Netflix has the option to store films and series offline, so that you can watch on the go without extra burden on your data bundle. But what should you pay attention to?
Netflix downloads
It was a highly anticipated and much-requested feature that Netflix added to the app in December 2016. Since then, anyone with a Netflix subscription can save videos and watch them later without an internet connection. That was not always possible, which created a barrier for many people to stream without WiFi. That costs data from the mobile bundle and not everyone has the same space in their GBs.
By saving Netflix videos offline, you will no longer have that problem. Make sure you always have the most recent version of the Netflix app on your iOS device. Below we explain exactly how Netflix works offline and what you should pay attention to.
1. Watch your data
The fact that you can download films and series does not mean that you should no longer pay attention to your data. Downloading a video from Netflix takes just as much data as streaming the video. So always make sure you have a reliable WiFi connection, or an unlimited data bundle, for example. This way you prevent excessive and unintentional data usage from your mobile bundle.
2. Check the offer
Netflix does not offer the complete range as a download. This has to do with the different license rights of the streaming service. Fortunately, there are already many videos available. If you want to see which titles you can watch offline, tap the menu icon in the top left of the app and choose ‘Available for download’. Netflix shows films and series based on titles that are already in your watch list, but also titles that are popular, for example. With the search button you can browse for videos yourself.
3. How to download a video
The Netflix app clearly indicates whether a movie or series is available for download. Tap a title and a ‘Download’ button will appear. For movies, it can be found below the movie description, next to the buttons for ‘My list’ and ‘Share’. For series, the icon is next to the episodes. If you choose ‘Download’, it will start immediately. While downloading, you can still stop it by tapping the blue bar that appears and then tapping the stop icon behind the title, after which you cancel the download.
4. Video quality and storage space
The size of the video you download depends on several factors. A video with a long playing time requires more space than a shorter video. There is also a difference in the quality in which you download films and series. You can set this yourself.
Go to the settings of the Netflix app and select ‘App settings’ at the bottom. In the next window you will see several options for downloads. Normally, ‘Only via WiFi’ is enabled, but you can also choose to download from your data bundle. It doesn’t hurt to check this out. Tap Image Quality to choose Standard (downloads faster and uses less storage) or Higher (uses more storage and looks better).
Netflix does not say exactly what the resolution is and what the differences are. An episode of Stranger Things (50 minutes) was on SD 258.2MB and on HD 616.5MB. There is no standard size for videos. Maybe you don’t have enough space on your iPhone to download Netflix titles? Then it is convenient to you iPhone memory.
5. Smart Downloads
Between the settings for downloads is also the option ‘Smart Downloads’. If you activate this, Netflix will automatically download new episodes of the series you are watching. If you have downloaded an episode, Smart Downloads ensures that it is deleted after watching and the next episode is automatically ready for you.
6. Where does Netflix store downloads?
You can only watch videos that you have saved with the Netflix app. The content is secured in such a way that you cannot view it with another app or transfer it to other devices. It basically works like downloading music on Spotify. Via the Netflix settings you can tap on ‘My downloads’ to see what you have downloaded. You can view or delete them from here via the ‘Edit’ button at the top right.
7. How long are Netflix downloads available?
Any video you download on Netflix has an expiration time. Films and series that expire in less than seven days show in ‘My downloads’ how much time you have left to start watching. For some videos, if you started watching offline, you must finish them in 48 hours afterward. You can also see how many hours are left in the downloads section. If that time reaches zero, Netflix will automatically delete the movie or episode.
Also check out our Netflix tips
- February 2019 Netflix tips: Maniac, The Dragon Prince
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- December 2018 Netflix Tips: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Watership Down
- November 2018 Netflix Tips: The Sinner, Dogs
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