The Disney Plus app is getting a major update ahead of its integration with Hulu. For those of you who haven’t been following along closely, Disney has already integrated a lot of Hulu content into Disney Plus. This past August, it announced that it would combine the two streaming services into a single app in 2026. Things took another step forward last month, when Hulu officially replaced Star outside the U.S., making Hulu a global brand alongside Disney Plus.
When that last announcement was made, Disney also teased that a new, redesigned Disney Plus app was coming later in the year. Well, the new app is finally here, and it’s brought some big changes. Especially for those of you who are signed up for the Disney, Hulu, ESPN bundle. Here’s what’s changing.
Malcolm McMillan
Streaming Editor
Malcolm has been part of the Tom’s Guide streaming team for years, covering the latest industry news, hit TV shows, award-worthy movies and more.
New navigation bar allows you to switch between Disney, Hulu and ESPN content with ease
The biggest change is at the top of the home page. On smart TV versions of the Disney Plus app, there’s a new navigation bar that allows you to switch between four tabs: For You, Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN. If you have the Disney and Hulu bundle or the Disney, Hulu and ESPN bundle, this bar will let you switch between the three services with just a few clicks on your remote.
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Now, there are two caveats. First, as far as I’ve seen, this change is only on smart TVs and streaming devices. When I logged onto the Disney Plus app on my phone or onto Disney Plus via a web browser, the new navigation bar was nowhere to be found. It’s unclear if this will change in the coming weeks.
Second, just because you can access content from all three brands doesn’t mean that all of the content from all three is now available on Disney Plus. Access to ESPN content requires that you be subscribed to a bundle with ESPN included. Hulu content, meanwhile, also requires a bundle with a Hulu subscription, but even then, not everything from Hulu will be available through the Hulu hub on your Disney Plus app.
For You brings more personalized recommendations
The Disney+ App Just Got an Update, Here’s What You Need to Know – YouTube
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The new navigation bar is the biggest change, but not the only one of note. Disney Plus is also adding a For You tab to that navigation bar, and it will give you personalized recommendations based on what content you’ve watched so far. It utilizes an updated algorithm that Disney says will get better the more you use Disney Plus.
Again, there’s a caveat here. Recommendations are made based on what’s watched on your profile, not the app at large. So if you want the best recommendations, Disney says to make sure you’re only watching your content on your profile.
Other changes to Disney Plus app
Here’s what else is coming with the redesigned Disney Plus app:
- A new Live hub (represented by a lightning bolt icon on the sidebar) that gives you quick access to live events, sports, and Disney Plus 24/7 streams.
- A new video display in the hero (top) carousel.
- A new, more dynamic brand row that now also includes Hulu Originals, FX, ESPN Originals, and ABC News.
- Updated content rows that feature cinematic poster-style artwork and now include badges like “Season Finales”, “New Series”, and “New Movies”
Disney says to expect more changes in 2026 once it unifies the Disney Plus and Hulu apps into one platform.
(Image credit: Future)
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