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Make the most of Max with these tips

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence.HBO Max didn’t just change its name when it relaunched as plain old Max last month. Alongside the rebranding, Max also has a new app that isn’t quite like the old one. The new app removes some of HBO Max’s features, shuffles others around, and also adds a couple of new tricks.The changeover hasn’t gone smoothly, with users complaining about an array of technical issues—along with the inconvenience of downloading yet another app—but you’re stuck with the new Max App whether you want it or not. As such, here are some ways to make the most of it:Jared Newman / FoundryPress and hold the select button on any movie or TV show in the Max app, and it’ll be added to your watchlist. It’s faster than having to click through and hit the + button, and it’s yet another example of the long-press in action.Note that in addition to adding entire shows to your watchlist, you can also add individual episodes by long-pressing them.Jared Newman / FoundryThe long-press strikes again: Press and hold any item in Max’s “Continue Watching” row, and it’ll disappear from the list—perfect for hiding guilty pleasures or shows you’ve decided aren’t worth sticking with.Jared Newman / FoundryFrom the left side bar, select “My Stuff,” and you’ll land on a single menu that combines your watchlist and viewing history. You can long-press items from here to remove them, or scroll down for a list of recommended programs to add.Jared Newman / FoundryJust like with the old HBO Max app, Max offers a few ways to browse the catalog by genre:Jared Newman / FoundryThey’re not called “Hubs” anymore, but you can still browse through sub-brands such as HGTV, DC, Studio Ghibli, Adult Swim, and TCM. Just look in the search menu for “Brand Spotlight,” or scroll down the home screen until you hit it.HBO, meanwhile, gets special treatment with its own tab on top of the home screen.Jared Newman / FoundryAs before, Max’s “You May Also Like” row can be helpful for figuring out what to watch. You’ll find it at the bottom of any individual movie or show page.Jared Newman / FoundryThe new Max app no longer has a quick sidebar shortcut for movies that are leaving the service, but you can still find them by scrolling to the penultimate row of the home screen. They’re under the “Last Chance” heading.Jared Newman / FoundryAs with HBO Max, the Max app’s movie and show pages indicate whether 4K, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos are supported. You’ll find icons for these features directly beneath the movie or show title.But there’s a caveat now: Users on the standard $16-per-month tier will only get those higher-quality streams for six months, starting from Max’s May 23 launch. After that, Max will move 4K, HDR, and Atmos to its $20-per-month “Ultimate” tier.Jared Newman / FoundryTo disable autoplay in Max, click the ⚙️ gear icon in the left sidebar, then select “Playback.” From here you can turn off autoplay previews and prevent the next episode from starting when you finish the current one. (Note that you’ll need to adjust these settings individually on each device.)Jared Newman / FoundryOne advantage of the new Max app: You can change your profile picture on TV devices instead of just the mobile app. On the profile selection screen, click the pencil icon below your name, then click on your profile picture. You’ll find dozens of icons arranged by show, even though the only sensible option is Brak.Jared Newman / FoundryTo make create a kid-friendly profile in Max, head to max.com/EditProfiles. Select a profile, then toggle “Kids Mode.” You can then choose a rating level and decide whether a PIN should be required to switch out of the profile.Jared Newman / FoundryUsing Max’s mobile or tablet apps, head to a movie or show’s info page, then tap the down arrow icon. Use the Downloads tab (which uses the same icon) to view saved shows, and the ⚙️ gear icon from there for more options, including download video quality.Max’s $16-per-month plan has the same download limits as before: Users can save up to 30 episodes or movies total, with some series capped at 25 episodes. The new $20-per-month Ultimate tier expands the limit to 100 downloads, but only 30 can be movies. In all cases, downloads expire 48 hours from first viewing, or after 30 days for unwatched programs.Jared Newman / FoundryLike its predecessor, Max still aggregates movies and shows with Audio Description support into one menu, so you can hear a narration of what’s happening on screen along with the dialog.To see a list of supported content, scroll all the way down to the genre list, then select “Audio Description.” Once playback starts, enable the feature by hitting the talk bubble icon, then selecting “English – Audio Description.”Jared Newman / FoundryHead to auth.max.com/settings, and you’ll see a toggle for “Emails from Max and affiliates.” Turn it off unless you like being pestered.While the Max app is more streamlined than HBO Max, some of the old app’s features haven’t made the cut:If you’re miffed about any of the above issues—or the ongoing cuts to HBO’s back catalog—you can always break up with Max, at least for a little while. The cancellation process for Max is similar to that of HBO Max: Head to auth.max.com/subscription, then choose “Cancel Your Subscription.”Note that if you didn’t subscribe directly through HBO or Max, you’ll need to cancel through the provider you signed up with. Max has instructions for each provider on its website.Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter to get more streaming TV advice every Friday.Jared Newman has been helping folks make sense of technology for over a decade, writing for PCWorld, TechHive, and elsewhere. He also publishes two newsletters, Advisorator for straightforward tech advice and Cord Cutter Weekly for saving money on TV service.Streaming MediaSmart HomeSmart Assistants Home SecurityHome EntertainmentHeadphonesNewsletter



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