Amid growing speculation about Hulu’s future under Disney, the company has confirmed that the streaming platform is not shutting down anytime soon. While Disney continues expanding the integration between Hulu and Disney+, the media giant says there are currently no plans to discontinue Hulu’s standalone app.
Disney isn’t shutting down Hulu just yet
Disney has confirmed that Hulu will continue operating as a standalone streaming service in the United States (via Variety).
The company is currently developing a “unified” streaming experience for Disney+ and Hulu bundle subscribers that is expected to launch in 2026. Disney is also working toward placing both services on the same backend technology platform. Despite those plans, the company said there are no current plans to shut down the Hulu app.
As part of its latest update, Disney introduced profile syncing between Hulu and Disney+ for bundle subscribers beginning May 19, 2026. The feature allows subscribers with both Disney+ and Hulu can now sync their profiles across the two platforms. It transfers Hulu watch history, recommendations, and saved titles directly into the Disney+ app, allowing users to continue watching Hulu content without switching between services.
After linking profiles, Hulu titles will appear in the “Continue Watching” section on Disney+. Meanwhile, content saved under Hulu’s “My Stuff” tab will automatically move to the Disney+ watchlist. Personalized recommendations based on Hulu viewing habits will also appear in the “For You” section of Disney+.
Disney said users only need to link their accounts once. However, profile syncing is currently unavailable for customers subscribed to Hulu + Live TV plans, Disney+, Hulu and Max bundles, or Hulu add-on packages. Disney also stated that children’s profiles and accounts belonging to users under 18 cannot be linked to Disney+ at this time.
The company is also preparing to test a new live guide feature within Disney+. The guide will allow subscribers to browse livestreaming content currently airing on the platform, including ABC News Live and Disney+ Playtime. ESPN network streams will also be included for eligible ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.
