How to download Netflix movies and watch offline

Netflix lets you download selected movies and shows to watch offline, and this article explains everything you need to know about it.

Netflix continues to be a top contender when it comes to streaming services, fighting to stay on top even after so many years.

While downloading and playing movies on our devices isn’t something we all do anymore, there are times when this feature comes in handy, like long flights when the internet connection is off or camping trips when you don’t want to use up all your data.

Netflix has allowed users to download movies and TV shows for offline viewing since 2016, with the process being quite easy and streamlined.

Universal Rules for Netflix Downloads

There are some rules regarding Netflix downloads that stay the same no matter what platform you use. You should know the major ones:

You will need an active subscription. Not all plans offer downloads; the Basic with Ads subscription is the only plan that won’t let you download any shows or movies, so you’ll have to pick the right Netflix subscription.
You will need an active internet connection while downloading movies and TV shows. Once downloaded, you don’t need to be connected to the internet.
While you can download most movies and shows on Netflix, not all are available.
You can download individual episodes of TV shows, so you don’t need to download full seasons at a time.
The My Downloads option in the menu shows everything you have downloaded.
The Available for download option shows everything you can download to watch offline. Also, this section has recommendations based on your likes, just like the main menu. It’s easy to recalibrate your Netflix recommendations to retrain Netflix to show you content you love.
You can download videos to multiple devices. Netflix allows a different number of downloads depending on the plan you are on.
Downloaded movies and TV shows can only be viewed on the device you downloaded them. For example, if you downloaded Stranger Things on your iPad but not on your Android device, then you can’t watch it on your Android when it’s offline.

How to download Netflix movies

Download movies from Netflix on Android and iPhone

Follow the steps below to download Netflix movies on Android and iOS devices. Make sure you’re signed in to your Netflix account first.

Open the Netflix app on your phone.
Click on the Search button in the upper-right corner to search for the movie you want to download.
Click the Download icon to begin the download process.
Tap the Downloads button in the lower-right corner to view downloaded content.

Download Netflix movies on Windows devices

To download movies on your Windows PC, first install the Netflix app from the Microsoft Store. After downloading the app, log in to your Netflix account and follow these steps:

Launch the Netflix app on your Windows laptop and select the title you want to download.
Click the Download button to download the title.
Not all titles are available to download on Netflix. Click the hamburger menu in the app’s upper-left corner to see the available titles.
Scroll down to the bottom and click Available for Download.
Browse the entire listing.
To check your downloads, click the hamburger menu and open My Downloads.