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The Watch Next channel is the second row that appears in the home screen, after
the apps row. The system creates and maintains this channel. Your app can add
programs to the Watch Next channel: programs that the user marked as
interesting, stopped watching in the middle, or that are related to the content
the user is watching (like the next episode in a series or next season of a
show).
The Watch Next channel has some constraints: your app cannot move, remove, or
hide the Watch Next channel's row.
Steps
Inserting programs into the Watch Next channel is similar to
inserting programs into your own channel.
See the following sections for details specific to Watch Next.
Publishing to the Watch Next channel on Google TV (displayed as "Continue
watching") requires prior approval by Google through a certification process and
uses server-side processing to sort programs based on their attributes.
To start the certification process, please
submit this linked form.
When inserting content into the Watch Next channel, you must follow these guidelines:
There are four types of Watch Next programs. Select the appropriate type:
Type
Notes
WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_CONTINUE
The user stopped while watching content.
WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_NEXT
The next available program in a series the user is watching
is available. For example, if the user is watching episode 3 of a series, the app can suggest that they watch episode 4 next.
WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_NEW
New content that clearly follows what the user is watching is now available. For example, the user is watching episode number 5 from a series and episode 6 becomes available for watching.
WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_WATCHLIST
Inserted by the system or the app when the user saves a program.
Use TvContractCompat.buildWatchNextProgramUri(long watchNextProgramId) to
create the Uri you need to update a Watch Next program.
When the user adds a program to the Watch Next channel, the system copies the
program to the row. It sends the intent
TvContractCompat.ACTION_PREVIEW_PROGRAM_ADDED_TO_WATCH_NEXT to notify the app
that the program has been added. The intent includes two extras: the program ID
that was copied and the program ID created for the program in the Watch Next
channel.
Content and code samples on this page are subject to the licenses described in the Content License. Java and OpenJDK are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-02-10 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-02-10 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Add programs to the Watch Next channel\n\nThe Watch Next channel is the second row that appears in the home screen, after\nthe apps row. The system creates and maintains this channel. Your app can add\nprograms to the Watch Next channel: programs that the user marked as\ninteresting, stopped watching in the middle, or that are related to the content\nthe user is watching (like the next episode in a series or next season of a\nshow).\n| **Note:** On the home screen, the Watch Next channel has the label **Play Next** . However, the Android classes used to manage the Watch Next channel are [`WatchNextProgram`](/reference/androidx/tvprovider/media/tv/WatchNextProgram) and [`WatchNextPrograms`](/reference/android/media/tv/TvContract.WatchNextPrograms). They have methods and constants with the stem \"watchnext\".\n\nThe Watch Next channel has some constraints: your app cannot move, remove, or\nhide the Watch Next channel's row.\n\nSteps\n-----\n\nInserting programs into the Watch Next channel is similar to\n[inserting programs into your own channel](/training/tv/discovery/recommendations-channel#add-programs).\nSee the following sections for details specific to Watch Next.\n\nPublishing to the Watch Next channel on Google TV (displayed as \"Continue\nwatching\") requires prior approval by Google through a certification process and\nuses server-side processing to sort programs based on their attributes.\nTo start the certification process, please\nsubmit this [linked form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeaNhHjDNM8osXPgkXeUQMSl5CntaEw0EeGYHIAc5jxUhQuHg/viewform).\n\nWhen inserting content into the Watch Next channel, you must follow these guidelines:\n\n- [Watch Next guidelines for app developers](/training/tv/discovery/guidelines-app-developers)\n- [Watch Next guidelines for TV providers](/training/tv/discovery/guidelines-tv-providers)\n\n### Select a type of program\n\nThere are four types of Watch Next programs. Select the appropriate type:\n\n| Type | Notes |\n|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| `WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_CONTINUE` | The user stopped while watching content. |\n| `WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_NEXT` | The next available program in a series the user is watching is available. For example, if the user is watching episode 3 of a series, the app can suggest that they watch episode 4 next. |\n| `WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_NEW` | New content that clearly follows what the user is watching is now available. For example, the user is watching episode number 5 from a series and episode 6 becomes available for watching. |\n| `WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_WATCHLIST` | Inserted by the system or the app when the user saves a program. |\n\nFor more information, see [Watch Next attributes](/training/tv/discovery/watch-next-programs).\n\n### Use the WatchNextProgram builder\n\nUse a `WatchNextProgram.Builder`. For more information, see\n[Watch Next attributes](/training/tv/discovery/watch-next-programs). \n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nval builder = WatchNextProgram.Builder()\nbuilder.setType(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.TYPE_MOVIE)\n .setWatchNextType(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_CONTINUE)\n .setLastEngagementTimeUtcMillis(time)\n .setTitle(\"Title\")\n .setDescription(\"Program description\")\n .setPosterArtUri(uri)\n .setIntentUri(uri)\n .setInternalProviderId(appProgramId)\n\nval watchNextProgramUri = context.contentResolver\n .insert(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.CONTENT_URI,\n builder.build().toContentValues())\n```\n\n### Java\n\n```java\nWatchNextProgram.Builder builder = new WatchNextProgram.Builder();\nbuilder.setType(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.TYPE_MOVIE)\n .setWatchNextType(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.WATCH_NEXT_TYPE_CONTINUE)\n .setLastEngagementTimeUtcMillis(time)\n .setTitle(\"Title\")\n .setDescription(\"Program description\")\n .setPosterArtUri(uri)\n .setIntentUri(uri)\n .setInternalProviderId(appProgramId);\n\nUri watchNextProgramUri = context.getContentResolver()\n .insert(TvContractCompat.WatchNextPrograms.CONTENT_URI, builder.build().toContentValues());\n```\n\nUse `TvContractCompat.buildWatchNextProgramUri(long watchNextProgramId)` to\ncreate the `Uri` you need to update a Watch Next program.\n\nWhen the user adds a program to the Watch Next channel, the system copies the\nprogram to the row. It sends the intent\n`TvContractCompat.ACTION_PREVIEW_PROGRAM_ADDED_TO_WATCH_NEXT` to notify the app\nthat the program has been added. The intent includes two extras: the program ID\nthat was copied and the program ID created for the program in the Watch Next\nchannel."]]