What Is Max (Formerly HBO Max)?

HBO no longer has its own standalone streaming app. In May 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded HBO Max as simply Max — combining HBO's prestige content library with Discovery+ programming under one subscription. Shows like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, Succession, and The Wire sit alongside HGTV, Food Network, and Discovery Channel content.

If you had an HBO Max account before the rebrand, your login credentials transferred automatically. If you're a new subscriber, everything you think of as HBO is now found at max.com or in the Max app — no cable package required.

Key facts about Max as of 2026:

• Ownership: Warner Bros. Discovery
• Content: HBO originals, Warner Bros. theatrical films, DC series, CNN documentaries, Discovery+ shows, and Max Originals
• Simultaneous streams: 2 on With Ads; 3 on Ad-Free; 4 on Ultimate Ad-Free
• User profiles: Up to 5 per account
• Offline downloads: Available on Ad-Free and Ultimate tiers only
• 4K content: Ultimate tier only

How to Subscribe to Max Directly

Subscribing directly through Max's website is the fastest and most straightforward option. Here is the exact process:

1. Open a web browser and navigate to max.com, or download the Max app on your phone or streaming device.
2. Click Subscribe Now and select a plan from the three available tiers:
   • With Ads — $9.99/month (or $99.99/year): Full content library, short ad breaks, 1080p HD, 2 simultaneous streams.
   • Ad-Free — $15.99/month (or $149.99/year): No ads, 1080p HD, 2 streams, downloads included on mobile.
   • Ultimate Ad-Free — $20.99/month (or $199.99/year): No ads, 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos, 4 streams, unlimited downloads on mobile.
3. Enter your email address and create a password for your Max account.
4. Provide payment details — credit card, debit card, or PayPal are all accepted.
5. Click Start Streaming. Access is immediate with no waiting period.

Annual vs. monthly billing: If you plan to keep Max for more than nine months, switching to annual billing saves you $20 to $50 depending on the tier. You can change billing frequency any time in your account settings without losing access.

Add Max Through Amazon, Apple, or Your Phone Carrier

If you already use Amazon Prime or Apple services, you can add Max as a channel add-on and consolidate billing without creating a separate Max payment method.

Amazon Prime Video Channels

1. Open amazon.com or the Prime Video app on any device.
2. In the search bar, type Max and look for it under the Channels section.
3. Click Try Max or Subscribe for $15.99/month (ad-free tier only is available through Amazon).
4. Confirm with your Amazon account payment method. Max content then appears inside the Prime Video app interface.

Apple TV Channels

1. Open the Apple TV app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV device.
2. Scroll to the Channels section in the main menu.
3. Find Max and tap Try It Free or Subscribe.
4. Billing is handled through your Apple ID. No separate Max payment setup is needed.

Carrier Bundles (AT&T and DirecTV)

Certain AT&T postpaid wireless plans and DirecTV Stream packages include Max at no extra charge. Log in to your AT&T account at att.com or call 1-800-331-0500 to check if your current plan qualifies. If it does, you can link your AT&T account to a Max login to activate access immediately.

Every Device That Supports Max

Max has broad device support. Install the Max app from your device's official app store, or use any web browser for instant access without installation.

• Smart TVs: Samsung (Tizen OS 2018 or later), LG (webOS 4.0 or later), Sony Android TV, Vizio SmartCast, Hisense VIDAA
• Streaming sticks and boxes: Roku (all current models), Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube, Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA Shield
• Premium set-top boxes: Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or newer), Amazon Fire TV Cube
• Game consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
• Mobile: iPhone and iPad via the iOS App Store (requires iOS 16 or later); Android phones and tablets via Google Play Store (requires Android 8.0 or later)
• Web browser: Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari at max.com — no software installation required

To install Max on a Smart TV or streaming device:

1. Open your device's App Store, Channel Store, or Content Store.
2. Search for Max — note that the old HBO Max app has been replaced; if your device still shows HBO Max, update or reinstall it.
3. Select Install, Add Channel, or Get.
4. Launch the app. Either sign in with your email and password, or select Sign in on another device to receive an activation code, which you then enter at max.com/activate from a phone or computer.

How to Download HBO Shows for Offline Viewing

Subscribers on the Ad-Free or Ultimate Ad-Free Max plan can download episodes and movies to watch without an internet connection. Downloads are available on the Max mobile app only — the web browser and Smart TV versions do not support offline downloads.

1. Open the Max app on your iPhone or Android phone.
2. Browse to the show or movie you want to save.
3. For a single episode, tap the Download icon (a downward-pointing arrow) next to the episode title.
4. To download an entire season at once, open the season listing and tap Download Season.
5. Track your downloads by tapping My Stuff in the bottom navigation bar, then selecting Downloads.

Important limits and tips:

• Your device must reconnect to the internet at least once every 30 days to re-verify your license. Offline-only viewing will eventually expire.
• Downloaded content stays tied to your account — it cannot be transferred to another device or person.
• A 45-minute HD episode uses approximately 500 MB to 1 GB of storage. Download over Wi-Fi, not mobile data, to avoid charges from your carrier.
• Some titles from certain studios are restricted from download due to licensing agreements — if the download icon is missing, that title is not available for offline use.

Ways to Cut the Cost of HBO on Max

Max's standard pricing adds up over a year, but several legitimate options lower the monthly cost:

• Switch to annual billing: In your Max account settings, change your billing cycle from monthly to yearly. The Ad-Free plan drops from $15.99/month to effectively $12.50/month on the annual plan, saving about $42 per year.
• Disney Bundle: Disney offers a bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and Max with ads for around $16.99/month — less than the ad-free Max plan alone if you want access to all three services. Subscribe at disneyplus.com/bundle.
• Employer or carrier perks: Companies like AT&T include Max with qualifying wireless plans at no additional charge. Check your employee benefits portal or wireless carrier app for included streaming subscriptions you may not know about.
• Student pricing: Max has offered student discounts through verification services like UNiDAYS in the past. Check max.com/offers or the UNiDAYS website with your .edu email to see if a discount is currently available.
• Pause instead of cancel: If you only want Max for a specific show season, cancel after that season finishes and re-subscribe when the next one begins. There is no re-activation fee and your watch history is preserved.

Fixing Common Max Streaming Problems

If Max is buffering, failing to load, or refusing to sign in, these targeted steps resolve the most common issues:

Constant buffering or low video quality

• Test your internet connection speed at fast.com. Max recommends a minimum of 5 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. If your speed is below that, other devices on your network may be consuming bandwidth.
• Restart your router by unplugging the power cable, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in. Wait 60 seconds before retesting.
• In the Max app, go to Settings → Video Quality and temporarily set it to Data Saver to confirm the problem is network speed rather than a software bug.

Error code WIP-7003 or persistent login failures

• Sign out of Max on all devices at once: log in at max.com, click your profile icon, go to Account → Sign Out Everywhere.
• In your browser, clear cached data: in Chrome, open Settings, go to Privacy and Security, click Clear Browsing Data, check Cached Images and Files plus Cookies, then click Clear Data.
• Try opening Max in an Incognito or Private window to rule out a browser extension conflict.

Max app not appearing on your Smart TV

• Update your TV's firmware: open the TV's Settings menu, find Support or About, and run a software update. Max periodically drops support for outdated firmware versions.
• If your TV predates 2016, it may no longer be supported by the Max app. In that case, plug a Roku Express ($30) or Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite ($25) into an HDMI port — both support Max and cost far less than a new television.