Now you can download Netflix shows for offline playback on Windows 10 PCs

By Lulu Chang April 3, 2017

netflix offline viewing woman watching movies and tv on laptop — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Late last year, Netflix introduced a feature that many people had been begging the service to add: offline playback. The service initially launched on iOS and Android, which makes sense, as phones and tablets are the devices people are most likely to have with them on the go. Of course, people also travel with laptops, but at launch, those were left in the lurch.

You still can’t catch up on your favorite shows on your MacBook without Wi-Fi, but Windows 10 users can now stock up before they head out. The Netflix app available in the Windows 10 app store now features support for offline playback, Windows Central reports. For the time being, this only applies to PCs, as the Windows 10 Mobile version of the app has not added offline support.

The best part is that Netflix hasn’t limited this feature to just some subscription tiers — rather, regardless of what plan you may have, you can start downloading and watching offline today. As long as you’re using a compatible devices and software, offline viewing is now a possibility.

There are some stipulations, of course. As mentioned above, Netflix’s own series are the first to be available for download, and it’s not yet clear how many titles outside of Netflix’s own creation will be available. The service is also currently limited to mobile devices and won’t work on a laptop, so those who want to watch a larger screen will need to do so on a tablet. Still, this is a major move for the service, especially for those in areas where high-speed internet is hard to come by.

You will, of course, have to update the Netflix app on your device to the latest version in order to take advantage of the new feature, but that hardly seems like a steep price to pay for binge watching your favorite programs just about anytime, anywhere. So consider this an early holiday present from Netflix.

Updated on 04-03-2017 by Kris Wouk: Added that offline playback is now available on Windows 10 PCs. This story was originally published on 11-06-2016.

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