Microsoft Movies & TV
| Microsoft Movies & TV | |
|---|---|
Screenshot of Movies & TV app in Windows 10 | |
| Other names | Xbox Video Zune Video |
| Developer | Microsoft Corporation |
| Initial release | 16 October 2012 as Xbox Video |
| Stable release | October 2025 Update (10.25101.1003.0)
/ November 14, 2025 |
| Operating system | Windows 11, Windows Server 2012+, Xbox One+
Discontinued
|
| Type | Television series, films |
| Website | support |
Microsoft Movies & TV, also branded Films & TV, was a digital video storefront service developed and run by Microsoft for the Windows and Xbox platforms. It offered full HD movies and TV shows available for rental or purchase from the Microsoft Store. Personal digital collections could be watched and managed within the software app. The service would be later discontinued on July 18, 2025.
The service originated with the launches of the Zune Marketplace and Xbox Live Video Marketplace on November 14, 2006, designed for media purchasing and consumption on Zune players, Windows computers (using the Zune software) and the Xbox 360 console. The Zune storefront was only for audio, but from 2008 and 2009 also began offering TV shows and movies. The Xbox Live branded service was then integrated into the Zune branded service. The service generally competed more directly with similar online video stores including iTunes Store, Google TV, Amazon Video, and Vudu.
Microsoft replaced and relaunched the service as Xbox Video on October 14, 2012, with audio offerings becoming Xbox Music. It was then renamed Movies & TV in 2015. The Microsoft Movies & TV video player app was superseded by Media Player in 2023 and 2022 respectively on Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Movies & TV service shut down in 2025 as part of Microsoft's continuing distancing from consumer entertainment services.
| Timeline of Microsoft's online digital music and video offerings | |
|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2004 | MSN Music Store launches |
| 18 Oct 2006 | Release of version 11 of Windows Media Player playback software |
| 22 Nov 2006 | Zune Marketplace and Xbox Live Video Marketplace launches offering music and video downloads respectively |
| 19 Nov 2008 | Zune Pass music subscription service launches |
| 22 Jul 2009 | Release of version 12 of Windows Media Player playback software |
| Fall 2009 | Zune Marketplace gains movies and TV content; Xbox Live Video Marketplace integrates into new Zune Video Marketplace |
| 26 Oct 2012 | Zune brand retired; Xbox Music and Xbox Video streaming services and download stores launches; Xbox Music and Xbox Video apps also replace Windows Media Player as the default media playback software (in Windows 8) |
| 29 Jul 2015 | Xbox Music and Xbox Video apps and streaming services re-branded as Groove Music and Movies & TV/Films & TV respectively; Music and Video download stores merged into the Windows Store (later known as Microsoft Store) |
| 1 Jan 2018 | Discontinuation and shutting down of Groove Music streaming service (Pass) and music downloading from the Microsoft Store |
| 16 Nov 2021 | Release of new Media Player software replacing Groove Music and (for playback purposes) Movies & TV/Films & TV |
| 18 Jul 2025 | Microsoft Movies & TV/Films & TV store shuts down, ending Microsoft's presence in digital music/video distribution |