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On February 26, 2021, HBO Max began rolling out a small Android TV update that restored a useful playback option: Restart. It let viewers start an in-progress movie or episode from the beginning without dragging the timeline back to zero. This is a historical update, not a new rollout; today, the app may appear under the Max name.
What the February 2021 update changed
The update’s main Android TV change was the return of the Restart button, which HBO Max described as being back “by popular demand.” The feature had been removed in an earlier app version, making its return a practical correction rather than a new viewing innovation. Contemporary coverage of the update reported the restoration and the accompanying release-note items.
- Android TV: Restart returned for movies and television episodes already in progress.
- Android phones and tablets: Player controls were improved. This was a mobile-interface change, not an Android TV feature.
- App-wide: The release notes also cited bug fixes and performance improvements; those were stated goals, not independently measured results.
The update was reported on February 26, 2021. An archived package listing identifies version 50.15.0.193, uploaded on February 23, and a later 50.15.0.197 package carried the same notes. These are historical identifiers, not versions to install now. The archived package listing records the earlier version and notes.
What Restart does—and when it may appear
When a movie or episode has saved viewing progress, Restart offers a direct way to begin it again. That saves viewers from manually rewinding or moving the progress bar to the start, whether they opened a title by mistake or simply want to rewatch its opening.
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The historical release notes do not specify exactly where the control appeared in every interface or guarantee that it would show in every viewing state. It may not be offered for a title with no saved progress, or while viewing progress is still syncing between a profile and device. If a title is in progress but Restart is missing, treat that first as an app, account-state, or synchronization issue rather than proof that the control was never part of the update.
How to update the app on Android TV today
Current devices may show the service as Max rather than HBO Max. The current support instructions use the app’s details screen; exact labels can vary by manufacturer, Android TV version, launcher, or Google TV interface. Max’s Android TV support guide gives this path:
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- Highlight the HBO Max or Max app on the Android TV home screen.
- Press and hold the remote’s Select button.
- Choose View Details.
- Choose Update, if that option is available.
To check the device software, open Settings > System > About > System update > Check for update. Some manufacturers use different menu names.
If no app update appears, check the app in Google Play or through View Details, confirm the device is online, and check for a system update. Then try signing out of the app, restarting the device, and signing in again. If the issue persists, clear the app cache; clearing app data is a further option, but it requires signing in again. Reinstalling the app is a last resort. Max’s current support guidance lists at least 5 Mbps for HD streaming and recommends 50 Mbps or more for 4K; these are streaming-network figures, not requirements introduced by the 2021 update. See the full troubleshooting guidance.
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What the update did not establish
This was a modest quality-of-life fix, not a documented Android TV redesign, catalog change, subscription-tier launch, or video-format upgrade. It did not guarantee better streaming quality or faster internet, and it should not be taken as evidence that every device received the update at the same time. Rollouts can vary by device, market, Play Store configuration, and compatibility.
There was also a separate, less firmly documented audio report: contemporary coverage noted user reports that Dolby Digital 5.1 was working on HBO Max through Chromecast with Google TV, while Dolby Atmos still appeared not to work in that context. That observation was not an official release-note confirmation or a universal promise for Android TV devices. The contemporaneous report distinguishes the audio discussion from the better-documented Restart change.
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What this means for current Max users
The headline refers to HBO Max’s Android TV app in 2021. Warner Bros. Discovery’s current support material refers to the Max app; the name and availability readers see depend on market and migration status. Current support lists Android TV OS 5.1 or later among supported-device requirements, subject to device certification and regional availability. It also says installation from outside the official Google Play store is unsupported. Do not use an archived 2021 package as a current installation recommendation. Current Max device and installation information provides the applicable qualifications, while Max’s naming information addresses the transition from HBO Max.
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