Buying your favorite TV shows at the iTunes Store is easy, and you aren’t limited to buying one episode at a time. When you want to pay for all episodes of a season at once and have the episodes automatically delivered to you when they’re released, get an iTunes Season Pass.

iTunes Season Pass Explained

The Season Pass is a lesser-known feature of iTunes that lets viewers purchase a full season’s worth of a TV show at the iTunes Store before all episodes have been released (often before the season has even begun, though some shows have Season Passes available even after they begin airing, too).

Season Pass allows viewers to pre-pay for the season’s worth of content, often at a discounted price, then have the episodes delivered from the iTunes Store as episodes become available. If the season has started when you buy a Season Pass, all currently available episodes automatically download.

Later episodes appear in your iTunes library as they are released, and you’ll receive email alerts when a new episode comes out. Notifications usually arrive the morning after the latest episode has aired on TV. In some cases, people who purchase a Season Pass receive some bonus downloadable content, such as behind the scenes interviews and making-of content.

How to Buy a Season Pass on iTunes

If you’re ready to buy a Season Pass, follow these steps:

  • On a desktop computer, open iTunes.
  • To access the TV section, select the drop-down menu and choose TV Shows. Then, click Store.
  • Navigate through the iTunes Store until you find a season of a TV show you’re interested in.
  • If you’re on the overview page for a series, choose a single season.
  • On the page for the TV season, look for a price button to check whether a Season Pass is available. If the button shows the price for the Season Pass, click Buy Season Pass.
  • If prompted, log in to your Apple ID.
  • When the purchase is completed, any available episodes will download.

How to Buy a Season Pass on iOS

The process of buying a Season Pass on an iPhone or iPad is similar, but you use a different app to do it. Here’s how.

These instructions apply to iTunes 6 and later.

On a desktop computer, open iTunes.

To access the TV section, select the drop-down menu and choose TV Shows. Then, click Store.

Navigate through the iTunes Store until you find a season of a TV show you’re interested in.

If you’re on the overview page for a series, choose a single season.

On the page for the TV season, look for a price button to check whether a Season Pass is available. If the button shows the price for the Season Pass, click Buy Season Pass.

If prompted, log in to your Apple ID.

When the purchase is completed, any available episodes will download.

  • Open the iTunes Store app.
  • Tap TV Shows.
  • Navigate to the season of the show you want to buy.
  • Scroll down in the description and look for a heading that says Season Pass. If you see this, a Season Pass is available.
  • Tap the Price button.
  • Sign in to your Apple ID (or use your Touch ID) to complete the purchase.

How to Buy a Season Pass on an Apple TV

The Apple TV provides a third way to buy a Season Pass in iTunes. Here’s how to do it.

These instructions apply to devices running iOS 10.2 or later.

Open the iTunes Store app.

Tap TV Shows.

Navigate to the season of the show you want to buy.

Scroll down in the description and look for a heading that says Season Pass. If you see this, a Season Pass is available.

Tap the Price button.

Sign in to your Apple ID (or use your Touch ID) to complete the purchase.

  • Open the TV Shows iTunes app on your Apple TV.
  • Navigate to the show you want to buy.
  • Click the Buy Season Pass button.
  • Verify to complete your purchase.

How to Get Episodes From Season Pass

After you buy a Season Pass and new episodes are released, you get episodes in the following ways:

These instructions apply to fourth-generation Apple TVs and newer, running tvOS 9 or later.

Open the TV Shows iTunes app on your Apple TV.

Navigate to the show you want to buy.

Click the Buy Season Pass button.

Verify to complete your purchase.

  • Click the link in the email iTunes sends when a new episode is available.Go to TV Shows in iTunes, or the TV app on iOS or Apple TV, and download the new episode.Go to iTunes or TV > Purchased > TV Shows on any device and download the new episode.

Like other iTunes purchases, TV seasons you buy with a Season Pass appear in your iCloud account, and you can redownload them later.

‘Buy Season Pass’ vs. ‘Buy Season’

Watch for the Buy Season button, which isn’t the same as a Season Pass. When you use it, you’ll buy all currently available episodes of a season, but you’ll have to pay separately for any new ones that air later. To pay only once, make sure the buy button reads Season Pass.

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