Playback options and controls
Max includes a number of playback options.
Which device are you using?
When you're watching something, tap the screen to access the following:
Choose the Play/Pause button to toggle between play and pause. All titles play in landscape mode.
Choose the Skip forward icon 
or the Skip backward icon 
to skip forward or backwards by 10 seconds.
The progress bar shows you where you are in what you're watching. You can tap anywhere on the bar, or tap and drag your location (the dot). The time remaining appears in the lower-right corner.
Ad breaks: If you have the Basic with Ads plan, ad breaks are marked on the progress bar. For more info, go to Ads on Max.
To adjust the volume, use the volume buttons on your phone or tablet.
You can use Picture in Picture to watch Max while you use other apps on your phone or tablet. Here's how:
- When you’re watching something, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
- Start another app. When you do this, the Max window will stay on top.
If Picture-in-Picture isn't working, you may need to turn it on. Here's how:
- Android: On your Android device, go to Settings and search for Picture. Then choose Picture-in-picture > Max > Allow picture-in-picture.
- iOS: On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Picture in Picture > Start PiP Automatically.
iOS: You can use the Pinch-to-Zoom gesture to make what you're watching fill the screen on your phone or tablet. To do this, move 2 fingers apart to zoom in and together to zoom out. Watching while zoomed in may cause the video to appear cropped.
Options at the top right of the screen:
Choose the Google Cast icon 
to cast Max from your phone or tablet to your TV. For more info, go to Chromecast Max to your TV.
Choose the AirPlay icon 
to stream Max from your iOS device to your AirPlay-2 compatible device. For more info, go to AirPlay Max to your TV.
Choose the Audio and Subtitles icon 
to change the subtitles, captions, or audio track. For more info, go to Subtitles, captions, and audio.
When you're watching something, hover your cursor over the screen to access the following:
Click the Play/Pause button to toggle between play and pause. You can also press the Spacebar.
Choose the Skip forward icon or the Skip backward icon to skip forward or backwards by 10 seconds. You can also press the left or right arrow key.
The progress bar shows you where you are in what you’re watching. You can click anywhere on the bar, or click and drag your location (the dot). The remaining time appears in the lower-right corner.
Ad breaks: If you have the Basic with Ads plan, ad breaks are marked on the progress bar. For more info, go to Ads on Max.
Choose the Google Cast icon to cast Max from your computer to your TV. For more info, go to Chromecast Max to your TV.
To adjust the volume, hover your mouse over the Sound icon 
and then click and drag the sound level (the dot). You can also press the up and down arrow key.
To mute the volume, click the Sound icon or press M. To unmute, click the sound icon again or press M (the volume returns to the previous level).
You can also use the volume controls on your computer.
Click the Audio and Subtitles icon to change the subtitles, captions, or audio track. For more info, go to Subtitles, captions, and audio.
Click the Full-screen icon 
to expand what you're streaming. To exit full screen, click the icon again or press the Esc key.
Here are the TV playback options:
- TV device: Press the D-pad center button or Play/Pause button on your remote.
- PlayStation: Press the X button on your PS controller.
- Xbox: Press the A button on your Xbox controller.
- TV device: Press and hold the D-pad right button to fast forward and the D-pad left button to rewind.
- Apple TV: Press and hold the left or right side of the touch surface to fast forward or rewind.
- PlayStation: Press the R2 button to fast forward and the L2 button to rewind.
- Roku: Press the Forward/Rewind button on your remote.
To increase or decrease the forward/rewind speed, press the same button again (up to 4 times). Press the Play button to resume playback.
The progress bar shows you where you are in what you’re watching. The remaining time appears in the lower-right corner.
- Pause your show or movie.
- Use the left/right navigation on your remote to move forward/backwards on the progress bar.
Ad breaks: If you have the Basic with Ads plan, ad breaks are marked on the progress bar. For more info, go to Ads on Max.
Choose the Audio and Subtitles icon to change the subtitles, captions, or audio track. For more info, go to Subtitles, captions, and audio.
Other playback options:
When you're done watching an episode, the next episode will automatically play. You can choose Next Episode to start watching right away, or wait 15 seconds and the episode will automatically play.
If you want to watch the end credits, dismiss the Next Episode prompt. Here’s how:
- Phone, tablet, or computer: Choose the X beside the Next Episode button.
- Apple TV: Press the Menu button on your remote.
- Other TV device: Press the back button on your remote.
To find out how to turn off autoplay (next episode or previews), go to Max settings.
When you start watching something, you can skip the content that plays before your show or movie.
- Skip Intro: Skips ahead to the last second of the introduction.
- Skip Recap: Skips ahead to the last second of the episode recap.
The Skip button disappears in 10 seconds. To bring back the button, tap or click the screen on your device.
When watching a live event, you can choose Go Live (lower right) to jump to what's happening live. Go Live is only available when you pause, rewind, or start a live event from the beginning.
Video quality: Max automatically adjusts the video quality based on your network bandwidth and connection speed. For help improving your internet connection, go to Max buffers or pauses. Most shows and movies are available in high definition (HD). Manual video quality settings aren't currently available.
Aspect ratio: Some Max titles may have black bars or letterboxing along the edges of the video. Black bars are used when the aspect ratio that the title was filmed in doesn't match the aspect ratio of your screen. Black bars are added instead of stretching or clipping the video.
- Black bars above and below: This means the title was filmed with an aspect ratio that's wider than your screen.
- Black bars on the sides: This can happen if the title was filmed with a squarish aspect ratio (e.g. 4:3), and your screen is widescreen (16:9) or ultrawide (21:9).
You can't manually adjust the aspect ratio in Max to remove the black bars.
Playback speed: The video playback speed can't be adjusted.
