Watch Shows and Movies Offline: Download Streaming Apps for Offline Viewing

Learn how to watch your favorite TV shows and movies offline or in Airplane Mode. Download streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and more on the App Store.

Spotty internet connections and limited data plans don't have to keep you from watching your favorite TV shows and movies on the go. The trick is to download ahead of time to watch when you're on an airplane or out in the middle of nowhere. And if you download over Wi-Fi, you won't even touch your mobile data plan. To try it, simply tap the download button (the one with a downward-facing arrow) in any of the following apps.

CBS: Action-packed series like Star Trek: Discovery, Magnum P.I., and NCIS, as well as comedies like The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Superior Donuts. Find your downloads by tapping the menu button in the upper left corner (it looks like a stack of three lines), then "downloads."

Disney+: Watch Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars™, and National Geographic. There are a ton of classics and new releases to watch, but don't sleep on the originals. The Mandalorian is prestige TV at its best, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum is great, family-friendly fun. Find your downloads by tapping the download button next to the play button. Your selection will show up for offline viewing on the Downloads tab, which can be found on the menu bar that runs along the bottom of the app.

EPIX Now: Watch intense dramas like Perpetual Grace LTD, Deep State, and Get Shorty (which veers into comedy as well), alongside a constant supply of recent movie-theater hits. Find your downloads by tapping the My List button in the lower right corner, then "downloads."

Hulu: Watch acclaimed originals like Dollface, Castle Rock, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and The Handmaid's Tale. Also, enjoy great network and cable TV shows from FX, NBC, and more. Look for the download button next to any show episode or movie, and then find it on the Downloads tab to watch whenever, wherever.

Netflix: Watch thrillers like Stranger Things and Black Mirror, comedy specials by Chris Rock and Ali Wong, and shows like Hilda for the kiddos. Find your downloads on the Downloads tab in the menu bar that runs along the bottom of the app.

Prime Video: Watch comedies like Forever and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, dramas like Homecoming and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, and Pete the Cat for the kids. Find your downloads on the app's Downloads tab at the bottom of the screen.

Showtime: Watch Shameless, Billions, Ray Donovan, and other gripping dramas. Find your downloads by tapping the download button in the upper right corner of the home screen.

STARZ: Watch Vida, Power, American Gods, Outlander, and the underrated mashup of comedy and zombie horror Ash vs Evil Dead. Find your downloads by tapping on the STARZ Menu button in the center of the menu bar and selecting "my list." Your downloaded shows will appear at the top of this page.

Apple TV: The Apple TV app's Watch Now tab features an expertly curated selection of the latest TV shows and movies for purchase and download. Here, you can also subscribe directly to Apple TV channels like HBO, Showtime, STARZ, and many others. And the app is home to Apple TV+'s growing selection of original shows, like The Morning Show, Mythic Quest, and Ghostwriter. If you've purchased any shows or movies in the Apple TV app or through iTunes, find them and download them on the Library tab. The latest episodes from Apple TV channels and Apple TV+ will show up here as well. When your iPhone or iPad is offline or in airplane mode, your library will only show your downloaded content, making it easy to know which videos are ready to watch off the grid.