How To Download Shows and Movies From Hulu for Offline Viewing

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There are numerous reasons to consider subscribing to Hulu. Perhaps you’re tired of the rising prices on Netflix, or maybe you’re a fan of shows like Only Murders in the Building, Alien Earth, or The Bear. You might also appreciate Hulu’s live TV options. One of Hulu’s standout features is the ability to download shows and movies directly to your devices, a feature available on their premium plans.

With the holiday season approaching and travel plans on the horizon, you’ll want to ensure your phone or tablet is loaded with entertainment to avoid buffering issues. You might also find yourself on long daily commutes, making downloaded content especially convenient. Currently, though, Hulu doesn’t support downloads on computers, smart TVs, or gaming consoles.

Once you’ve downloaded content through Hulu, you can watch it offline whenever you want—ideal for areas with unreliable Wi-Fi. To get everything set up smoothly, here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide.

Difficulty Level and Time Commitment

Difficulty: Easy
Time Needed: About 5 minutes

What You’ll Need

A compatible device (mobile or tablet)
An active Hulu subscription supporting downloads

Changing Your Hulu Plan for Offline Downloads

If your current plan doesn’t support downloads, you’ll need to switch to a higher-tier plan. Offline viewing is only available on these plans:

Hulu (No Ads) — $18.99/month
Disney Bundle: Hulu (No Ads) + Disney+ + ESPN+ — $29.99/month
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV + Disney+ + ESPN+ — $89.99/month

To change your plan:

Log into Hulu through a web browser (not via the app or smart TV).
Click or tap the Account icon in the upper-right corner and select Account from the menu.
Enter your password if prompted.
In your Subscription section, choose Manage plan and toggle the switch for the plan that supports downloads.
You can also customize add-ons here—adding or removing options as needed—then confirm your changes.

Note: Switching from a download-enabled plan to a lower-tier plan will delete any downloaded content you’ve stored, so be sure to manage your downloads accordingly.

Ensuring Compatibility with Your Device

Currently, downloads are only available on mobile devices from Amazon, Android, or Apple. You cannot download content directly to your computer, smart TV, or gaming console. The list of compatible devices includes:

Amazon Fire Tablets (Fire 7 9th gen+, Fire HD 8 8th gen+, Fire HD 10 9th gen+, Fire Max 11 13th gen+)
Android Devices (most models running Android 7.1 or higher with at least 800×480 pixels)
Apple Devices (iPads and iPhones running iOS 16.4 or newer)

Timing and Limitations

Downloading content is akin to renting digital media. You can store files for a specific period:

You’re limited to a maximum of 25 downloads across five devices (not per profile).
You have 30 days to start watching a downloaded title.
Once you begin playback, you have 48 hours to finish watching before the download expires.
If you don’t watch within that period, you’ll need to re-download the content.

Locating and Downloading Content

Finding and saving content for offline viewing is straightforward:

Tap the Search icon at the bottom.
Use the search feature to browse for your favorite shows or movies.
Select the Downloadable option to filter content that can be saved offline.
For TV episodes, tap the Download arrow icon next to each episode. For movies, tap the Download button beneath the Watch movie option.

This allows you to quickly pick and store content to enjoy later without an internet connection.

Managing Downloaded Content

After watching offline, you can delete downloaded titles:

Tap the Downloads tab in the bottom navigation.
Find the media you want to remove and tap the Checkmark icon.
Select Delete download from the pop-up menu to free up space.

Adjusting Download Quality

By default, Hulu downloads content in Standard quality, offering faster downloads and less storage usage. To change:

Open Downloads from the bottom menu.
Tap the gear icon in the corner.
Select Video quality.
Choose between Standard and High quality. Keep in mind that higher quality takes longer to download and uses more storage space.

Renewing Expired Downloads

If a download expires—either because you didn’t finish watching within 48 hours or the content has been removed—you can renew it:

Go to the Downloads section.
Tap the Expired icon next to the content.
If available, select Renew download to restore access.

Downloading with Cellular Data

If you want to download content over your mobile network, enable Cellular Downloading in settings:

On iOS: Go to Downloads > Settings and toggle Cellular Downloading on or off.
On Android: Navigate to Account > Settings > Downloads, then toggle Cellular Downloading.