There are a lot of movie streaming apps and websites available that you can use to watch movies online. However, if you are planning to go the legal way of streaming movies and TV shows, then you’d definitely take a look at Netflix. The service is currently the most popular streaming service around the world as it contains an extensive database of the best movies and TV shows across the years, and it has also been producing some of the best original movies and shows in the past few years. So, if you were planning on buying the subscription to the service, then here’s a perk that will help you make the final decision!
If you aren’t yet aware, then let us tell you that you can download Netflix movies on your smartphone for free and watch them offline without needing the network connection. Currently, this feature is only available for smartphones and not computers, but it is certainly extremely useful as you can save your favorite titles on your device and then watch them offline when there’s slow network or no network at all. If you don’t know how to do it, then let’s have a look at the steps to save the movies and TV shows offline on Netflix.
Although there’s only a limited number of movies and TV shows available right now that you can download for offline viewing, Netflix has said that there are more titles on the way. So, you’ll soon be seeing the very best in your download queue!
Why to Download Netflix Movies?
You might be wondering what’s the need to download the movies and TV shows on Netflix when you can stream them online? That’s true, but it’s always better to have an option available especially for the moment when you don’t have a stable network connection.
When the internet speed is slow, the video will buffer a lot and that’s something that none of us like. So if that’s the case with you, or you are traveling to a location with limited internet speed, then using the download feature to save your favorite titles on the streaming site doesn’t sound like a bad idea. This way, you’ll have enough material to watch, even without a network connection, and you won’t have to wait for the videos to buffer!
I am pretty sure that you may not need this method at all if you never face network issues, but it’s good to know that it exists in case you are traveling to a location with bad connectivity.
What Do You Need?
As I already mentioned, this download feature works on only smartphones and you’ll need either an Android device or an iOS device. If you are using an Android device, make sure that you have Android 4.4.2 or later; and if you are using an iOS device, then make sure that you have iOS 8.0 or later. Moreover, you will be needing the latest version of the Netflix app so update the app right now if you are using an older version. If everything’s satisfied, you are all set to save your favorite movies offline.
How to Download Netflix Movies and TV Shows?
If you are wondering that the process is going to be tough and quite advanced, then you can’t be more wrong. The Netflix app has made it extremely easy, and straightforward, for us to download our favorite movies and TV shows for offline viewing.
However, there’s a catch as not every single title on the platform is available for download. You’ll have to check if the title you want to save for offline viewing is available by opening up the page and seeing if the download option is visible there or not.
There are two options available for you – the first one is pretty straightforward as you have to launch the app, tap on the Menu icon and then click on the Available for Download section. You can go through the titles of the movies and TV shows, that are categorized properly, and download the ones you like within a few minutes.
The second method is also quite simple and probably a better way than the first one, but isn’t as direct as the first one!
If you have a particular movie or TV show in mind, then use the search box to look for the title and then open the description page of the title. If the offline viewing is available for that particular movie, you will see a download icon on the description page, otherwise there won’t be any. You can tap on this download icon to save the movie offline, or download the latest episode of your favorite TV show and watch it later whenever you want.
One really good thing about Netflix offline viewing is that the app allows you to choose the video quality you are about to download. So, if you have a fast network connection and enough memory space on your smartphone, then you can choose the highest video quality available, otherwise go for the lower ones. To choose the video quality, you’ll need to go to Menu > App Settings > Downloads > Video Quality and save the one that you are comfortable with.
Depending on the speed of your network connection, it may take a while to complete the download process. However, once the process is complete, you can launch the movie and start streaming it offline.
To do that, click on the Menu option and then tap on the My Downloads option. You will now see a list of all the titles that you’ve downloaded and saved on your device for offline viewing. Tap on the movie or the latest episode of the TV show and start watching them without any issues.
How to Manage Downloaded Videos?
Downloading your favorite movies is one thing, but it will consume your phone’s storage space as well so you’ll have to manage it properly otherwise you won’t be able to save new titles on your device.
However, the Netflix app has made it quite easy to manage your downloads as well. All you have to do is go to the Download section, click on the Edit on the upper-right corner and then tap on X and then proceed with deleting the files. If you want to delete all the titles you’ve downloaded because you’ve seen them all, then head to App Settings and then click on Clear All Downloads, and you’re done!
Conclusion
If you are movie buff like us, then you’d really be happy that you learnt about this new, and really useful, feature as you’ll be able to save your favorite titles and then watch them in one go without any interruptions.
So, if you liked the article about how to download Netflix movies and TV shows, and enjoyed reading it, then make sure to share it with your friends as well so that they too know about this useful feature. Also, share your views regarding the article with us in the comments section below.