Boot Time, Apps, and More

It’s easy to watch anything you want these days, considering all the different streaming apps available at the touch of a button. But live events, like sports and political debates, are a little more difficult, and that goes for award shows like the Oscars. This year’s Academy Awards are almost here, so now is a good time to make sure you have the right setup to watch them in real time.

The Oscars will air on broadcast television as they do every year. However, in the broadcast age, watching an event isn’t as easy as turning on the TV as it used to be – at least for cord cutters. Here’s how to watch the 2026 Oscars and other important information you’ll want to know before Hollywood’s biggest stars hit the red carpet.

Starting in 2025, anyone with Hulu can live stream the Oscars. This includes those with a standalone Hulu plan, as well as Hulu bundles that include Disney+ and HBO Max or Disney+ and ESPN+. Hulu is available at multiple price points:

• Hulu Bundle (With Ads): $12.99/month
• Hulu Bundle (No Ads): $19.99/month
• Hulu + Live TV Bundle+: $89.99/month
• Hulu Premium + Live TV Bundle: $99.99/month

You’ll also be able to watch the Oscars on YouTube TV, FuboTV, and AT&T TV/DirecTV Stream, which also offers access to live streaming.

• fuboTV: Starts at $73.99/month
• YouTube TV: $82.99/month

Another app that will stream the Academy Awards is the ABC app, but you’ll need a cable or satellite subscription to do so. It’s the same as watching the Oscars live on ABC.com.

You will be able to watch the show live by tuning into your local ABC channel. It’s included in cable and satellite packages, so if you pay for cable or satellite, you’ll also be able to easily watch the Oscars. You can do that on your computer, through ABC.com, or by using the ABC app on your TV or mobile device. However, you will need to sign in to these services through your TV provider.

Watch out for the Ides of March — if you don’t want to miss the Academy Awards, that is. The 2026 Oscars will be awarded on March 15. The Oscars technically start at 7 pm Eastern / 4 pm Pacific / 11 pm GMT, though there will be plenty of pre-show programming — including fan-favorite red carpet interviews. The actual event is expected to last about three and a half hours.

Oscar nominees — like Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Emma Stone, Michael B. Jordan, and Leonardo DiCaprio — and Best Picture stars like “Hamnet,” “One Battle After Another,” and “Sinners,” will be in attendance, which is why so many people are singing along.

The Oscars red carpet and awards show is held in the heart of Hollywood at the Dolby Theater (not to be confused with Dolby Cinema). The Dolby Theater has been the site of many awards ceremonies over the years, including the ESPY Awards, the AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the BET Awards.

Disney+ is owned by The Walt Disney Company – the same megacorporation that owns ABC and Hulu. However, you won’t be able to stream the Oscars live on Disney+. If you subscribe to one of Hulu’s bundles that include Disney+, you can stream the Oscars live. But you’ll need to open Hulu and watch it on that app — not Disney+.

You can watch the Oscars on ABC using an over-the-air signal from your local ABC affiliate. Most modern smart TVs do not include built-in sticks. That means if you want to get your local ABC station’s signal over the air to watch the Oscars for free, you’ll need to connect a digital antenna to your TV.

Most smart TVs still include digital tuners and a port for attaching an antenna. If you don’t already own one, you can buy an antenna and plug it in, then use your TV tuner to get ABC. The best home TV antennas vary in price and quality, so if you think you’re in an area or your TV might have trouble receiving radio waves, you’ll want to choose a high-quality digital antenna.

The Oscars can be watched live in many places outside of the United States. The Academy Awards will be broadcast on standard TV channels in certain countries, such as ITV1 in the United Kingdom, Crave in Canada, TV2 in Denmark, Seven Network in Australia, or Federalna TV in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

In most of Latin America, the Oscars will be broadcast on TNT. Although the event will not be broadcast on Disney+ in the United States, it will be in many other regions, including Taiwan, Turkey, Austria, New Zealand, Korea, Thailand, and more. The Oscars will be broadcast on JioHotstar in India.

In other countries, the Oscars will be broadcast on programs that are unusual or not available in America. For example, the Oscars will be broadcast on DStv Stream in South Africa, Voyo in Romania, or MBC Shahid in much of the Middle East and North Africa. You can find a complete list of networks and apps showing the 2026 Oscars around the world on the official Academy Awards website.