How to Download Movies to Watch Offline on Any Device in 2026

Long flights or train rides can easily become boring once the scenery outside the window starts to feel repetitive. Downloading movies to watch offline is one of the most reliable ways to kill time. This frees you from internet restrictions and lets you enjoy smooth playback on PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android anytime, anywhere.

If you are looking for how to download movies, this guide has you covered. We will introduce 5 methods, including ways to get HD movie downloads without expiration limits. Read on to build your offline movie library and never be bored on your next trip again.

1. Download Movies to Watch Offline via Official Streaming Apps

Streaming platforms serve as the primary source for movie-watching and offer the convenience of downloading movies for offline viewing. If you’re a subscriber of any popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, YouTube, etc., don’t miss out on the opportunity to save your favorite title offline.

While app interfaces vary, the process to get movie downloads across these streaming platforms is quite similar: log in, search for your favorite title, and hit the download icon. Next, we will take Netflix as an example to show you how to download movies from streaming services in detail.

Step 1. Download and launch the latest Netflix app on your mobile device. Then sign in with your Netflix account.

Note: Netflix’s download feature is only available on iPhone or iPad, Android phone or tablets, Amazon Fire tablet, and Google Chromebooks.

Step 2. Search for the movie you want to watch offline. If you see an arrow-down icon, this title is available for download.

Step 3. Tap on the “Download” icon and wait for the download process to finish. After that, you can find all HD movie downloads by going to “My Netflix” > “Downloads”.

The process is easy to follow, but keep in mind that this method only allows temporary caches protected by DRM, not permanent downloads. Streaming platforms usually impose download limits, for example:

• You can only watch movies offline on phones or tablets.
• Your downloads will expire 48 hours after you start watching.
• You are restricted to in-app watching on the device used for downloading.
• Once your subscription ends, you can’t watch downloaded movies offline.

Tired of these download limits? Read on to discover how to download unlimited HD movies to watch offline permanently on PC/Mac using a professional tool.

2. Download 1080P MP4/MKV Movies from Streaming Sites Using a Professional Tool

If you want to save streaming movies permanently, watch them on multiple devices, or enjoy HD movie downloads without DRM limits, using a professional video downloader is the best solution.

For such a tool, we highly recommend MovPilot All-in-One Video Downloader. It supports popular platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hulu, and enables you to download streaming movies to MP4/MKV in 1080P with no quality loss. Once downloaded, you can freely transfer and watch movies on any device, anytime.

Plus, this movie downloader also comes with a powerful search engine that can directly access the video library from the streaming service! Next, let’s see how to download movies to watch offline without any restrictions by using MovPilot All-in-One Video Downloader.

Step 1. Set Up MovPilot Video Downloader

Install and open MovPilot Video Downloader on your Windows and Mac computer. Choose a streaming service (here we use Netflix as an example) and log in to your account.

Step 2. Preset Output Parameters

Click on the gear icon to open “Settings”. Then, customize the preferred output format(MP4/MKV), output quality, audio/subtitles language, output folder, and more.

Step 3. Search and Download the Streaming Movie

Type the title name or keyword into the built-in search engine to find relevant results. Locate the one you want and click its download icon. MovPilot will start downloading movies to your laptop.

Step 4. Watch DRM-Free Movie Offline

Once the download process ends, move to the “History” tab, click on the folder icon, and you can locate all downloaded movies on your PC or Mac. You can then effortlessly transfer these video files to any device for offline viewing without any restrictions.

3. Extract Movies from Blu-rays and DVDs

Another way to download movies to watch offline is to utilize your existing collection of physical DVDs or Blu-rays. If a movie is no longer available on streaming platforms or hard to find online, ripping it from your personal disc collection into a digital format with VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper is a viable solution.

This versatile tool can remove all types of DVD/Blu-ray protection and extract movies from Blu-ray and DVD discs to MP4, MKV, MOV, MP3, and more. You can then enjoy offline movie playback on your phone, tablet, or laptop anytime. Detailed steps are as follows.

Step 1. Make sure you have an internal or external disc drive. Then, insert your DVD or Blu-ray disc into the drive.

Step 2. Open VideoByte BD-DVD Ripper on your Windows or Mac computer.

Step 3. Click the “Load Blu-ray”/”Load DVD” button to import your desired movie.

Step 4. Use the dropdown menu of “Rip All to” to choose an output configuration based on your needs.

Step 5. Click “Rip All” to rip and download movies from DVD/Blu-ray for offline watching.

4. Download Movies to Watch Offline from Online Free Video Sites

If you want to download movies to watch offline without a subscription, free movie sites are a great choice. These platforms provide access to a vast library of films, including classics, indie gems, and even some recent releases, enabling you to download MP4 movies for free. Some commonly used free movie download sites include:

• Internet Archive
• Public Domain Movies
• MyDownloadTube
• 123Movies
• FZMovies

To download free movies for offline viewing, you can follow the general steps below:

Step 1. Access a trusted video source on any browser.

Step 2. Search for the movie you want.

Step 3. Find the download button on its detail page. Then, click on it to start saving the movie to your device.

Although this method is convenient, some sites might contain intrusive ads, phishing links, misleading download buttons, or unsafe redirects. For a 100% safe experience, it is more advisable to consider a professional desktop solution, such as MovPilot All-in-One Video Downloader, which has no ads, malware, or viruses.

5. Get HD Movie Downloads from Torrent Files

What if you can’t find high-quality movie sources on free movie sites? Torrents can be an alternative way to get HD movie downloads for free. This method is based on a P2P (peer-to-peer) sharing mechanism, which means you don’t download the full film directly, but a small .torrent file or a magnet link that helps your torrent client locate and download the actual video file. This makes torrents especially suitable for transferring large 1080p or even 4K movie files.

Here is how to download HD movies to watch offline using torrent:

Step 1. Locate the torrent file or magnet link for your movie on sites like TorrentDownloads or Public Domain Torrents.

Step 2. Install and open a torrent client such as uTorrent or BitTorrent on your computer.

Step 3. Import the movie’s torrent file or magnet link, and then follow the on-screen instructions to choose an output folder.

Step 4. The client will automatically access resources and start the process of downloading HD movies.

FAQs About Movie Downloads

Is it legal to download movies for offline viewing?

Generally, downloading movies for personal offline viewing through streaming platforms is legal. However, it is important to note that we strongly recommend avoiding torrents or unreliable online sites for downloading pirated videos. These methods not only involve copyright legal risks but also often bring malware and viruses that could compromise your device security. To protect your personal privacy and ensure a clean viewing experience, choosing professional download tools is always the wiser choice.

Can I keep downloaded movies permanently?

If you rely on the official download features built into streaming apps, the answer is usually no. Downloads typically expire automatically after 48 hours once playback starts, or within 30 days of downloading. Also, once your subscription expires, all offline content will become inaccessible.

To truly download movies to watch offline permanently, you need to use a professional third-party tool like MovPilot All-in-One Video Downloader, which allows you to save streaming videos as local files.

What is the best format for offline movie playback?

MP4 and MKV are the most popular choices, but they offer different advantages:

• MP4: This is currently the most universal format. It can be played seamlessly on almost all devices, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, TVs, and car systems.
• MKV: If you are looking for an authentic cinematic experience, downloading movies to MKV is the better choice. It supports multiple audio tracks, multi-language subtitles, and higher video bitrates, making it ideal for playback on computers or home theater systems.

Pro Tip: Tools like MovPilot usually let you choose between MP4 and MKV, so you can select the best format for different viewing needs.

Comparison: Which is the Best Way to Download Movies to Watch Offline?

Previously, we introduced five possible solutions. If you are still unsure how to download movies to watch offline on your laptop or mobile device, check the quick comparison table below.

Final Verdict

The 5 methods shared above provide diverse solutions on how to download movies to watch offline on any device. Free movie sites are suitable for casual viewing, while DVD or Blu-ray ripping works best for users with physical collections. Official streaming apps are convenient, but come with download limits.

If you want a more flexible solution, MovPilot All-in-One Downloader stands out as it can bypass all restrictions and let you save permanent HD movie downloads in 1080P MP4/MKV without quality loss. You can then transfer and watch your movies on any device, anytime. Download MovPilot today and try it yourself!