How Does Netflix Download Work

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Grace
August 29, 2025

Netflix’s offline viewing has greatly enhanced the streaming experience, especially after this convenient download feature was extended to ad-supported users, making it more accessible than ever. This guide covers everything you need to know to get the most out of Netflix offline, including how to download with the Netflix app, find and delete downloads, change the download quality, use the Smart Downloads feature, and even watch Netflix offline without the app. By the end of this guide, you’ll be a master of offline viewing on Netflix and ready to level up your Netflix experiences.

Contents

  1. Netflix Offline Viewing Feature
  2. How to Download Movies and Shows with the Netflix app
  3. How to Find Netflix Downloads
  4. How to Delete Downloads on Netflix
  5. How to Change the Netflix Download Quality
  6. How to Use Smart Downloads on Netflix
  7. How to Watch Netflix Offline on Any Device

1. Netflix Offline Viewing Feature

Netflix offline viewing feature is generously included with both the ad-supported (Standard with ads) and ad-free tiers (Standard and Premium). Ad-supported subscribers can have 15 total downloads per device per calendar month, while ad-free users enjoy up to 100 downloads on each device. Standard plan users can download on 2 devices at the same time, while Premium allows 6 devices.

You can download shows or movies with the Netflix app on the following mobile devices:

  • Android phone or tablet (Android 5 and later; Android 7 and later for Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet)
  • iPhone or iPad (iOS 9 and later)
  • Amazon Fire tablet (Fire OS 5 and later)
  • Google Chromebook (with the Google Play Store installed)

If your device isn’t on the supported list, or it has an older operating system, this guide also includes an alternative method for watching Netflix offline on any device.

Related:

2. How to Download Movies and Shows with the Netflix app

For the best performance, it is recommended to use the latest version of the Netflix app. Go to the app store on your mobile device to check whether your Netflix needs an update.

To download a movie on the Netflix app, just go to the detail page of the movie and click the Download button under the movie title.

Download-a-Movie

For shows, you can download a single episode or download the entire season.

  • Download the current episode: Tap the Download button under the show title to download the episode you’re currently watching.
  • Download certain episodes: Tap the Download button next to the episode.
  • Download the entire season: Select the season and tap the Download Season button.
Download-a-Show

3. How to Find Netflix Downloads

Once downloaded, you can easily find your offline content by tapping the Download icon at the upper right of the Netflix app. If you don’t see this icon, tap “My Netflix” at the bottom right and select “Downloads.”

Netflix-Downloads

4. How to Delete Downloads on Netflix

If you’ve finished watching a downloaded show/movie on Netflix, you can delete it to free up space on your device:

Delete a Single TV Show or Movie

  1. Tap My Netflix > Downloads and find the title you want to delete:
  2. For a movie: Tap the Download Status icon (checkmark in a box) next to the movie and tap Delete Download.
  3. For an episode: tap the show, tap the Download Status icon (checkmark in a box)  next to an episode, and select Delete Download.
Delete-Netflix-Downloads

Delete All Downloads at Once

  1. From the Netflix app, tap My Netflix > the Menu icon (the three lines) and select App Settings.
  2. Select Delete All Downloads under Downloads.
  3. Click Delete/OK on the confirmation screen.
Delete-All-Downloads

5. How to Change the Netflix Download Quality

Neflix allows you to choose download quality. It offers two options: Standard and High/Higher. The High/Higher option can have up to 1080p or high definition (HD) video quality if your device supports. Some Android and Fire devices that don’t support playing in HD may not change the download quality settings.

Here are pros and cons of the two quality settings to help you make the choice:

Standard – Standard Definition (SD) – up to 480p

  • Pros: Smaller file size, faster downloads, ideal for smaller screens, limited storage, or lower internet speed
  • Cons: Less detail and sharpness

High/Higher – High Definition (HD) – up to 1080p

  • Pros: Better detail and sharpness
  • Cons: Larger file size, slower downloads, requires more storage space and bandwidth

If you want to have a quick download and save space on your device, then “Standard” is the better choice. If you prefer the best possible video quality, “High/Higher” is the ideal option.

Change Netflix Download Quality:

  1. Open the Netflix app and tap My Netflix in the lower right.
  2. Tap the Menu icon (the three lines) in the upper right corner and select App Settings from the menu.
  3. Tap Download Video Quality or Video Quality under Downloads.
  4. Choose your preferred setting from Standard or High/Higher.
Download-Quality

6. How to Use Smart Downloads on Netflix

Netflix offers Smart Downloads feature to ad-free subscribers. It automatically downloads TV shows and movies for you and deletes your watched videos. This feature includes two options: Download Next Episode and Downloads for You.

Download Next Episode  

As this name suggests, when you finish watching an episode, Netflix automatically deletes it and downloads the next one for you. Automatic downloading happens while you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

This feature is already enabled by default and is ideal for binge-watching TV shows, but you can turn it off if you prefer to keep your watched episodes.

Downloads for You

If you don’t know what to watch offline, let Netflix choose for you. “Downloads for You” can automatically download shows and movies based on your watch habits and preferences. Downloads will be deleted after you finish watching.

If you’re afraid this feature takes too much space, you can allocate the Netflix download storage for each profile on your device.

Turn Netflix Smart Downloads On and Off

  1. Launch the Netflix app, tap My Netflix > the Menu icon (the three lines), and select App Settings.
  2. Select Smart Downloads.
  3. Toggle “Download Next Episode”/”Downloads for You” on or off.
  4. When Downloads for You is enabled, use the +  and – buttons to adjust the download space for each profile.
Netflix-Smart-Downloads

7. How to Watch Netflix Offline on Any Device

While Netflix allows subscribers to watch movies and shows offline with its app, downloaded files are encrypted. They can’t be transferred to another device or played by other apps, even if you find the download locations. If you want to watch Netflix downloads on other devices, including Windows PCs, MacBooks, smart TVs, and game consoles, consider using Pazu Netflix Video Downloader. It is a desktop program that allows Netflix users to download movies and TV shows in MP4 and MKV formats, allowing you to play them on any supported device.

Netflix video downloader

Netflix Video Downloader

Download Netflix movies & TV shows to MP4 with HD quality. 

  • Download movies & TV shows from Netflix.
  • Download videos in 1080P.
  • Preserve audio tracks and subtitles.
  • Fast downloading speed.

Step 1. Launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader

Download, install, and launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader on your Mac or Windows. Select Netflix and log in to your Netflix account.

If you have purchased a registration, click the Settings icon > “Register” and enter your registration code to unlock the full version of the downloader. Otherwise, proceed with the free trial version.

Netflix Video Downloader

Step 2. Choose video format/quality

Click the Settings icon (three lines icon at top right) > “Preferences” to choose download formats, video codec, audio, subtitle languages, and more.

Netflix Video Downloader Settings

Step 3. Download Netflix movies/shows

Click the Search tab at the top and find the Netflix show or movie you want to download from Netflix.

If you are downloading a movie, click the Download icon to start the downloading process.

Download Netflix movies and shows

For a show, clicking the Download icon will add all episodes to the download list by default. Uncheck those episodes you don’t want to download if there are any. You can also click the three lines and gear icon to choose audio/subtitle languages for each episode.

Download Netflix tv shows

Step 4. Find the downloaded Netflix videos

After downloading, click the History tab at the top center and then the Folder icon to find downloaded videos. Now you can play the videos on any media player that supports MP4 or MKV format and save your favorite Netflix titles forever.

Download Netflix videos

Conclusion

These tips can help you take full advantage of the Netflix download feature on your mobile devices. To watch Netflix offline on a wider range of devices, Pazu Netflix Video Downloader is an ideal choice. It can download Netflix videos in MP4 or MKV format, enabling you to watch them on any supported device without needing the Netflix app.