Set up the CinemaNow app

About the CinemaNow app

CinemaNow offers instant access to an extensive library of premium video content for rent or purchase, including the latest new release movies and TV shows. It's included with your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership, and there are no late fees.

App requirements

To use the CinemaNow app, you need the following:

An Xbox LIVE Gold Membership
At least 75 megabytes (MB) of available space

Install the CinemaNow app

On your console, sign in with your Xbox LIVE gamertag. (Xbox LIVE Gold Membership is required.)
Go to apps, and then select Browse Apps.
Browse for CinemaNow.
Select CinemaNow to download and install the app. When the download is complete, the app automatically starts, and you are prompted to accept the Terms of Use.
At “Welcome to CinemaNow” you can choose to activate your account or “Explore CinemaNow” without activation.

To start the CinemaNow app later, go to video, My Apps, and then CinemaNow.

Activate CinemaNow

The benefits of creating a CinemaNow account:

Instant rentals and purchases are a single click away.
You can safely store movies in your library.
Activating CinemaNow is free; there are no signup fees to join.

Follow these steps to activate CinemaNow:

Start the CinemaNow app.
On the Welcome to CinemaNow page, select Activate Now.
In a browser, go to Cinemanow.com.
Follow the instructions to sign in to your CinemaNow account or create an account.
Once the account is created or you’ve signed in, you’ll be prompted to:

Name your device. Type a description of the device you are activating, such as “Living Room Xbox.”
Type the activation code that’s displayed on your Xbox screen.

Once the activation code is entered on the CinemaNow website and you select OK, the Xbox 360 console will confirm that the activation has been successful.
When you are prompted, enter your billing details on the CinemaNow site.

Note To watch CinemaNow content on your Xbox 360 console, you must rent or buy the content through the CinemaNow site and then access those programs from your Xbox 360 CinemaNow library.

Use Family Settings to control access to content

The parental controls on the CinemaNow site do not apply to the Xbox 360. Any content rented or purchased through CinemaNow will be managed by Xbox 360 parental controls. For example, if you prohibit certain kinds of shows from being watched through your console, restricted content will appear in the CinemaNow app with a lock icon. To play a restricted item, an adult must enter the Family Settings pass code. To change these controls, an adult must edit the Family Settings.

For more information about how to restrict Xbox LIVE content using Family Settings, see Xbox 360 console parental controls.