Netflix Gets Download Feature: Here's All You Need To Know

7 years ago

Netflix Gets Download Feature: Here's All You Need To Know

Netflix has started rolling out what can surely be termed its biggest and most-awaited update ever.

The popular on-demand streaming service has announced that it will now allow subscribers to download content for offline viewing at no extra cost. The feature is available on Netflix’s mobile apps.

Can’t wait to start binge-watching your favourite movies and TV shows?

Here’s everything you need to know about Netflix’s new offline download feature.

1.Only for smartphone users
The Netflix's new update is available for all smartphones and tablets. The company hasn't so far said anything about the feature's availability on desktops or smart TVs.

2.Software requirements
For using this feature, users require an Apple device running iOS 8.0 or above.

For Android users, the requirement is a device running Android 4.4.2 or above. Besides that, one needs the latest version of Netflix’s app.

Windows smartphone users, you'll have to wait for sometime.

3. How to download content
Netflix has added an 'Available for Download' section. Users can search and hunt for the shows/movies they want to download.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Tap on the 'hamburger button' in the top left corner of the Netflix app and you will see a newly added 'Available for downloads' section.
• Select the title you would like to download
• On the description page, tap the download icon

• For TV shows, the download icon appears next to each available episode.

4. Video quality
You can select the quality of the video you want to download. Needless to say, the standard quality is slightly lower and therefore, requires less storage space.

Downloads in this quality are faster as well. Higher quality downloadsrequire more storage space and take more time to download.

Follow these steps to do it:

• From the Netflix app, tap the Menu icon
• Scroll down and tap App Settings option
• Under the Downloads heading, tap Video Quality
• Select either Standard or Higher video quality

5. Data consumption
According to Netflix’s website, downloading and streaming consume similar amount of data.

Watching movies or TV shows on Netflix uses about 1GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3GB per hour for each stream of HD quality video.

However, in case you want to download the show/movie only when you are using Wi-Fi, you can do so by the following method:

• From the Netflix app, tap the Menu icon

• Scroll down to the App settings

• Under downloads, select 'Wi-Fi Only' option.

6. How to watch

• Once your TV show/movie has finished downloading, you can access it from the My Downloads section of the app

• Tap the Play icon on the title you want to watch

• For TV shows, you must first select the show and then tap on the Play icon against the episode you would like to watch.

7. How to delete downloaded content

On iOS:

• Tap on the Menu icon

• Go to My Downloads

• Tap Edit in the upper right corner, and then tap the red X icon to remove the downloaded title from your device.

On Android:

• Tap on the Menu icon

• Go to My Downloads

• Tap the edit icon in the upper right corner and then tap the red X icon to remove the title from your device.

Delete all downloaded titles
• Tap on the Menu button

• Scroll down and tap App Settings

• Tap Clear All Downloads

• On the confirmation screen, tap Delete

• All downloaded titles will be deleted

8. There's a catch!

Please note that not all TV shows or movies available on Netflix can be downloaded.