Enjoy Netflix Offline: Everything You Need To Know About Downloading Shows & Movies On Various Devices

Despite the ubiquity of internet connectivity, there are still numerous scenarios where accessing the web is impractical—such as during flights. However, even without a reliable Wi-Fi or mobile signal, you can still enjoy your favorite Netflix shows and movies .

Netflix first introduced downloads in November 2016, and has since enhanced this feature significantly. You can now adjust your Netflix settings to automate downloads and deletions after you've finished watching, ensuring you always have fresh content available offline .

Learn how to configure these settings using Netflix's Smart Downloads feature and manage downloads in countries with restricted licenses. Additionally, explore Netflix's hidden menu or check out CNET's reviews of various streaming services.

How to Download Netflix Shows
On Netflix, downloading movies and TV shows is straightforward. If you use Netflix on a mobile device, you’ll notice a dark "Download" button under the "Play" button. Clicking this button downloads a local copy of the desired movie or TV show.

Netflix supports downloads on iPhone, iPad, Android, Amazon Fire devices, Windows 10 or 11 computers, and some Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. By default, Netflix downloads over Wi-Fi, but this can be changed in the app settings.

Unfortunately, there is no Netflix app for Mac, meaning Mac laptops can’t download Netflix content unless they are running Windows.

For TV shows, episodes can be downloaded individually by tapping the download icon next to each episode. On Android, entire seasons can be downloaded by selecting the "Download Season" button near the top of the show listing.

You can store up to 100 downloads on each device included in your subscription plan. Each download has a unique expiration date based on its content license—some may expire 48 hours after you start watching. Downloads can often be renewed, but some have annual limits. If a movie or show leaves Netflix, all associated downloads expire immediately.

To delete downloads, uncheck the box next to each title or use the "Delete all downloads" option in the App Settings.

A "Downloads" tab (called "My Downloads" on Windows) at the bottom of the Netflix app shows your library of downloads and lets you play them. This tab also allows you to customize your download settings, including Smart Downloads.

Smart Downloads on Netflix
Netflix’s Smart Downloads feature simplifies managing downloaded content. It includes two main options—Download Next Episode and Downloads for You.

When enabled, Download Next Episode automatically deletes watched episodes and downloads the next one in the series. This feature is on by default in Netflix apps.

In the Windows Netflix app, enabling Smart Downloads activates Download Next Episode, even though it’s not listed separately.

Netflix's Downloads for You
Downloads for You enhances the automatic download and deletion process. Available on iPhone, iPad, Android, and some Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, it uses your viewing habits to download movies and shows that Netflix thinks you’ll enjoy. These are deleted automatically after you watch them.

You can delete unwanted downloaded titles manually or cancel downloads in progress by clicking the icon of a square surrounded by a broken circle. Downloads for You works only over Wi-Fi.

To enable Downloads for You, go to the Smart Downloads settings via the Downloads tab or App Settings and toggle it on. You can then set a data limit for automatic downloads per user profile, ranging from 0.5GB to 9.5GB. Netflix estimates one hour of video at normal quality to be about 0.25GB.

Download Restrictions on Netflix
The availability of downloads on Netflix depends on content licenses, which vary by title. Netflix strives to make as many titles available for download as possible, but some are restricted due to exclusive content rights, unavailable content rights, or factors like popularity and cost.

As of October 3, a survey of Netflix's most popular titles revealed that all Top 10 movies and TV shows in the US are downloadable.

Watching Netflix Downloads Abroad
Whether you can watch downloaded content in another country depends on Netflix’s content license for that country. Geographical restrictions that limit streaming also apply to downloaded content. If Netflix doesn't have the license for a title in the country you’re visiting, you won’t be able to watch it.

Attempting to watch such content will result in an error message: "Download Not Available in This Country." While VPNs can sometimes bypass these restrictions, Netflix actively blocks VPN use, and doing so may violate their terms of service.