a pro.

Sign up for Disney+ for £5.99 per month

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