9 solutions to fix HBO Max downloads not working offline

Emma

August 25, 2026

“I downloaded a Harry Potter film to watch offline, but when I went back into the app, it’s not even letting me see my downloads. It keeps saying, “We’re having issues connecting to HBO Max right now. Please try again.” I went on Netflix and I was able to go see my downloads easily, but HBO Max is being pretty disappointing in not letting me see my downloads offline. Like what’s the point of downloading? Can anyone help?” – user from Reddit.

Many HBO Max users complain that downloads won’t play when there is no internet connection. Don’t worry, here we have listed 9 solutions for you to fix this issue.

1. Turn on Airplane mode

If you’re traveling outside your home country, the HBO Max app may detect foreign IP addresses and block downloads due to regional licensing restrictions. To bypass regional location blocks while offline,try enabling Airplane Mode on your phone or tablet:

1. Make sure you’re signed in.
2. Close the HBO Max app.
3. Turn on Airplane mode.
4. Turn off Wi-Fi.
5. Open HBO Max and try playing a download.

If this doesn’t help, try the solutions below. The 9th solution will definitely work.

2. Update the HBO Max app

Open the Play Store on your Android or the App Store on your iOS device, and search for HBO Max. If an app update is available, tap Update.

3. Force stop the HBO Max app

Fully close HBO Max from your Android or iOS’s recent apps screen, then reopen it.

To force close the HBO Max app on iPhone:

1. Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and pause in the middle.
2. Swipe left or right through the app cards to find HBO Max.
3. Swipe up on the HBO Max app preview card to force close it.

To force close the HBO Max app on Android:

1. Tap and hold the HBO Max app icon and select the App info icon (represented by an “i” inside a circle).
2. Tap Force stop at the bottom or top of the screen.

4. Renew expired downloads

HBO Max downloads expire. But you can renew a download multiple times. If you haven’t started watching, the downloads will expire in 30 days. After playing a download, you need to finish watching in 48 hours.

To renew an expired download:

1. Open the HBO Max app and tap the Download icon at the bottom.
2. You will see a clock icon next to the expired downloads.
3. Tap the clock icon and select “Renew Download.”

5.  Restart your device

To access your downloads, you may have to restart your device.

1. Hold down the power button until you’re prompted to power off your device.
2. Wait 10 seconds and then turn your device back on.
3. Open HBO Max, sign in, and then try streaming again.

6. Clear cache and data

If you’re using an Android phone or tablet or Amazon Fire tablet, try clearing the HBO Max cache. Here’s how:

On Android phone or tablet

1. Go to Settings on your Android device.
2. Tap Apps & services – Apps.
3. Choose HBO Max from the list.
4. Tap Storage & cache or Storage.
5. Tap Clear cache.
6. Open HBO Max, sign in, and then try streaming again.

On Amazon Fire tablet

1. Go to Settings > Apps & Games > Manage All Applications.
2. Choose HBO Max from the list of apps.
3. Tap Force Stop.
4. Tap Clear Cache.
5. Tap Clear Data.
6. Open HBO Max, sign in, and then try streaming again.

7. Delete downloads and redownload

How to delete downloads?

1. Open the HBO Max app and tap the Downloads icon.
2. Choose the Download complete icon  beside a download and then choose Delete Download.

Then find the movie or show and tap the Download icon. If there is no Download icon, this means the show or movie isn’t available to download, or you have the With Ads plan.

Please keep in mind that signing out wipes all offline content immediately. You will need an internet connection to log back in and re-download your titles.

8. Check your subscription

HBO Max only allows Ad-Free and Ultimate Ad-Free plan subscribers to download movies and TV shows on phones and tablets. If you have the With Ads plan, the download feature is not available. Additionally, if you download movies with the Ad-free plan and then downgrade to the With Ads plan or cancel your subscription, those downloads will also become unavailable.

How to check your subscription plan?

• Phone, tablet, or computer: Choose your profile and then Subscription.
• TV device: Choose the Settings icon  and then Subscription.

9. Download HBO Max movies and TV shows to MP4

The most effective solution for resolving HBO MAX offline download issues is to save movies and TV shows in the MP4 format on your device. This can be easily accomplished with Pazu HBO Max Video Downloader, which is compatible with both Mac and Windows. This powerful tool lets you download any HBO Max movie or TV show, even with an ad-supported account, in MP4/MKV format. With its built-in HBO Max search engine, all you need to do is enter the title of the movie or TV show, select your preferred output format and quality, and initiate the download. Importantly, the downloaded content will never expire, so you can enjoy it offline on any device, even after you cancel your HBO Max subscription.

Steps to download HBO Max movies and TV shows to MP4

Step 1: Install the software on your Mac or Windows device. After launching the software, click the HBO Max icon and sign in to your HBO Max account.

Step 2: After logging into your account, click the Search tab, enter the show or movie you want to download, and click the search icon.

Step 3: Click the 3-lines icon in the upper right corner > Preferences to select the video format, codec, audio and subtitle language, output folder, and so on.

Step 4: After making all the changes, simply click on the download button. For a movie, the downloading starts immediately. For a TV show, you will be presented with all episodes. Select the seasons and episodes you want to download.

Further, if required, you can change the subtitle and audio track by clicking on the gear-like icon.

To see all the downloaded items, go to the History tab. Now transfer the downloaded HBO Max movies and TV shows to your phone/tablet and watch them offline, such as on your flight, without any issues.