If you have a good data plan, a streaming app subscription is your ticket to endless entertainment. But there are certain scenarios where being able to watch offline is super convenient – like flights and family road trips. These apps let you download content to watch later.
Showmax
You’ll need to download the new Showmax streaming app for mobile and tablet. Once you’ve downloaded and logged in, go to the series or movie you want to download and click the download button (look for an arrow pointing down). Once it’s complete, you can watch your content offline on the device you’ve downloaded it to, or by logging into the app with the same account details on another device.
Ts and Cs: You can have up to 25 movies or series episodes downloaded at a time. Series can only be downloaded one episode at a time. Your download is available for 30 days – thereafter, it will automatically expire. If you start watching a download, it will only be available for another 48 hours. You can only download series and movies via the Showmax app on your smartphone or tablet – you can’t download to a computer or smart TV.
What to watch on Showmax: Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap is a reality show about Cape Town’s drag queens, told in Gayle, with subtitles. The award-winning film Oppenheimer tells the true story of the “father of the atomic bomb”, J. Robert Oppenheimer.
YouTube
If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you can download videos to watch offline. Your downloaded videos will be listed in your Premium account menu (click the three horizontal lines that look like a hamburger and scroll down).
Ts and Cs: Your downloads should be available offline for up to 29 days. After that, you’ll need to connect to an internet connection to watch them. Some features, like commenting and liking, may only be available when you’re connected to the internet.
What to watch on YouTube: If you have a toddler, Ms Rachel provides education and entertainment for them and a welcome break for you. Get inspired by thought leaders on the TEDx channel.
Disney+
You can download as many movies or series as you like and you’ll have access to them for as long as you remain a Disney+ subscriber. The same movie or episode can be downloaded on up to 10 mobile devices.
Ts and Cs: You have to connect your device to the internet at least once every 30 days to retain your downloads. You will lose your downloads if you reinstall the app or clear the app data or if Disney+ no longer offers that movie or series on its streaming platform.
What to watch on Disney+: The Star Wars universe gets expanded for adults and teens in The Acolyte; younger fans can get their Star Wars fill with Young Jedi Adventures.
Netflix
Not only can you download series episodes and movies to watch offline, Netflix also has a nifty “smart downloads” feature. Set it to “download next episode” and Netflix will automatically delete episodes of a series that you’ve finished watching and download the next episode. Enable “downloads for you” and the streaming app will automatically download a selection of videos and series it thinks you’ll like. Surprise!
Ts and Cs: You can only download movies and series to a phone or tablet. Not all shows and movies are available for download. You can have up to 100 active downloads at a time per device, provided you have the space to store them. If you cancel your account and then reopen it, your downloads will be lost.
P.S. Read this before you start
Where to find your downloads: Downloading a movie or series doesn’t make it available in your gallery or downloads folder on your device. You still have to watch it in the streaming app – it’s just now available to watch offline.
Plan ahead: Downloads take up space on your device and they’re typically only available for a limited time – so download only what you want to watch at a particular time.
Whether you're streaming or downloading, it's always better on a stable and reliable internet connection. Try Vodacom FIbre and start by checking if you have fibre available available in your neighbourhood.
