By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former Sony employee. Author of TV Dot Com.
TV Answer Man, Netflix has some new feature called Downloads for you. Do you know what that is and how to use it? What do you get that’s for you? — Helena, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
What Is Netflix’s Downloads For You?
Helena, Netflix has had a feature called, Downloads, which enables you to store a movie or TV show on your desktop, smart phone or tablet and watch it later without connecting to the Internet. This can be handy if you have issues with your home Internet service such as outages or frequent buffering. (Read this article for more information on downloading.)
But what if you have forgotten to download shows when the technical glitches arise? You would be left with nothing to watch, which is not a pleasant experience, particularly if you have kids.
However, Netflix has come to the rescue with a new feature called, ‘Downloads For You.’ With the click of a single button, the streaming service will automatically download some movies or shows on your mobile device. The titles are selected based on your viewing experience.
How to Watch Netflix’s Downloads For You
Once you watch a ‘downloaded for you’ show or movie, Netflix will automatically add another to the list. (The number of downloads usually are less than five per user profile, but you can increase or decrease that amount.)
Here’s how ‘Download For You’ works:
1. You open the Netflix app and tap Downloads 
.
2. At the top of the screen, tap Smart Downloads.
3. Use the switch under Downloads for You to turn it on or off.
4. When Downloads for You is turned on, use the + and – buttons to adjust the storage (GB) amount to download for each profile.
Downloads For You is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets running the latest version of the Netflix app. It works when you’re connected to Wi-Fi, so your cellular data won’t be used. And it’s optional. You can turn it on or off at any time in your Downloads settings.
Helena, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
