topic Re: Do included apps timeout if not used? in Sky Q

Do included apps timeout if not used?

Andym15 — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:26:26 GMT

I'm troubleshooting an issue with the basic Paramount plus subscription included with Sky Cinema on Sky Q. I've not opened the app for months, but thought I'd take a look over the weekend.
I can sign in to Paramount with the same log in details that were set up when Sky started offering it, but it doesn't link to any subscription.
The only option I'm offered is to subscribe to Paramount directly, so I'm wondering if it gets regarded as a dormant subscription if it's not used regularly enough.

Does anyone know?

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

SKY1992bf — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:31:41 GMT

@Andym15 It shouldn't expire provided you still have an active sky cinema subscription otherwise yes it will expire as it's dependent on your cinema subscription unless you subscribe directly to paramount through sky or paramount direct

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

Andym15 — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:00:45 GMT

Thanks @SKY1992bf

That's what I thought tbh.

I suppose it could be a Paramount issue rather than Sky. I'll have a scour through their t&cs when I get time to see if it could be them that's caused it.

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

Andym15 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:10:56 GMT

It's nothing Paramount have done. The reason was hiding in my Sky Cinema settings.
Apparently I need to "buy" Paramount plus basic for £0.

I've no idea when my free subscription lapsed and don't remember any messages from Sky about it.

I've not bought it yet. I'll check if there's anything I want to watch before messing with it

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

SKY1992bf — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:13:54 GMT

@Andym15 wrote:
It's nothing Paramount have done. The reason was hiding in my Sky Cinema settings.
Apparently I need to "buy" Paramount plus basic for £0.
I've no idea when my free subscription lapsed and don't remember any messages from Sky about it.
I've not bought it yet. I'll check if there's anything I want to watch before messing with it

@Andym15 there was nothing for sky to inform you about as you didn't activate the offer correctly (or have you previously been able to watch paramount content)

its always been the case that if you have sky cinema and want the free paramount tier as part of that subscription you would have to either create a paramount account first or if you have an existing paramount account then link it to your sky account first before being able to access paramount for free via your sky account

if you didn't do this originally when the offer became available and have never used the app to watch content then that's why you have experience this as th

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

Andym15 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:31:30 GMT

@SKY1992bf

There shouldn't be anything to activate. My Paramount account is still active, just with no current subscription, and I activated it with Sky ages ago when it first launched and watched several shows, Yellowstone and Landman for example, with no problems.

This problem has come out of the blue.
The only change at my end I can think of, apart from lack of use, is that my contract ended last November. My Sky packages have continued unchanged on an monthly rolling basis. No idea if that's relevant though.

I'm not that fussed to be honest, just very curious why it's happened.

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

lettice — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:16 GMT

@Andym15 wrote:

@SKY1992bf

There shouldn't be anything to activate. My Paramount account is still active, just with no current subscription, and I activated it with Sky ages ago when it first launched and watched several shows, Yellowstone and Landman for example, with no problems.

This problem has come out of the blue.
The only change at my end I can think of, apart from lack of use, is that my contract ended last November. My Sky packages have continued unchanged on an monthly rolling basis. No idea if that's relevant though.

I'm not that fussed to be honest, just very curious why it's happened.

An ending of your contract as a you mention will have halted your Paramount + billing from Sky.

So you will need to activate it again, the activation is what resets it with your Sky billing. You will not need to create a new Paramount + account, just go through the activation path.

More here;

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/changed-tv-package-cant-use-paramountplus

Re: Do included apps timeout if not used?

Andym15 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:00:27 GMT

Thanks @lettice

That makes sense. Mystery solved.

I'll have to buy it for £0 at some point then reactivate it. I've checked Paramounts catalogue today and there's still absolutely nothing newish that I want to watch, so it can wait.