How to Set Up HBO Go on an iPhone

HBO Go is no longer available, so you cannot set it up on an iPhone today. The app that replaced it is HBO Max. To set it up, open the App Store, search for HBO Max, download the app, open it, and tap Sign In. If HBO comes with your TV, internet, or mobile package, you connect that provider during sign-in instead of paying again.

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This guide covers iPhones in the United States and follows the current HBO Max Help Center. Button names in the app can change with updates, so a label on your screen may differ slightly from the ones below.

What Happened to HBO Go?

HBO Go was the app that let cable and satellite customers stream HBO by signing in with their TV provider. HBO has retired it. The official HBO site now sends people who get HBO through a TV provider to HBO Max, and the Help Center only documents the HBO Max app.

The service was also called just “Max” for a while before the HBO Max name came back. If you still have an old Max app on your iPhone, HBO says that opening it prompts you to download the HBO Max app, and that your profiles, watch history, and billing details carry over.

The key point for former HBO Go users is that the old idea still works. Many TV, internet, and mobile providers include HBO Max with an HBO subscription, and you unlock it by signing in with that provider. HBO keeps a page where you can check whether you already have access to HBO Max.

What You Need Before You Start

• An iPhone with iOS 16.4 or later. That is the minimum HBO lists for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. To check, open Settings, tap General, then tap Software Update.
• An Apple Account. Apple requires one, plus an internet connection, to download apps from the App Store.
• A way to get HBO Max. That is either your own HBO Max subscription or a TV, internet, or mobile package that includes HBO Max or HBO.
• Your sign-in details. Have your HBO Max email and password ready, or the username and password for your provider account.
• A steady connection. HBO lists a minimum download speed of 5 Mbps for streaming.

How to Download HBO Max on an iPhone

The app is a free download. Watching anything in it requires a subscription or provider access.

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap Search and type HBO Max.
3. Select HBO Max in the results. Check that the name matches before you download, because other apps can appear in the same search.
4. Tap Get. If you see a cloud icon with an arrow instead, you have downloaded the app before, and tapping the icon downloads it again.
5. If your iPhone asks you to confirm, approve the download the way you normally do for App Store apps.
6. When the download finishes, tap Open, or tap the HBO Max icon on your Home Screen.

If Get is missing or the app will not install, your iPhone is probably below iOS 16.4. Update iOS first, then search again. Apple explains the download buttons in its guide to getting apps in the App Store on iPhone, and HBO lists the requirement on its page about installing HBO Max on supported devices.

How to Sign In With an HBO Max Account

Use this method if you subscribed at HBOMax.com or through an app store, or if you have already created an HBO Max account for any other reason.

1. Open HBO Max and tap Sign In.
2. Enter your HBO Max account email or mobile number, then tap Continue.
3. If you entered an email address, type your password and tap Sign in. If you entered a mobile number, enter the 6-digit verification code that arrives by text message.
4. Choose who is watching. HBO Max opens to that profile, and you can start streaming.

Your iPhone may show a Connect Accounts prompt. HBO says that accepting it lets HBO Max sign in automatically on other devices that use the same iCloud account. It is optional.

Forgot the password? When the app asks for it, tap Get One-Time Code. HBO Max emails a 6-digit code that signs you in. Check your spam and promotions folders if the message does not show up within a few minutes. The full process is in HBO’s article on signing in to HBO Max.

How to Sign In Through Your TV, Internet, or Mobile Provider

This is the closest match to the old HBO Go setup. HBO calls it connecting your provider, and it has to be done before you sign in for the first time.

1. Open HBO Max and tap Sign In. If someone else is already signed in, tap the profile and choose Sign Out first.
2. On the sign-in screen, look below Don’t have an HBO Max account yet? and tap create an HBO Max account.
3. A prompt asks whether HBO Max can use the TV provider information saved in your iPhone settings. Tap Allow to use it, or tap Don’t Allow to pick your provider inside HBO Max.
4. Choose the company you get HBO Max or HBO through. If you do not see its logo, type the name in the search box or scroll the list under the logos.
5. On your provider’s sign-in screen, enter the username and password for your provider account. This screen belongs to the provider, so it looks different for each company.
6. Enter an email address for your HBO Max account. If you already have an HBO Max account, use the email tied to it.
7. New users complete the short account form and tap Create Account. Returning users enter the 6-digit code that HBO Max sends by email.
8. Choose who is watching.

After that, HBO says you can sign in on other supported devices with your HBO Max email and password, as long as you added a password to the account. Your provider may still ask you to sign in again from time to time. When that happens, tap Connect Your Provider and repeat the provider sign-in. HBO documents every screen in its Connect your provider article.

Two groups should not use the provider list. If you get HBO Max through the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle or through Philo, HBO has a separate activation step, and after it you sign in with your HBO Max email and password. If you subscribed through an app store or HBOMax.com, go back and use the regular Sign In option.

How to Subscribe if You Do Not Have HBO Yet

Open HBO Max and tap Subscribe, or go to HBOMax.com in a browser, pick a plan, create an account with your email address, and add a payment method. The subscription renews automatically until you cancel it.

One change matters on an iPhone. HBO says that as of March 9, 2026, Apple billing is no longer offered to new or returning subscribers, and a subscription started on an Apple device is billed directly by HBO Max. People who were already billed through Apple keep that arrangement and still manage it in Settings under their name and Subscriptions.

Plan	Streams at once	Video quality	Downloads
Basic with Ads	2	Full HD	None
Standard	2	Full HD	Up to 30
Premium	4	4K Ultra HD where available	Up to 100

The table shows what HBO lists for each plan in the United States at the time of writing. Prices change, so check the plan screen before you pay. Plans that come through a provider can differ from these.

How to Confirm It Worked, and How to Sign Out

Setup is complete when HBO Max shows the profile screen and then the home screen with rows of shows and movies. Tap any title and tap the play button. If the video starts, you are done. To put it on a bigger screen, see how to cast HBO Max to a Chromecast.

To see which plan you have and who bills you, tap your profile and choose Subscription. Only Adult profiles can open that screen.

To undo the setup, tap your profile and choose Sign Out. You can then delete the app like any other iPhone app. Keep in mind that deleting the app does not cancel a subscription. Cancel with whoever bills you, and HBO recommends doing it at least 24 hours before the next billing date to avoid another charge.

Troubleshooting HBO Max Setup on an iPhone

The app will not download or open

Update iOS under Settings > General > Software Update, then look up HBO Max in the App Store again and tap Update if it appears. If the app still misbehaves, HBO suggests signing out, turning the iPhone fully off for 10 seconds, and turning it back on. The last resort is deleting the app and installing it again.

Your provider is not listed

Search for the provider by name, since only some logos are shown. Comcast customers should choose Xfinity. If the provider is truly missing, HBO says it may not support HBO Max at this time, and your provider can confirm whether your package includes it.

The provider screen is blank, or you see “Can’t verify your subscription”

Open Settings > General > TV Provider. Under Allow TV provider to access, turn off HBO Max. Reopen the app and run the provider steps again. If the message remains, sign in on your provider’s own website to make sure the password works and that HBO Max or HBO is part of your package. HBO support cannot see or reset provider passwords.

“Provider account already in use”

Your provider account is already linked to an HBO Max account. Skip the provider steps and sign in with that HBO Max email and password, or use a one-time code.

A “Welcome back” message asks you to subscribe again

Tap your profile, open Subscription, and check that the subscription is active. Then sign out and back in. If you originally subscribed through Apple, open HBO Max on that iPhone, tap Sign In, and choose Restore Purchase. If the plan comes from a provider, tap Connect Your Provider on the Welcome back screen.

“Your device time is out of sync”

Correct the date and time on your iPhone, then try to sign in again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still download HBO Go on an iPhone?

No. HBO Go has been retired, and HBO’s current support pages only cover HBO Max. Install HBO Max from the App Store instead. If HBO is part of your TV package, connect your provider during sign-in to see whether HBO Max is included.

Is HBO Max free if I already pay for HBO through cable?

Often, but not always. HBO says subscribers with many providers may get an HBO Max plan at no extra cost, and that plans vary by provider. Check HBO’s access page or ask your provider which plan your package includes.

Do I have to connect my provider on every device?

No. Connecting a provider creates an HBO Max account. Once that account has a password, HBO says you can sign in on any supported device with the email and password. Your provider may occasionally ask you to sign in again.

Can I download shows to my iPhone to watch offline?

Yes, on the Standard and Premium plans. Basic with Ads does not include downloads. See how to download HBO Max movies on an iPhone for the steps, and how to delete all HBO Max downloads on an iPhone when you need the storage back.

What to Do Next

If kids use the same account, see how to set up parental controls for HBO Max on iPhone with a Kids profile and a Parent Code. Have a tablet too? The steps are nearly the same in our guide on how to watch HBO Max on iPad.

Would you like to watch HBO Max and other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu on your TV? Then check out a Roku streaming stick. It connects directly to your TV and offers a large selection of streaming video and music apps, and Roku is on HBO’s list of supported devices.