UltraViolet goes dark on July 31
The service primarily focused on serving up digital versions of your Digital HD and Blu-ray discs.
If you signed up for the UltraViolet during its eight-year stint, now's your last chance to rescue copies of your movies from oblivion before the service shuts down Wednesday. Earlier this year, the cloud movie locker sent emails to customers notifying them that it will go dark on July 31.
It's not much of a surprise, given that the cross-studio service has gradually been supplanted by the broader Movies Anywhere service over time. UltraViolet primarily focused on serving up digital versions of movies that people purchased on physical Digital HD and Blu-ray discs. It reportedly amassed more than 30 million users, who collectively stored over 300 million TV shows and movies in their cloud libraries.
Your movies will still be available through linked retailers, but you need to make sure they're all associated with one in order to retain access. You can still redeem "UV" codes, but they'll be associated with the individual retailer accounts rather than your UltraViolet account.
Here's the email, with instructions, in full:
We are writing to inform you that the UltraViolet service is planning to shut down on July 31, 2019. You are receiving this message because you signed up for an UltraViolet Library or for a service that created an UltraViolet Library for you.
What does this mean for you?
- Between January 31 and July 31, 2019
- You can continue to access your UltraViolet movies and TV shows through the retailer(s) linked to your UltraViolet Library.
- You can also continue to purchase new movies and TV shows and redeem digital codes by following the redemption instructions. Depending on the retailer, these new purchases and redemptions may or may not be added to your UltraViolet Library.
- Linking your UltraViolet Library to additional retailers can maximize your access to your Library and help avoid potential disruption.
- After the shutdown date
- Your UltraViolet Library will automatically close and, in the majority of cases, your movies and TV shows will remain accessible at previously-linked retailers.
- You can continue to make online purchases and redeem codes, but these may only be available through that retailer, and will not be added to your UltraViolet Library.
What should you do now?
- As soon as possible, login at myuv.com and choose Retailer Services to verify the retailers linked to your UltraViolet Library. If your Library is not currently linked to a retailer or if you would like to link to additional participating retailers, select one or more retailers to link to your UltraViolet Library.
- Don't unlink or close your UltraViolet Library, as UltraViolet and retailers will be working together to maximize your continued access to movies and TV shows.
Look for further communications from UltraViolet and your retailers over the coming months, as some retailers may disconnect from UltraViolet before July 31.
Some details may be updated, so visit myuv.com/faq often for the most current information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Thank you for making UltraViolet part of how you enjoy digital entertainment. Please do not hesitate to contact customer support at customercare@uvvu.com if you have additional questions.
Sincerely,
The UltraViolet Team
Originally published Jan. 31, 2019.
Update, July 29: Notes that UltraViolet is shutting down this week.
