David Farnor | On 22, Apr 2021

Google Play is shifting to YouTube for a small number of smart TVs and Roku devices.

Google Play has long been the home for movie and TV show rentals and purchases as well as games and apps. A dedicated Google Play Movies & TV app is the place to stream titles that have been bought or rented, but YouTube, unsurprisingly, has long been a place to watch those titles too. Now, though, some people will only have the option to watch things through YouTube, with the Google Play Movies & TV app no longer available Roku, Samsung, LG and Vizio smart TVs from 15th June.

Users making the jump will still have access to all of their past purchases, and will be able to browse, purchase, and rent new titles through YouTube. Google Play credits can also be used on YouTube to make purchases. The YouTube app is available on all of the above devices, with the exception of LG NetCast and LG SimpleSmart devices, on which movies and TV shows are not currently viewable.

There are, however, two changes to be aware of. The first relates to Google Play Family Library, which lets users share purchased films and TV shows with up to 5 family members. Play Family Library purchases can be viewed on YouTube, and purchases made from the Google Play Movies & TV website or app will continue to support family sharing, but purchases made on YouTube do not support family sharing. The second is the Your Watchlist function, which will also not be available on YouTube, but users can set up Playlists to achieve the same end result.

On Android, iOS and Chromecast devices, the Google Play Movies & TV app will still be available to watch titles – and through web browsers, the Google Play Movies & TV website will also still be available to watch titles.

To watch titles on YouTube on any of the above devices, go to “Library” and “Your Movies and Shows” to see any purchased or rented titles.

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