By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, we are planning several car trips this summer with the whole family. The trips can sometimes be long so we were wondering if there is any way to watch Netflix in the car without having the Internet? We don’t have WiFi or 5G in the car or on phones so it would be great if there was a way to watch Netflix, particularly for the kids. — Crystal, Alexandria, Virginia.
Crystal, you will be happy to hear that you can watch both TV shows and movies from the Netflix catalog without the Internet so you never have to miss a favorite show during your vacation, even when you’re driving. It’s a relatively simple process, and here’s how you can do it:
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First, you will need one of the following:
* An iPhone, iPad, or iPod running iOS 9.0 or later;
* A phone or tablet running Android 4.4.2 or later;
* An Amazon Fire tablet running Fire OS 4.0 or later;
* Windows 10 (version 1709 or later)or Windows 11 tablet or computer, or;
* Chromebook and Chromebox computers using the Netflix app from the Google Play Store.
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You cannot download a Netflix title on any other device. But if you have one of the five devices listed above, you’re half-way home.
Next, you will need an Internet connection to download the Netflix title, and of course, an active Netflix streaming account. Once connected to Netflix, you can then search for titles that are available for downloading (watching the title offline) by going to the Menu and clicking, ‘Available for Downloads.’ (Note: Not all titles can be downloaded.)
Once you find a title you want, go to its description page and click on the download icon, which looks like this:
If your Internet connection is at least moderately fast, the download should take less than 10 minutes. (You might also want to try Netflix’s new feature, Downloads For You. Click here to learn more.)
Once the download is completed, you can access it from the ‘My Downloads’ section of the app you are using to watch Netflix. Click on the ‘Play’ icon next to the title, and it will begin to play, whether you are connected to the Internet or not.
The downloaded title will stay in your Netflix ‘My Downloads’ file so long as it’s available in the Netflix catalog. If the title expires, and is removed from Netflix’s library, it will no longer be available for downloading.
You can also set the video quality of your download, from standard-definition to 1080p High-Definition. The higher the video quality, the longer it takes to download the show or movie.
Last note: If you plan to watch Netflix on an app installed on your hotel’s TV, or one in a vacation rental one, be careful of inputting your user name and password. If you don’t log out of the account before the end of your stay, the next person who stays here will have access to your account. So be sure to log out.
Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
