The Toy Story watch order is release order, plain and simple: four films, one spin-off and one sequel on the way, all watched in the order Pixar made them. There are no prequels to untangle and no television series to slot in — just Woody, Buzz and the gang growing up alongside their audience. This guide gives you the Toy Story watch order, explains where Lightyear fits, and looks ahead to Toy Story 5.
Start With the Original
Begin with Toy Story (1995), directed by John Lasseter and starring Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear. The first fully computer-animated feature film, it introduces the toys’ secret life: when Andy is away, his toys come alive, and Woody’s place as Andy’s favourite is threatened by the arrival of the flashy space ranger Buzz. It is the foundation of everything that follows, and the friendship between Woody and Buzz is the emotional spine of the whole series.
The Sequels in Order
Next watch Toy Story 2 (1999), in which Woody is stolen by a toy collector and Buzz leads a rescue mission, then Toy Story 3 (2010), in which the toys face life after Andy grows up and heads to college, ending with their tearful handover to a new child, Bonnie. Then watch Toy Story 4 (2019), which follows Woody’s life with Bonnie and his choice to leave the toy box behind and stay with Bo Peep as a “lost toy.” Each sequel deepens the same question — what happens to toys when children grow up? — and each one works because you have seen the films before it.
Where Lightyear Fits
Lightyear (2022) is the odd one out, and it is best watched after the four main films. It is not a Toy Story sequel in the usual sense: it is the in-universe movie that the Buzz Lightyear toy is based on, a science-fiction adventure about the “real” Buzz. Watching it after Toy Story 4 keeps the main story’s emotional arc intact, and it makes the film’s premise — the toy you know is a merchandising spin-off of this hero — land properly. Treat it as a fun detour, not a chapter of Woody’s story.
The Shorts and Extras
Beyond the films, Pixar has made a string of Toy Story shorts and specials, from Hawaiian Vacation to the television special Toy Story of Terror! and the Forky Asks a Question series. None of them is required viewing, and none of them changes the order: they are small, self-contained jokes and side stories that slot in after the film they follow. If you are watching with children, they make a lovely dessert after the main course; if you are watching for the story, you can skip them without missing a beat. The films are the story; everything else is a bonus.
The Road to Toy Story 5
The next step is Toy Story 5 (2026), directed by Andrew Stanton and starring Hanks and Allen once again, with Joan Cusack returning as Jessie. The site’s page gives the premise: Bonnie’s new tablet, LilyPad, is the toys’ new rival, as screens compete with playthings for a child’s attention. It slots in last, after Toy Story 4 and Lightyear, and it looks set to bring the series’ central question — what are toys for? — into the age of tablets and apps.
The Full Order, Summarized
The complete Toy Story watch order is: Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Toy Story 4, Lightyear, and then Toy Story 5 when it arrives. For another Pixar classic from the same studio’s golden run, Finding Nemo is a perfect next watch.
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