To watch Amazon Prime Video on your iPad, install the free Prime Video app from the App Store, open it, and sign in with your Amazon account. Then tap a movie or show marked as included with Prime and tap play. Other titles can be rented or bought, and many can be downloaded to watch offline.
This guide covers what you need, how to install the app and start streaming, how downloads and rentals work, how to send video to a TV, and what to do when something will not play. The steps and limits come from Amazon’s help pages on installing Prime Video, downloading titles and the Prime Video Usage Rules.
What You Need
- An iPad that can run the app. The App Store listing shows the minimum software version. At the time of writing it says iOS 17.0 or later, and it can change with app updates.
- An Amazon account. You sign in with the same email and password you use on Amazon. If you do not have one, see how to create an Amazon account.
- A way to pay for what you watch. Titles marked as included with Prime need an Amazon Prime or Prime Video membership. Rentals and purchases are paid per title, with or without a membership. Not sure about your membership? Here is how to know if you have Amazon Prime.
- An internet connection. You need one to stream and to start a download. Downloaded titles play without one.
How to Watch Amazon Prime Video on iPad
- Open the App Store on your iPad.
- Search for Prime Video and tap Get. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple Account password if your iPad asks.
- When the download finishes, tap Open, or tap the Prime Video icon on your Home Screen.
- Sign in with your Amazon account. If the account has more than one viewing profile, pick yours.
- Browse or search for a movie or show, then tap it to open its detail page. The detail page shows whether the title is included with Prime or has to be rented or bought.
- Tap play.
Result: the video streams on your iPad. Amazon’s usage rules say you can stream and re-stream any video marked as included with Prime or Prime Video on its detail page. Amazon lists streaming quality on iPhone and iPad as up to HD with stereo sound, so do not expect 4K in the iPad app.
What Is Included and What Costs Extra
Amazon sorts Prime Video titles into three groups, and the detail page tells you which one a title belongs to.
| Type | What it means | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Included with Prime | Movies and shows that come with a Prime or Prime Video membership. The selection changes over time. | No extra charge |
| Rent or buy | Titles from the Prime Video store, marked with a yellow shopping bag icon. Anyone with an Amazon account can rent or buy them. | Paid per title |
| Add-on subscriptions | Other services you subscribe to through your Prime Video account. | Separate monthly fee |
Before you tap Rent or Buy, check the title and the price. Amazon says an accidental Prime Video order can only be canceled within 14 days, and only if you have not tried to watch or download it. Amazon also explains that a rental or purchase made in the iOS app is charged either to your Amazon payment method or to the payment method in your Apple account, depending on how your Prime Video subscription is set up.
Amazon also sells an option called Prime Video Ad Free that removes ads from most movies and shows. Some content, such as live TV and sports, still has ads.
How to Download Prime Video Titles to Your iPad
Amazon says downloads work in the Prime Video app for iOS, which is the app your iPad uses. Connect to Wi-Fi first, because video files are large.
- Open the title’s detail page in the Prime Video app.
- For a movie, tap the download option.
- For a TV show, download the whole season, or tap the download icon next to individual episodes.
Result: the title is saved to your iPad so you can watch it without Wi-Fi. Look for it in the downloads area of the app. Not every title can be downloaded. Amazon says the detail page for each title shows whether a download is available.
If a download will not start, check your free space. Here is how to clear iPad storage when you are running low.
How Long Downloads and Rentals Last
- Prime downloads: you typically have 30 days to start watching after you download, and 48 hours to finish once you start. A title can be downloaded to only two devices at a time, and Amazon caps the total number of downloads on an account. It does not publish a single number, and says the cap varies by location.
- Rentals: you typically have 48 hours to finish once you start streaming or downloading, and you must finish before the rental window ends (typically 30 days from payment). A rental can be downloaded to one device at a time.
- Purchases: where a download option exists, you can download a purchased video to up to four compatible devices.
Amazon adds that after your Prime or Prime Video membership ends, you cannot watch titles that came with the subscription unless you rented or bought them. To see what you have paid for, read where to find owned or rented Amazon movies in the app.
Watch on Your TV
You have three ways to move a stream from your iPad to a bigger screen.
- Cast from the app. Amazon’s casting instructions say to put the iPad and the TV device on the same Wi-Fi network, tap the Cast icon in the top-right corner of the app, and choose your Chromecast or Fire TV. For a Chromecast, first open Settings on the iPad, tap Prime Video, and turn on Local Network.
- AirPlay. Apple’s AirPlay guide says to connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network, tap the AirPlay button in the video app, and choose your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible TV. Apple notes that some video apps might not support AirPlay.
- A cable. For a wired connection, see how to watch an iPad movie on your TV.
One limit matters here. Amazon says playback of downloaded content over AirPlay or Chromecast is not permitted. It does allow offline playback to a TV on supported devices with the right adapters.
Useful Settings in the iPad App
- Subtitles. While a title plays, tap the screen and choose the closed caption or subtitles icon. The icon only appears on titles that have captions.
- Profiles. Tap the profile icon at the top of the app, tap the profile name, then tap +New. Amazon allows up to six profiles on one account, and each keeps its own recommendations and Watchlist.
- Parental controls. Tap the profile icon, tap the settings icon, then tap Permissions. Prime Video PIN sets a PIN, and Viewing Restrictions limits playback by age rating. Amazon notes that viewing restrictions apply only to the devices you select, while purchase restrictions cover the whole account.
How to Sign Out or Remove the App
Deleting the Prime Video app from your iPad also removes the videos you downloaded in it. Your purchases stay on your Amazon account, and you can download them again later.
If you no longer have the iPad, Amazon says you can sign a device out remotely. On the Prime Video website, go to Account & Settings, choose Devices, and select Deregister next to the device.
Troubleshooting Prime Video on iPad
Amazon’s page on issues while playing Prime Video titles lists these fixes. Try them in order.
- Close the Prime Video app completely, then open it again.
- Check that the date and time on your iPad are correct and set automatically. Amazon says wrong date and time settings can block streaming apps.
- Turn off any VPN or proxy.
- Turn the iPad off, wait at least 60 seconds, and turn it back on.
- Install any iPadOS update, then update the Prime Video app in the App Store.
- Make sure the same title is not already playing on two other devices.
- Pause other internet activity on your network, and restart your router if the connection is slow.
- Delete the Prime Video app and install it again. Do this last, because you will need to download your offline titles again.
Two other problems come up often:
- You cannot sign in. Amazon says to confirm you are using the details for the right account, use Forgot your password? on the sign-in page if needed, and try again, since temporary connection problems cause some sign-in errors.
- There is no download option. The title may not allow downloads, or you may have reached a download limit. Delete downloads you have finished and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many devices can stream at once?
For titles included with a Prime or Prime Video subscription, Amazon’s usage rules allow up to three titles streaming at the same time on one Amazon account, and the same title on no more than two devices at a time. Rentals and free videos with ads are limited to one device per video. Amazon says these limits can vary by region.
Do I need Prime to use the app?
No. You need an Amazon account to sign in, and anyone with an account can rent or buy titles. Titles marked as included with Prime need a Prime or Prime Video membership.
Can I watch Prime Video on an iPad without the app?
The app is the route Amazon documents for iPad. Amazon’s browser requirements cover computers running Windows, macOS, Chrome OS or Linux, so playback in a browser on an iPad may not work as expected. Downloads need the app either way, because Amazon only offers them in its apps.
Can I watch Prime Video on my iPad when I travel?
Amazon says Prime members can stream selected titles outside their home country, but the selection may change. It suggests downloading titles before you leave so you can watch them offline anywhere.
Can I move a Prime Video download to another app or device?
No. Downloads only play inside the Prime Video app, and they expire under the time limits above. Tools that claim to convert Prime Video titles into regular video files are not supported by Amazon.
Related Guides
- How to watch Netflix on iPad
- How to watch HBO Max on iPad
- How to watch an iPad movie on your TV
- How to screen mirror an iPad to a TV
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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