Netflix, in an effort to keep a competitive edge on other streaming services like Amazon and Hulu, recently added the ability to download movies and TV shows from their app for offline viewing! This is amazing if you like to watch stuff on the go while traveling or waiting in line somewhere, especially if you don’t have a strong wireless signal or unlimited data.

This feature is currently supported for Android (version 4.4.2 or later), Apple iOS (version 8 or later), and Windows 8/10, so you can download videos to your smart phone, tablet, or Windows 8 or 10 computer.

If you need help upgrading your computer to Windows 8 or 10, feel free to contact Brainy Beaver and we’ll be happy to upgrade your desktop or laptop if it can handle the new operating system.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD:

ON YOUR COMPUTER:

Offline downloading is currently supported only for Windows 8 & 10. If you’d like some help upgrading your computer to Windows 10, feel free to contact Brainy Beaver. First, you’ll want to make sure you have the newest version of the Netflix app from the Windows Store app, since the feature does not currently work from within a web browser. Once you’re in the Netflix app, click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner and you’ll see a link that says “Available for Download”. This will instantly show you a list of all the videos currently able to be downloaded offline.

You can also look for the “Download and Go” button next to each video once you click on a movie or TV show. You can easily get to your downloaded videos by clicking the “My Downloads” button from the menu.

ON YOUR ANDROID OR iPHONE:

While in the Netflix app (make sure you’ve updated to the latest version) on your phone, click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner and you’ll see a link that says “Available for Download”. This will instantly show you a list of all the videos currently able to be downloaded offline!

You can also click on any video in the app, and if it’s available for download you’ll see a download button just below the description. You can easily get to your downloaded videos by clicking the “My Downloads” button from the menu.

A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND…

The videos you download may take up considerable space on your hard drive, so make sure you have enough room on your device or laptop to store the files. You also have the option to download videos in standard or higher quality, allowing you to download them faster and take up less space if you’re ok with losing a bit of video quality. You can get to this option by clicking on the “App Settings” link from the menu and choosing a “Video Quality”

You also may want to download your videos ahead of time while on your home WiFi to save data and time, since downloads can take a while depending on their file size and your internet connection speed.