These days, whoever owns a Netflix subscription can go ahead and download or watch their favorite movies and TV shows offline. This was not the way it was years back. The initial plan was to offer access to nations battling undependable internet so they can view Netflix videos offline. Fortunately, Netflix did not halt things there and instead proceeded to offer it for all subscribers of the popular streaming platform.
“So what happens to the films after downloading, I do not know where to find them?” you might ask. Not to worry, that will be explained, but to make sure there are no mistakes, lemme give you an in-depth guide.
First and foremost, I aim to ensure you have the right storage space for the download, know the way to download videos for your offline enjoyment, and then lead you to where they are kept.
There are lots of things to cover so let’s begin.
Proper Storage Space
No surprises when I say the length of the video will determine the amount of storage that is required. The longer the clip, the more storage space that is needed to accommodate it. Hi-Definition (HD) versions will take up even more space, sometimes reaching double the MB required for the Standard Definition (SD) versions. HD capabilities are also different according to the device and iOS version. Normally, Standard Definition is great enough for most watchers and is even preferred for view on little devices like a phone or tablet.
You should also note the reasons behind you downloading the videos to your mobile device instead of watching straight from your Personal Computer. Convenient watching has to be the major reason for this.
Downloading Netflix videos for offline viewing is a massive way to stay away from the boringness that comes with a data outage or Wifi shutdown. You might just fancy a quick film during your lunch break or might be working on a trip by air, and you want your selection of movies as opposed to the one on the plane. If the “plane” reason is your situation, it is best to know how long the flight will take to correspond it with the number of videos you will require. This will boost the amount of storage, so it is necessary for you to come with a plan for that.
How You Can Download Netflix Videos To Your iPhone
Netflix mobile can only be utilized by anyone who presently uses either iOS or Android operating systems. They also need, at the very least, iOS 8.0 or later, in addition to using the latest version of the Netflix app. Downloading videos to your iPhone will consume lots of data so if you aim to download a large collection of films and series, kindly make sure you are making use of a dependable WiFi network.
First and foremost, ensure your Netflix app is the latest one. How to go about it:
- If the Netflix app has not been downloaded by you yet, access the App Store, type it into the search store and have it downloaded. The possibility of you having it already is high so to update it, right there in the App Store, click Updates, and close to Netflix, click Update.
- As soon as the update is done, launch your Netflix app, and in the top-right corner, click the Menu button.
- From there, click on “Available for Download.”
- Select the movie or TV show you plan to watch offline and click on it.
- Locate and click the Download button. The button resembles a downward facing arrow. Just one click is enough to download a complete movie, but for a TV series, the separate episodes for it will have to be downloaded individually. The Download button will be seen next to the different episode.
The downloaded files are subjected to a digital rights management (DRM) scheme to safeguard the copyrights of the offered videos. This translates to you not being able to locate the files on your iPhone apart from inside the Netflix app itself.
This also stops you from transferring the downloaded videos from your iPhone to your Personal Computer or Mac. You will require the browser version of Netflix for that.
Browse Your Downloaded Videos Offline
Every downloaded video and TV show will be seen inside the Netflix app and within the “My Downloads” section. This section can be reached by:
- Launching your Netflix app on your iPhone.
- Clicking on the Menu icon seen in the upper right of the screen.
- Selecting “My Downloads” from the listed options.
To play any of the videos seen here, just choose the movie or TV show you plan to view and click play. Please note that the videos you downloaded will not remain there for an unlimited period. Most of these videos will be allotted an expiration timer.
Stop Download Expiration
Expiration times for Netflix videos are different according to the file. If you only have one week left on a download, it will show you exactly that inside the “My Downloads” section. There are also some shows or movies that will have to be watched within two days of downloading them. The countdown every hour inside the “My Downloads” section can be seen in the Netflix app too.
If a video expires before you are opportune to view it, you can have it deleted, redownloaded and the expiration timer will begin afresh.
Get Rid Of Downloaded Videos To Create Space
You might discover that you’ve downloaded too many videos and your iPhone device makes you aware of this fact all the time to let you know your storage space is no longer enough. To free up space, you can get rid of some of your videos.
To get this done:
- Inside the Netflix app, click on the Menu icon.
- Select “My Downloads.”
- Click the Edit button. An “X” will be displayed close to every video you presently have saved on your phone.
- Click on the “X” close to the video you want to get rid of from your “My Downloads.” Do this, again and again, to get rid of more videos.
If you plan to get rid of all your downloads once:
- Inside the Netflix app, click on the Menu icon.
- Locate App Settings and click on it.
- Select “Delete all downloads.”
As soon as it is confirmed, all your downloaded Netflix series and films will be gone.
