RetroGuide.TV
Live TV Channels for Plex
Free · In‑App Purchases · Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.
Real TV channels from your own Plex library, with a classic program guide. Flip channels, drop in mid-show and let the marathon roll.
RetroGuide.TV turns your Plex library into live TV.
It builds dozens of always-on channels from the shows and movies you already have: comedy, anime, sci-fi, 90s TV, 24/7 marathons of your favorite series, and more. Turn it on and something is already playing. Flip channels with a swipe or the Siri Remote, drop into whatever's on mid-episode, and browse what's next in a cable-style program guide.
AUTOMATIC CHANNELS
Genre, decade and format channels, plus channels for each library, TV network, collection and long-running show. The lineup scales to the size of your library and skips channels with too little to air.
CUSTOM CHANNELS
Combine genres, shows, networks, collections, decades and libraries, with a live preview of what your channel will air. One custom channel is free; RetroGuide Pro adds as many as you like.
REAL TV SCHEDULING
Every channel runs on a fixed clock, with Shuffle, Block Shuffle, Show Rotation or Marathon ordering and optional start times on the half hour.
PROGRAM GUIDE AND SEARCH
A focus-driven guide with a live preview, show logos and artwork, and search with live results that tells you what's on now and when it airs next.
PLAYS NEARLY ANYTHING
A built-in player handles MKV, HEVC, AV1, Dolby Vision, DTS, TrueHD and styled subtitles directly, so your server doesn't have to convert anything. Audio and subtitle tracks follow your Plex language preferences.
MULTIPLE SERVERS (PRO)
Mix your own server with ones shared with you. Titles on more than one server are kept once, and each server has its own quality settings for watching away from home.
MAKE IT YOURS
Twelve themes, from Classic Cable to Local Forecast, VHS and Teletext, and optional CRT scanlines on menus.
FREE AND PRO
RetroGuide.TV is free, with a small banner under the menus and an occasional full-screen ad between programs on iPhone and iPad. RetroGuide Pro, a one-time purchase, removes ads and adds multiple servers, unlimited custom channels, every theme, and schedule order and start-time controls, on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
Works on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Requires a Plex Media Server you own or that is shared with you. No accounts or tracking.
RetroGuide.TV is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Plex, Inc.
Ratings & Reviews
Smarter channels
• A fuller lineup built from your genres, decades, networks and collections, with fewer near-duplicate channels.
• Shows take fair turns on every channel, and episodes always air in order.
• RetroGuide now checks well-known titles against its own genre data, so documentaries and reality shows stay off the comedy, crime and drama channels.
• The same show airs on at most two channels at once (change it in Settings › Channels), and never the same episode on two channels.
• One show across all your servers: no duplicate channels when two servers have the same series.
Your channels, your way
• "Why is this here?" in Options explains why a show is on a channel.
• Remove a show from one channel with RetroGuide Pro (it asks first, and you can undo), and put it back any time from Settings › Channels › Removed from channels.
Audio and subtitles
• Choose audio and subtitles right on the picture, even full screen, for one episode, a season, a whole show or a library. Choices are saved to Plex and iCloud so your other devices follow.
• External VobSub subtitles now load.
Fixes and polish
• Faster start-up, and a guide that keeps up with the time.
• A program whose file is damaged no longer leaves static on screen; the channel moves on.
• Banner ads show in full on iPhone and iPad.
• Many smaller fixes.
The developer, Adam Hunt, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
- Location
- Identifiers
- Usage Data
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
- Diagnostics
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Adam Hunt
- Size
- 41.3 MB
- Category
- Entertainment
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 17.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 17.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 17.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 14.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later. - Apple TV
Requires tvOS 17.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- Contains
Advertising
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- RetroGuide Pro $9.99
- Copyright
- © 2026 Adam Hunt
