Disney's streaming service, Disney+ has proved a huge success since its launch in the US in 2019.

That's not really surprising, considering its the online home for Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and, of course, Disney's own catalogue of movies and TV shows.

Plus, with Star available in the UK and several other countries outside the States, it also serves hundreds of hours of content for grown-ups too.

Here are a few tips on how to get the most from a Disney+ subscription.

The very best Disney Plus tips and tricks

Here are a few handy hints for you to check out.

How to access Disney+

You can access the Disney+ site from a desktop web browser, or you can download the app on multiple devices, such as a mobile phone, tablet, game console, set-top box, or smart TV. Basically, if you have a streaming media player or a device with access to the internet, then you should be able to access Disney+.

Check out our Disney+ guide for a list of supported devices and more information.

How to sign up for Disney+

Once you figure out how you want to watch Disney+, you can easily sign up for the service from here.

Disney+ - £7.99/m or £79.90/yr

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Set up Disney+ profiles

After you’ve signed up for and logged in to Disney+, you’ll be able to set up user profiles for everyone in your household who has access to your subscription. It’ll make sure you don’t lose your place in a movie or show if someone else in your house starts watching.

In the Disney+ app, go to the left of the Disney+ home screen to access the sidebar menu. At the top is the profile you’re currently using. Click on the profile, and you’ll be taken to a menu where you can select which profile you’d like to use, add a new profile or edit an existing profile. Disney+ allows up to seven user profiles on a single account and up to four simultaneous streams.

Cancel your Disney+ subscription

To cancel your subscription, it depends on how you signed up for Disney+. Here's Disney+'s explanation, but allow us to break it down further.

If you signed up through the Disney+ website, you can cancel your subscription by logging in from a desktop, going to your account, selecting billing details, and there you’ll find the "cancel your subscription" option. Just make sure you click to confirm. But, if you signed up through Google, Apple or Amazon instead, you'll need to go to the relevant link below and follow their steps to cancel:

Download content to watch offline

Disney+ allows you to download as much content as you want to watch offline. The only condition is that you must sign in to Disney+ every 30 days. Other than that though, you’re allowed to download any and all shows and films to 10 different phones or tablets. To download content, simply click on the movie or show you want to download, and you’ll see the option to play, save, or download.

Click the download option, and you’ll be free to watch it at any time even without the internet.

  1. Install the Disney+ app for iPhone or Android.
  2. Open the app and sign in to or register for your Disney+ account.
  3. Select the title you'd like to watch offline. The app has you download over Wi-Fi by default, but you can go to settings and choose to download over data (this will count against your monthly data cap).
  4. Tap the Download icon (it's the. down-facing arrow).

Add content to your watchlist

Disney+ can be daunting at first, with access to content from Marvel, Star Wars, and so much more. That’s why it’s helpful to set up a watchlist so you don’t forget anything. It’s done the same way on desktop or streaming media player - just click the title you want, and on the next screen, click the + icon next to the Play button. If the + icon becomes a checkmark, then it's been added to your watchlist.

You can access your watchlist via the sidebar menu on the right of the Disney+ app home screen. On a desktop, the watchlist icon is listed at the top of the Disney+ website. Easy!

Turn on parental controls

Disney+ is very child friendly, but if you want to make sure your children can’t access any inappropriate titles, especially the Star content, then Disney has made it super easy. Simply set your kids up with their own profile using the steps we’ve already covered. From there, it differs slightly depending on whether you’re on a desktop or a streaming media player.

To change or set parental controls for different profiles (new or existing), you will need to use a desktop browser or mobile app.

On either, head to the main profile choice section and click or tap on "edit profile". Then select the profile you want to change. This will bring up a page of settings for that profile, with two relevant sections: "kid's profile" and "content rating".

For younger children, you can tap or click on the kid's profile slider which will ensure that profile is set to allow only programming suitable for a PG audience. The browser experience will be simplified too.

Alternatively, if you have older children, leave the kid's profile slider unchecked and access the content rating section instead. This is hidden behind your Disney+ password, so enter that and you will see a chart of different age categories, from O+ to 18+. Each will restrict content to that age category and below. Hit save and you're done.

Turn off autoplay

Want to stop Disney+ from automatically playing the next episode? Just turn off autoplay. You can find the controls for autoplay hidden in the options of your profile. Follow the directions above to edit your profile page from a desktop, then scroll your mouse over the profile icon on the top right to access the drop-down menu, and choose edit profiles from the list of options.

Browse collections

One of the main draws to Disney+ is the various collections of content from several cinematic universes. Disney puts those connections front and centre on Disney+. Right on the home screen, for instance, it gives you options to choose Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney collections, plus Star if you are in the UK, Europe, or other supported regions. Each one shows the entire catalogue that Disney+ has to offer - amazing, right?

If you scroll down your home screen, there are smaller collections.

Create a watch order playlist

Say you found this really awesome website that has great watch orders for all the Marvel, Star Wars or Pixar films. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could just set up a playlist to watch the movies those recommended orders? Well, you can do this with your watchlist.

Just follow along and add the movies in order. Some films are missing from the Marvel universe, but all the Pixar and Star Wars films are there (minus the most recent films to hit theatres).

Find special features

Special features might seem like a relic from the days of renting DVDs at Blockbuster, but Disney+ has become one of the first streaming services to offer special features like "how it’s made" featurettes, deleted scenes, and director’s commentary. Simply click a title you’re interested in, and if it has any special features, you’ll find them all listed under Extras.

Watch in 4K HDR (Dolby Vision) with Dolby Atmos

If you’ve become addicted to using every pixel your TV has to offer like we have, then you’ll be pleased to know that Disney+ offers 4K quality streaming for much of the content on its platform. Some of the most recent films added to Disney+ are also compatible with Dolby Atmos.

Of course, you need TVs and equipment that are compatible with these formats to use them, but Disney has made it easy to see what works with your sound system or 4K TV. Simply click on a title that you’re interested in, and beneath the Play button, you’ll see the best possible picture and audio formats for streaming. The latest The Lion King, for instance, shows 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10.