Almost all of us now use streaming services to catch the hottest new movies and TV shows. However, streaming still has one major flaw… you need an internet connection. Which means they’re not as convenient when you’re traveling.
Fortunately, many of the best streaming services now allow you to download movies to watch offline; and all for free as part of your checking account. So in this article, we will show you how to download movies to watch offline, for free and legally.
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Netflix
With a regular subscription, you can watch movies offline on Netflix, and downloading content doesn’t count toward the number of screens you’re allowed to watch on (you can download to as many devices as your plan allows for streaming).
Not all content is available for download, but just look for the Download button on the movie description page in the iOS or Android app.
If you want to know how to download movies to a laptop with Netflix, it’s simple: you need to use a desktop application instead of a browser. The Microsoft Store has a Netflix app for Windows 10 and 11, and you can use the Android app on most Chromebooks. Unfortunately, there’s no Netflix app for Mac or Linux, so you can’t watch Netflix offline on those platforms.
Netflix makes it easy to find things to watch by genre or keywords. One of the best things about using Netflix to watch content offline is the fast transfer speed. Your experience may vary depending on your connection details, but most people will be able to download a movie within minutes.
Amazon Prime Video
Downloading Amazon Prime movies to watch offline is easy. Just long-press the episode you want to grab and select Download from the drop-down menu. You can also tap the Download button below the selected movie’s description, then tap My Items to access the movies offline.
One of Amazon Prime’s strongest points is how it offers a wide range of new releases and classics, and plenty of kid-friendly options.
Keep in mind that Amazon Prime offers streaming and downloadable content along with a host of other membership benefits. These include access to the Audible audio series, Kindle e-books and music tracks, plus free and fast shipping on Prime-eligible Amazon products.
Download: Amazon Prime Video for Android | iOS (requires Amazon Prime subscription $14.99/month or $139/year)
TED
Looking for some insight and inspiration during your travels? Rely on the TED app to fill the void. You can download content for later viewing if you’re using a laptop and plan to take it on the go. Otherwise, make sure you have the TED app installed on your device before you leave.
TED offers more than 2,000 pieces of content for download and includes subtitles for additional languages. After you find a TED talk that seems useful, just click the red Download icon to start transferring the file to your device.
TED also offers a great feature that creates customized playlists based on the topics you like and the free time you have. You can also view a selection of the most popular TED Talks if you’re having trouble deciding which one to watch. Unlike the other apps featured so far, this one is free, making it a good choice for cost-conscious media consumption.
Google TV
You can download movies and TV shows from Google Play and watch them offline. Google TV – formerly known as Google Play Movies & TV – is one of the best places to rent new movies. You can download purchased items to up to five devices.
If you’re using an iPhone, you can’t make in-app purchases, so charge up what you need before you leave home. You don’t have the same problem on Android. Searching for content on Google TV is easy thanks to the user-friendly layout. It’s similar to Amazon Prime, with snapshots of user ratings so you can quickly find must-see movies.
The ability to download movies and shows to multiple devices is good news when you’re traveling with kids and don’t have a DVD player system in the back seat. Give each child their own device and look forward to hours of whining-free travel and more sanity for both parents and children.
YouTube Premium
You can download free movies to watch offline on YouTube if you can find them. There are tons of free movies to watch on YouTube. There is a Download button on each video’s page, but you need to upgrade to YouTube Premium for it to work. Even then, not everything is available offline.
YouTube Premium is a subscription-based service available in some countries, including the United States. YouTube Premium gives you access to millions of ad-free videos, enables background streaming, and includes access to the YouTube Music streaming service. It also allows for legal offline viewing and there is a special section for kids.
You can sign up for the service on Android by going to your account in the YouTube app. For iOS devices, you can pay for YouTube Premium through iTunes. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of the 30-day free trial when you first register.
