iOS 10.2 TV app offline issues

Yep, same problem. I plan on contacting Apple to notify them that after spending probably hundreds of dollars on video content via iTunes, I will no longer do so. I can just as easily purchase content on Amazon and download it to my iPad for watching online.

I have the same problem. I was forced to upgrade to the new iOS on my iPad and then it deleted the Videos app and replaced it with this TV app. I cannot load the TV app at all when my iPad is offline. This means I cannot watch any videos that I downloaded or my own "home videos" on the device anymore. Given that there are no solutions posted here, it seems that it is now impossible to watch any videos on an iPad when traveling or otherwise not connected to the internet even if they were downloaded and paid for, or personal content?

Have you tried waiting a really long time for stuff to load offline? I know that I can load stuff offline that I've got on my iPod Touch (although iTunes won't load anything new on my iPod because it crashes now any time I connect it), but stuff that was already on there I'm able to load, it just takes an obnoxiously long amount of time (at least 30 seconds).

Hopefully you're at least able to do that. The OS for the app is incredibly slow and unresponsive but will usually work eventually (for me at least).

I have tried waiting several hours for it to load. When I press the button for TV, there is a swirling circle thing. It stays like that for hours. How many hours should I normally have to wait before it would allow me to start watching a video that I have stored on the iPad? With the Videos app, I could watch my content only within < 1 second of waiting time.

As an update, yesterday I did a full reset of my iPad (erase and reset all content and data). I was hoping that would re-install the original operating system and thereby allow me to access my content, but, it stayed in OS 10.2 and the TV app is still there and the Video app was still not available. So, it seems like the architecture of 10.2 with TV is designed specifically to block users from accessing their content and prevent users from using the iPad when not connected to Internet because I can find no path forward that works without an active internet connection.

I have been having issues on my phones where I could not access my downloaded content while not connected to internet. It has been very frustrating for me with a 2 year old. I used to be able to put my phone in airplane mode so he could only see what was downloaded. While on vacation this week I realized the new TV did not give me that option. When not connected to wifi he could still see all the movies but couldn't access them because I have it set to not play over cellular data. When I turned it to airplane mode it told me I could not use the app when not connected to wifi. I found out my mom was having the same issue and had been working with Apple to try to resolve. All it finally took for her was to log out of iTunes or iCloud and log back in. I just now tried it and can now put my phone in airplane mode and access my downloaded movies. Hopefully this helps.

Not sure if I just solved this or this workaround is unique to me. Open TV app, and browse to Home Videos to make it the 'default' or 'last opened folder'. Turn on airplane mode. Then close the app and kill it. Load TV app again, in my case the app loaded and went straight to show home videos and not any of the shows I have stored in the 'cloud'.

As long as I quit the app while leaving the "home videos' as my last screen, it looks like it being offline or online matters. Hope this helps

I Submitted this to apple feedback today.

I downloaded the movie Inferno on my iPad Air to watch on a flight last night. When I used the old videos app I had zero problems. I tried to open the TV app and because there was no internet connection it gave me just a blank screen with no access to the downloaded movie so I couldn't watch it. I ultimately had to pay $$ to get the airplane's wifi signal which allowed the app to fully open and access my movie. This is RIDICULOUS. Bring back the videos app PLEASE!!!! The TV app is terrible. I hate it on my iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. It *****!!!!!!

Someone had posted an easier, simple workaround.

Not super convenient, but confirmed it works.

Launch the TV app while connected to an active Wifi network.

Once launched, try turning off Wifi and then try to play your movies without WiFi on.

I think this is a bug in the TV app.

Try it.

I too have had the problem with the TV App not working offline, and after the latest update a new bug arrives. Home videos that work on my PC, in iTunes are now unplayable in the TV app. The sync to the iPad just fine, but when they go to play, the TV app says the video type is not recognized. These are .m4v videos but the iPad does not recognize them. Is there a way to dump the "TV" app and go back to the Movies App?

This is a good reason to purchase all future movies and music from Amazon instead of Apple. You can still watch movies purchased from Amazon offline. The fact that there is no longer any way to watch your own content that you actually own without an active WIFI connection is insane.

Spent some time researching and troubleshooting the TV app. Have to say besides being buggy, unusable offline, and so so video quality - the user interface and usability is atrocious.

This app is an absolute dumpster fire.

Yep, and I told Apple as much — that after having purchased, no kidding, thousands of dollars of video content via iTunes over the years, it's unlikely I ever will again, and instead will purchase solely through vendors like Amazon.

I highly suggest everyone else experiencing similar problems do the same. Let Apple know their bottom line is going to suffer and maybe they'll get the hint.

I Get off line issues app tv is not working offline! Contacted apple and was told downloads will no longer play offline and the apps designed to work that way by multiple apple customer senior reps! Apple this answer is unavailable and unacceptable! I did not purchase my content to be only available with a isp tied to me! Amazon allows viewing of download content but not apple? scary! The apps supposed to lock you out while offline! apple will not refund past purchases despite the policy change! Nasty! Apple and pure distasteful practices by what used to be a ok company! I do hope we see class action law suites spring up due to this nasty change in policy! Why even have downloads apple or memory in a iPad or iphone? So if your not connected and paying for home internet your apple iTunes purchases will never be able to be seen! Scary!

Been fighting this monster for weeks, have done all of the software updates and Apple is ZERO help. Looks like I have bought my last iPhone/iPad. If there's no portability in them, no need in owning them.

i did read it and try it. it worked on my iPad, but by morning, my iPhone was back to the "tv not available" routine. By afternoon, both the iPad and the iPhone were again not working offline. i'll go through it a few more times in hopes of a lasting solution until it's fixed.

I absolutely left feedback not the issue. And my apologies to the community for my tone earlier. I should have taken a deep breath or two before typing!