How to Gift Movies, TV Show, and Audiobooks on iTunes

Part 1. Can I Gift iTunes Movies or TV Shows?

Gifting a movie, TV show, or audiobook is a thoughtful gesture for someone whose tastes you know well. If you've heard about gifting through the iTunes Store, you might wonder if it's still possible today.

Since the iOS 17.2 update in late 2023, Apple has implemented changes affecting how you can gift iTunes movies or TV shows. The option to gift items like TV shows or movies through the Share button > Gift, as well as personalize the gift, has been removed. This change coincided with the migration of iTunes Store functionalities to the new Apple TV app for video collections, causing some confusion among users.

This news may disappoint those who enjoyed seamlessly gifting digital movies or TV shows. However, some users have discovered a workaround, albeit it requires a bit of luck and patience. It's still technically possible to gift a movie or TV show using an iPhone and the iTunes Store app.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Launch the iTunes Store app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Look for an artist who has also acted in movies, such as Jeff Bridges or Taylor Swift.
3. Select an album by the artist to view its details.
4. Tap on the artist's name within the album details to go to their Artist page.
5. Explore the Artist page to find movies featuring the artist.
6. Choose the movie you want to gift and tap its title to open its page.
7. Tap the Share button (box with an arrow) on the movie’s page.
8. Select the "Gift" option from the sharing menu.
9. Add a personalized message for the recipient if the option is available.
10. Follow the prompts to finalize the purchase and enter the recipient's email address.
11. Review the gift details, confirm the purchase, and send the movie directly to the recipient’s email.
    • Tip: Use the Cast & Crew section or Related tab to discover more movies or explore related titles.

Although this method involves navigating through the Artist page and potentially exploring connections between movies (akin to the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game), it enables you to find and gift movies to friends or family despite recent changes in iTunes. Unfortunately, this workaround currently applies only to movies, as accessing TV shows through similar means hasn’t been successful. For instance, to gift "Hereditary," you might follow this path: Jeff Bridges > Iron Man > Avengers > Chris Evans > Knives Out > Toni Collette > Hereditary.

Despite these changes and challenges, it remains possible to discover ways to gift iTunes movies and share special moments with loved ones through digital gifts.

Part 2. Alternatives to Gift iTunes Movies or TV Shows

While the direct gifting option for iTunes movies and TV shows through the iTunes Store has been removed, there are alternative ways to achieve similar results and share digital content with others. Here are some alternatives:

Way 1: Send an Apple Gift Card [Apple TV Plus]

One alternative is to send an Apple Gift Card, which recipients can use to buy movies or TV shows themselves or subscribe to various Apple services, including Apple TV Plus, Apple's streaming service featuring original shows, movies, and documentaries. These gift cards can be redeemed to purchase music, movies, TV shows, apps, and more from the iTunes Store using an Apple Account Balance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Send an Apple Gift Card:

1. Go to the Apple Gift Cards website and click "Buy."
2. Select email delivery or mail delivery for the gift card.
3. Choose a design for the gift card and specify the amount. Ensure it covers the cost of movies or TV shows from iTunes.
4. Provide the recipient's name and email address. Enter your name and email as the sender.
5. Include a personalized message for the recipient if desired.
6. Click "Add to Bag" and proceed to checkout.
7. Review your order details. Sign in with your Apple ID for faster checkout or proceed as a guest.
8. Enter your payment information to finalize the purchase of the gift card.
9. After completing the purchase, the gift card will be sent to the recipient via email or mail, depending on your chosen delivery method.

Way 2: Share Purchased iTunes Movies or TV Shows [Family Sharing]

Another alternative is to utilize Family Sharing, a feature that allows you to share your purchased iTunes content, including movies and TV shows, with up to six family members. This feature extends to Apple Music, Apple Books, App Store purchases, and more, making it a comprehensive way to share digital content within your family circle.

Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up Family Sharing:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your name at the top of the Settings screen to access your Apple ID settings.
3. Tap on "Family Sharing" to set up sharing with your family members.
4. Follow the prompts to invite family members to join your Family Sharing group. You can send invitations via iMessage or create a Family Sharing invitation link.
5. After family members accept the invitation, your iTunes purchases, including movies and TV shows, will be automatically shared with them.
6. Family members can access shared content by going to their respective apps (iTunes Store, Apple TV app, etc.) and selecting "Account"/"Family Sharing" > "Family Purchases" to view and download shared movies or TV shows.
   • Tip: You can manage sharing settings, such as turning on Ask to Buy for children under 18, to approve purchases made by family members.

Way 3: Convert iTunes Movies or TV Shows [M4V Converter]

Wait, Why Not Gift A Special iTunes DRM Removal Software As Well?

While gifting movies, TV shows or audiobooks to your friends from iTunes, never forget taking a look at a special iTunes companion. What we are talking about here is a DRM removal tool which can help you get rid of DRM protection from all the iTunes media content you purchased. Because almost all movies, TV episodes, audiobooks and other items sold from iTunes store are restricted by Apple's DRM FairPlay and can only be played well on Apple-approved devices. In order to make the iTunes gifts being enjoyed by your friends and family, it's necessary to pick up such a professional iTunes DRM remover as well. Now here you meet the top featured DRM removal products developed by ViWizard studio.

Remove DRM lock from iTunes movies and TV episodes (rented and purchased)

ViWizard DRM M4V Converter for Mac/Windows is one of the best iTunes DRM video converter software dedicated in bypassing DRM restriction from both iTunes rentals and purchases with lossless quality preserved. It's able to remove the DRM lock by converting the protected iTunes M4V videos to common MP4 format at 20x faster speed so that any popular mobile device could recognize the converted iTunes movies without problem. You can download the free trial version to test whether it meets your requirements before buying.

Key Features of ViWizard M4V Converter

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* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.

• Convert iTunes movie rentals and purchases to common videos
• Handle the conversion of iTunes M4V videos at 30× faster speed
• Preserve multilingual subtitles, closed captions, chapters, and more
• Support playing iTunes M4V videos anywhere and anytime

Bonus Tip: Best Alternatives to Gift iTunes & Audible Audiobooks

Remove DRM protection from iTunes audiobooks (Audible audiobooks included)

If you purchased audiobooks from iTunes (or Audible) as gifts this holiday, then a powerful yet easy-to-use DRM audiobook converter could be a great assistant to unlock DRM from the protected audiobook files. ViWizard iTunes Audio Converter is such an ultimate solution to remove DRM from iTunes and Audible audiobooks while converting the DRM-ed AAX, AA, M4A, M4B audio books to DRM-free MP3, AAC, WAV, etc with CD quality.

Key Features of ViWizard Audio Converter

Free Trial Free Trial

* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.

• Convert songs, albums, and playlists from Apple Music to MP3
• Remove DRM protection from Apple Music, iTunes, and Audible
• Save the converted audios with the original quality and ID3 tags
• Support the conversion of up to 100 audio formats to others