How to download movies and TV series to your iPhone and iPad (and how to delete them)

In the era of limitless internet download bandwidth, streaming video puts the world of television and video at your fingertips on an iPhone or iPad. (*A lot of ISPs and cellphone service providers have their own interpretations of the term “unlimited.”) It is frequently forgotten, though, just how many streaming services have included offline solutions for times when there is little or no internet access. This also applies to Apple TV+.

Let me extol the virtue of not having to rely on in-flight or in-transit data alternatives as I just spent roughly 40 hours on flights and 30 hours on trains across one business trip and one holiday.

Huge tip for passengers who have access to Wi-Fi on flights but are only using free or inexpensive text messaging services rather than paying for data: when connected to Wi-Fi, even if you don’t have an internet connection, certain streaming apps try to verify before playing offline material. Tap the Wi-Fi icon to turn off that connection, then try the app once more after sliding to display the Control Center. After the video begins to play, you can turn on Wi-Fi again.

Here is a fast guide on how to download videos and where to find them in some of the most well-known apps, such Hoopla, which is a partner of many public libraries:

• Amazon Prime Video: Items that may be downloaded and saved offline have a Download option on the description page. To access locally saved files and determine their sizes, tap the Downloads button at the bottom of the screen. (To view a filtered list of the available media, tap “Download more videos”).
• TV app: A downward-pointing arrow can be seen on the series page, each episode, and the main page for movies on any video that can be downloaded, including any Apple TV+ media. To see what’s on your smartphone and to start playing it, select Library > Downloaded.
• As Disney controls all of the content, you may tap the Download button on Disney+, which appears to be available for everything. The downward-pointing button at the bottom of the program is used to control downloads. Each entry’s size is shown.
• HBO Max: If you choose the Ad-Free Subscription plan tier, downloads are not permitted. The company’s description of “most series and movies” is accompanied with a symbol with a downward pointing arrow. To access locally saved media, tap the arrow icon with a download direction at the bottom of the screen. The maximum number of downloads allowed by HBO Max is 30, and they must be watched within two days of the commencement of the download. After that, though, you can tap to renew them.
• Tap the Borrow option on movies or TV shows that may be downloaded or streamed through Hoopla. Following the completion of the borrowing activity, tap “Download to your device.” Things might only be accessible for a short while. To find downloaded materials, tap “My hoopla” and the Borrowed link at the top.
• Hulu: Each film that is accessible for download has a Download button next to its entry. To view what is already stored, tap the Downloads button at the bottom of the program. Moreover, the size of each downloaded item is displayed. (You can press See What’s Downloadable to view only the goods that are available.) Hulu only permits the playback of downloaded videos for a total of 30 days or within two days of the first viewing. The video can be renewed without a new download and only with a live Internet connection.
• Netflix: On the main stream of videos that can be downloaded, there is a Download button. A download button for the upcoming episode of the show is displayed at the top of each episode, and an arrow going downward with a line underneath it is displayed to the right of other episodes in a season list. To find downloads, tap the Downloads button at the bottom of the app. This will display a list of all items that are available along with their sizes, including the sum of any TV series’ episodes.

(Netflix has added a genuinely alarming option: in the Downloads view, tap Set Up under Introducing Downloads for You, and the program will attempt to predict what you need. Although that says “there’s always something to watch on your gadget,” I can’t think of anything worse.

Remember to clear the space once you’ve finished watching a show or movie or have returned from a trip. The 64GB or 128GB of storage on your iPhone or iPad will be especially useful in this situation: