How To: Stream Movies and Shows on your Smart TV with hoopla and Kanopy

Written by Halifax Public Libraries' Technology Interns

Our free video streaming services, hoopla and Kanopy, are pretty fantastic. Adding to their awesomeness, you can access them on more than just your web browser or as an app on your mobile device. You can stream movies and shows from hoopla and Kanopy right on your Smart TV! With only a few clicks, you’ll have free access to thousands of movies and shows—all from the comfort of your own home.

Step 1: Add the hoopla or Kanopy channel or app to your Smart TV

You can add the hoopla or Kanopy channel or app to your Roku, Android, Apple, or Fire TVs by following these easy instructions.

Add channels to your Roku TV

1. Press Home on your Roku remote.
2. Select Streaming Channels to open the Channel Store.
3. Go to Search Channels and search for the hoopla or Kanopy channels.
4. Select Add Channel to install the channel on your Roku device.

Adding apps to your Android TV

1. From the home screen of your Android TV, go to the Play Store.
2. In the Play Store, go to search and search for the hoopla or Kanopy apps.
3. Find the app and click to install.

Adding apps to your Apple TV

1. From the home screen of Apple TV, go to the App Store.
2. In the App store, go to search, and search for the hoopla or Kanopy apps.
3. Find the app and click to install.

Adding apps to your Fire TV

1. On the Main Menu, click the magnifying glass beside Home along the top of the screen. 
2. Search for the hoopla or Kanopy apps.
3. Select Get or Download to start your download.

Once you install the channel or app, it will appear on your Smart TV’s home screen.

Step 2: Connect your hoopla or Kanopy account to your Smart TV

Connecting hoopla

When you open hoopla on your Smart TV for the first time, you’ll be guided through the process of connecting your hoopla account by following these steps:

1. A 4-digit code will appear on your TV screen.
2. Go to hoopladigital.com/link in your web browser on your computer or mobile device.
3. Log in to your hoopla account. If you don’t have a hoopla account already, you can sign up here, opens a new window using your library card.
4. Enter the 4-digit code displayed on your TV screen and click Submit.

With hoopla installed on your Smart TV, you can browse and watch up to five titles each month. You can also view your loans, your borrowing history, and the number of remaining borrows you have for the month.

Connecting Kanopy

Just like with hoopla, with Kanopy installed on your Smart TV, you can watch up to five titles each month. As an added bonus in Kanopy, you’ll also have access to unlimited plays from Kanopy Kids and the Great Courses!

When you open Kanopy on your smart TV for the first time, you’ll be guided through the process of connecting your Kanopy account by following these steps:

1. A 6-digit code will appear on your TV screen.
2. Go to kanopy.com/link, opens a new window in your web browser on your computer or mobile device.
3. Log in to your Kanopy account using your library card. If you don’t already have a Kanopy account, you can sign up here.
4. Enter the 6-digit code displayed on your TV screen and click Proceed.

Extra Help: Watch our hoopla and Kanopy how-to tutorials on Niche Academy