Forget the subscriptions. Starting January 1, 2026, you can watch every single case from the iconic sci-fi series The X-Files completely free of charge. The entire series will be available on the free streaming service Pluto TV, marking the first time the show has been offered on a free, ad-supported platform. This means all 11 seasons and 218 episodes featuring FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully will be accessible to everyone.
Where and When to Watch for Free
The wait for free access is almost over. Pluto TV will add The X-Files to its library on New Year’s Day, 2026. Pluto TV is a free streaming service owned by Paramount. You can watch it on many devices, including smart TVs, phones, tablets, and computers, by downloading the Pluto TV app or visiting their website.
The series will be available in two main ways on the platform. First, all episodes will be on-demand, so you can choose any episode and start watching. Second, Pluto TV will launch a special, dedicated 24/7 X-Files channel within its sci-fi category. This channel will start by playing every episode from the very beginning in order. After this complete run, the channel will switch to showing themed weekend marathons.
What You Can Watch on Pluto TV
Pluto TV’s offering is the complete X-Files television story. This includes the original nine-season run that aired on Fox from 1993 to 2002. It also includes the two later revival seasons that aired in 2016 and 2018. In total, you will have access to all 218 episodes.
The service provides the full arc of agents Mulder and Scully’s partnership. You can follow the complex, multi-season story about government conspiracies and aliens. You can also enjoy the famous standalone “Monster of the Week” episodes. It is important to note that the two X-Files feature films, Fight the Future (1998) and I Want to Believe (2008), are not part of this deal and will not be on the Pluto TV channel.
Current Ways to Watch The X-Files
Until Pluto TV launches the series on January 1, 2026, the show is not available on any free streaming services. Right now, the primary way to stream The X-Files online is through a paid subscription to Hulu in the United States. The series is also available on Disney+ in some countries. For viewers who prefer to own the series, it can be purchased for download on platforms like Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
The move to a free platform is a significant shift. It opens the doors for a brand new generation of viewers to discover the series without any cost.
A Look Back at an Iconic Series
The X-Files was created by Chris Carter and became a defining show of the 1990s. It stars David Duchovny as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder, a true believer in the paranormal, and Gillian Anderson as Agent Dana Scully, a medical doctor and skeptic assigned to debunk his work. Their unique chemistry and the balance between strange mysteries and scientific doubt made the show a massive hit.
The show popularized a storytelling format that mixed standalone episodes with a longer, more complex story told across seasons. The series also spawned a passionate fanbase and phrases like “The truth is out there” and “Trust no one” became part of popular culture.
Also Read:
In 2024, creator Chris Carter confirmed that director Ryan Coogler is developing a new reboot of the series for Disney/ABC. Carter mentioned the reboot would feature a diverse cast but is not directly involved in the new project himself. While Gillian Anderson has said she is open to working with Coogler, this Pluto TV release is about the original series, not the upcoming reboot.
Variety wrote about the show’s legacy, “Balancing a rich mythology with its famous ‘Monster of the Week’ episodes — and balancing Duchovny’s true believer with Anderson’s perpetually shocked skeptic, ‘The X-Files’ was a canny, glossy mixture of FBI work with the endless possibilities of the universe.”
Also Read: New Anaconda Movie Is A Meta Love Letter, Not A Remake, Director Explains
