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Home / News / Wave goodbye to mind-numbing commutes: Netflix downloads are finally here

Wave goodbye to mind-numbing commutes: Netflix downloads are finally here

Save your sanity and your mobile data by saving movies to your phone's memory

Finally, the news that commuters and frequent flyers have been waiting for: Netflix is now allowing its users to download videos for offline viewing.

Apparently only available on Netflix’s mobile app (we haven’t been able to download anything via the browser version on our MacBook), this new feature means you needn’t dread a Wi-Fi-less weekend at the in-laws anymore: simply prepare by saving a bunch of your favourite shows and films ahead of time and you’ll have plenty of drama, comedy and action to keep you entertained.

Right now, you can’t download everything in Netflix’s library – although the amount of stuff you can grab is pretty impressive. As you’d expect Netflix’s original content is all enabled (as far as we can tell), so fans of Narcos, The Crown, House of Cards and Stranger Things will be happy, but there are plenty of third-party things too: movies including Sicario and Django Unchained, and TV like Peep Show, The Last Kingdom, Limmy’s Show! and Line of Duty.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber and want to try it out, make sure to update your phone or tablet’s app to the latest version. You’ll then be prompted to visit the downloadable content library when you first open it up. Do yourself a favour and give it a whirl: your mobile tariff’s data limit will thank you.

And yes, before you shout – we know that Amazon Prime Video has been offering this feature for yonks already. It’s just nice that Netflix has caught up.

Profile image of Sam Kieldsen Sam Kieldsen Contributor

About

Tech journalism's answer to The Littlest Hobo, I've written for a host of titles and lived in three different countries in my 15 years-plus as a freelancer. But I've always come back home to Stuff eventually, where I specialise in writing about cameras, streaming services and being tragically addicted to Destiny.

Areas of expertise

Cameras, drones, video games, film and TV

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