While Hulu’s download feature is convenient for offline viewing, download errors can be frustrating. To help you troubleshoot these issues, we’ve listed some common Hulu download problems and their corresponding solutions, so you can continue watching your favorite titles, even without an internet connection.
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If you don’t see a download option for a specific movie or episode, it’s possible that the title isn’t available for offline viewing. Hulu’s download feature has some important restrictions:
Subscribers with one of Hulu’s (No Ads) plans can download shows and movies from the Hulu streaming library. To upgrade your Hulu subscription, go to the Hulu Account page and log in to your account. Then select MANAGE PLAN under “Your Subscription” section to change your plan to one without ads.
If you’re on a bundle plan including Disney+, select “Change” next to Your Plan and upgrade to one with Hulu (No Ads).
If your Hulu account is billed through third-party partners, you can change your Hulu plan on the Account page or on the third-party website. However, with certain third-party partners such as Amazon and Google, you may not change your plan. You’ll need to end your current subscription and resubscribe to a Hulu (No Ads) plan or bundle. Please note that some third-party partners may only offer the Hulu (with Ads) plan.
Related article: How to Upgrade Your Hulu Subscription
Make sure that your device is supported for downloading Hulu videos. Hulu No Ads subscribers can only download movies and TV shows on supported mobile devices. Check whether your device is on the list below if you encounter a Hulu downloading issue.
You can identify if a title is downloadable by looking for the Download icon next to the video. Please note that shows and movies from Premium Add-ons are not downloadable, and the additional on-demand content that comes with a Live TV subscription is also not available for download. As a reminder, those shows and movies are not part of the Hulu streaming library.
If you’ve noticed that some or all of your downloads have disappeared, this could be due to two common reasons: logging out of Hulu on your device or the downloads reaching their expiration date.
If you’ve noticed that all your downloads are missing, it’s possible that you were logged out of Hulu on your device. Logging out of Hulu automatically removes all downloaded videos from that device. When you log out, you should receive a notification informing you of this. To recover your downloads, simply redownload the videos the next time you log in.
Another possibility is that your downloads have reached their expiration date. Downloads have a limited lifespan. Be mindful of the following expiration time to enjoy your content without interruptions.
Related article: Why Hulu downloads disappear
If your Hulu downloads never seem to complete, this could be due to your device losing internet access or your connection being weak. Low download speeds or an inconsistent wireless connection can sometimes disrupt the Hulu app or website.
You can store up to 25 downloads on five supported mobile devices simultaneously. These limits apply at the account level, not per profile or device. If you surpass any of these limits, you’ll receive a popup alert from Hulu.
If you’re running into a “too many downloads” alert, you can create space for new downloads by deleting videos you’ve already watched.
To delete downloads:
You may lose access to your downloads for various reasons, including traveling abroad, changing devices, switching to a plan that doesn’t support downloads, or canceling your account.
Please note that downloads are only available for viewing within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and U.S. military bases). A Hulu subscription is intended for use by members of a single U.S. household, so you’ll be required to have a U.S. payment method when signing up.
In addition, you can only watch downloads on the device that downloaded them. If you want to watch a show or movie offline on a different phone or tablet, you’ll need to switch to that device and download the content on it.
If you switch to the Hulu With Ads plan or cancel your subscription, you will no longer have access to the downloaded content.
Luckily, with a professional video downloader such as Pazu Hulu Video Downloader, you can download any Hulu movies and TV shows on both Windows and Mac, no matter whether you have a Hulu (With Ads) or Hulu (No Ads) plan. Downloaded videos are saved in MP4/MKV format, allowing you to continue watching them after canceling your subscription. You can also play these videos on any supported device with various media players, all without ads.
Follow the steps below to learn how to download Hulu titles as MP4 files and enjoy them on any supported device:
Download, install and launch Pazu Hulu Video Downloader on your Mac or Windows. Click the HULU icon, choose hulu.com or hulu.jp, and log in to your Hulu account.
Click the Search tab at the top and enter the title of a show/movie in the search field.
Or copy and paste the link of the movie/TV show from the Hulu website. Then click the Search icon.
Click the Settings icon (the three-lines icon on the top right corner) > “Preferences” to change:
Click the Download icon next to a title. For a movie, it starts downloading right away.
For a show, choose the season and episodes you want to download. Then click the Download button in the bottom right corner to start downloading the show to your computer.
Click the History tab to view all downloaded videos. Click the folder icon to quickly locate downloaded videos in MP4 or MKV. You can play them anywhere you want without the Hulu app.
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Download Hulu Video movies and TV shows to MP4/MKV on your PC/Mac