Allow marking future episodes as watched in Android app

[bsmq]

Trakt uses TV broadcast dates as the official release date for episodes, which is understandable. However, in some cases — especially with anime — episodes are released earlier on streaming platforms.

When this happens, I can still mark the episode as watched using the web dashboard, and the watched status syncs correctly with the Android app.

However, the Android app currently blocks marking future episodes as watched, even though Trakt itself allows it via the web dashboard.

It would be helpful if this action were allowed directly in the Android app instead of requiring users to use the website.

This would make tracking more convenient for users who watch episodes as soon as they become available on streaming platforms.

[bsmq]

This seems to be a broader limitation affecting multiple users and platforms, not just a single-app issue.

The behavior appears to be:

Episodes with a future air date or TBA status cannot be marked as watched in the Android app

The Trakt website/dashboard still allows marking them as watched

The watched state syncs correctly afterward, which suggests the API/backend allows it and the restriction is primarily in the app UI

This is being reported in several places:

Trakt forum discussion:

Mark episode as watched greyed out

Short description of the issue Unable to mark episodes as watched when airing date is in the future Detailed description with additional context about the workflow When an episode has an airing date in the future, you are unable to mark it as watched. However, some services make all episodes available online on the release date whilst also only airing one episode per week on TV. This seems to be pretty common in the UK. In the screenshots below, Patience S2 is all available online whil…

Related Trakt discussion about future watch-date restrictions:

Marking episodes as watched in a future date

Hey there! I remember it used to be possible to mark an episode as seen in a future date. For different reasons, at times I’ve needed to log episodes in advance, and right now if you do so, the site asks you’re sure you want to do it but then logs them as seen today. ¿Is that some kind of bug or is this option no longer available? ¿Has anyone else tried?

Community reports:

Can’t mark as watched

In practice, this commonly happens when:

Streaming platforms release episodes before broadcast dates

Anime simulcasts appear before TV listings

Regional releases happen earlier than the original airing country

Since the website already allows this action and sync works correctly, it may be worth reconsidering whether the Android app should block marking episodes as watched based solely on the air date.

Allowing this would improve tracking accuracy without affecting data integrity, since Trakt already accepts the watched entry via the web interface.

[bsmq]

To clarify, this isn’t about setting a future watch date.

The watched timestamp can still reflect the current date (when the user actually watched it).

The limitation appears to be that the Android app blocks the action purely because the episode air date is in the future, even though:

• The web interface allows it

• The API accepts it

• The watched state syncs correctly

So this seems to be a UI validation difference rather than a backend restriction.

Aligning Android behavior with the web dashboard would improve consistency across platforms.

[otakunet21]

i believe that is planned to return. the iOS version does allow for marking something as watched like you’ve described, i’ve experienced the same thing with other anime

[bsmq]

Thanks for the clarification.

That’s good to hear that it may be planned to return. Also interesting that the iOS app already allows it — that reinforces the idea that this is an Android-specific UI behavior rather than a backend restriction.

If possible, could you confirm whether this is already tracked internally for the Android app, or if there’s any rough timeline?

Appreciate the insight.

[CanePlayz (Jacob P.)]

There’s something here: Can't mark an almost aired episode as watched · Issue #40 · trakt/trakt-android · GitHub

[bsmq]

Just following up on this after recent Android updates.

This behavior still appears to be missing on Android, while iOS reportedly supports it.

Is there any update on whether this is still planned to return?

[TopCat]

Maybe @mike.d can elaborate on that further?

[paulison1966 (Paul Ison)]

Hi, it would be great if this can be resolved. Alot of series are now added to streaming sites before the series has fully aired and, although it can be added via the website, it can’t be done via teh app or when using the Lite version of the web app.

Any idea when this may be possible to do via the apps and the Lite versions.

[kcador (Kevin)]

This one has been reported on GitHub and is planned to be fixed. There should be a grace period but it’s also possible TMDb doesn’t show the episode as aired yet because they have a rule that makes the original network air time the priority over streaming availability.

Once we pick it up on web it will be fixed on Android as well. The data issue makes the fix a bit more complex.