Pluto TV has grown in popularity due to its large selection of viewing options and free price tag. The only problem is that there isn’t a way for you to search through the platform to find exactly what you’re looking for. Luckily, there are still a few useful tricks to browse Pluto to get what you want.
Here are all the ways you can search through Pluto TV to find your show faster, instead of browsing through the entire platform.
What Is Pluto TV?
Pluto TV is a streaming platform with over 300 channels and thousands of on-demand content that you can stream free. One of the unique parts of this Viacom-owned app, compared to other streaming services, is that it performs like regular cable TV.
You can watch content 24 hours a day, but only what is playing live on each channel. If there is a show coming on at 3pm, you need to wait till exactly 3pm to watch it. This is different from other streaming platforms that allow you to select your show and immediately watch it with no delay.
Because Pluto TV is free, you have to sit through a healthy dose of ads that help pay for the platform. Even though the app has plenty of content for you to consume, it doesn’t have a way to search through the channels to find what you want.
Instead, you have to use some nifty tricks for easily finding the type of content you want to watch. Here they are.
1. How to Search Pluto TV Using Categories
Regardless of if you are in the on-demand section or if you are watching live TV, there are category sections that help narrow down your search. Without a traditional search feature, this is one of the easiest ways to find what you’re looking for.
The on-demand category is particularly helpful because it goes into a lot more detail than the live categories. You’ll find sections like 90s Throwback, Animal Planet, Cars, Classic Rock, and more.
On desktop, the categories are listed on the left-hand side, but they are somewhat covered by the video. On mobile, there will be a button in the middle of your screen that will expand the categories. The live category feature is limited because it categorizes the channels as opposed to the actual content.
Clicking on the category in the live area doesn’t bring up a menu or choice of options. Instead, Pluto TV will place you at the start of a group of channels that match the category you’ve chosen. It has collected channels that are similar in content type and placed them together for easier viewing.
2. How to Search Pluto TV Using the Channels List Guide
Another way to easily find what you’re looking for when using Pluto TV is using the channel list. This list will give you each channel number and the corresponding channel associated with that number. Pluto is constantly adding and removing different channels, so revisit the channel list often to see any changes.
The channel list won’t tell you which show is playing at what time, but it will be easier to find the type of content you like.
3. How to Search Pluto TV Using Your Watch List
Since Pluto TV doesn’t allow you to search its content by inputting a title or channel name, you have to get creative. Using the watchlist feature is how you can find shows or movies you are interested in without having to browse the entire platform.
Whenever you are watching Pluto TV and see a show or movie you like, add it to your watchlist. This will create a library of shows you’ve already shown interest in and gather them in one place. When you are browsing for something to watch at a later time, you can go back to your library of curated content.
Use this feature consistently and you won’t need a traditional search bar because all your preferred content will be right in front of you.
4. How to Search Pluto TV Using Google
The last method you can use is simply searching for the show you want on Google and seeing if Pluto TV is listed under the watch options.
Pluto streams live TV, so there is a chance that even if the show you want has played on Pluto in the past, it might not be playing at that specific time. You will still need to browse through the channels or categories to see if your selection is live.
Find Exactly What You Want on Pluto TV
You can’t search for the title of the show you want to watch on Pluto TV. Instead, you’ll have to use the category menu or channels list to see what content is available.
Decided that Pluto isn’t for you? There are other platforms you can use to watch live TV for free if you want to avoid spending money on paid streaming services.