Yes, you can download on Hulu, but only if you have a Hulu (No Ads) subscription. Hulu (No Ads) subscribers can download TV shows and movies from the Hulu library to watch offline on supported mobile devices. But the more pressing question is, how do you download on Hulu?
Let’s find out…
Quick Answer
To download a TV show or movie on Hulu, follow these steps:
- Open the Hulu app on your mobile device.
- Tap on the Downloads tab.
- Tap on the Show or Movie tab, depending on what you want to download.
- Tap on the TV show or movie that you want to download.
- Tap on the Download icon.
The TV show or movie will start downloading to your mobile device. You can watch the downloaded TV show or movie without an internet connection.
Requirements
To download Hulu shows, you must first fulfill the following requirements:
- Your Hulu account must be Ad-Free or Ad-Free + Live TV.
- The show you want to download must be available for download. Although not every TV show or movie is available for download, thousands are.
- You must have a mobile device that is compatible with iOS, Android, or Amazon Fire.
- You must have the Hulu app installed on your device (which is available for free from the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store).
Things to Know
Unfortunately, not all Hulu content, including some Hulu originals, is available for download. To see if a TV episode supports downloads, look for the circular icon with a down arrow, as shown in the screenshot above.
You have up to 30 days to watch a show or movie you downloaded from Hulu on your mobile device before it expires. It will expire two days after you start watching it. Don’t worry; as long as your Hulu subscription is active and your device is connected to the internet, you can renew your downloadable movie or TV episode for another 30 days.
At any given time, you can have up to 25 downloads on five supported mobile devices. These restrictions are set at the account level, rather than per profile or device. If you go over one of these limits, you’ll get a popup with the next steps. Overall, having these limits is probably beneficial so that you don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Hulu downloads are only available to subscribers of Hulu (No Ads) and Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV. If you change Hulu plans and still have downloaded movies and TV shows, they will no longer be accessible. You will also be unable to play downloaded content if you put your plan on hold, but you can still manage it.
What are Hulu Offline Downloads?
Hulu’s offline downloads allow paid, ad-free subscribers to save content to watch later when they’re not connected to Wi-Fi or cell service. Hulu now joins Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in offering offline downloads, both of which have done so for some time.
Hulu says “thousands” of TV shows and movies will be available for download, but you won’t be able to download everything on the service.
How Do Hulu Offline Downloads Work?
No Ads Plan Is Required
Offline downloads are only available to paid Hulu No Ads subscribers. This plan costs $12.99 per month, while the base plan costs $6.99 per month. Hulu’s business model here is clearly to encourage subscribers to sign up for its more expensive, ad-free subscription tier.
There Is a Download Limit
Up to 25 titles can be downloaded across five different devices. You will also have up to 30 days to view the downloaded content. The downloaded content will expire two days after you begin playing it. If the content is still available when it expires, you can renew it.
How to Download Hulu Shows for Offline Viewing
Follow these steps to download Hulu shows to watch offline:
- Launch the Hulu app on your supported mobile device and tap Downloads to see all available shows for download.
- Tap the series you want to download, then scroll through the seasons and episodes until you find something you want to download.
- Select the download icon. When the download is complete, the button turns into a checkmark.
- The download length is determined by the length of the show (a 30-minute show will download faster than a 90-minute movie) and whether you are downloading via Wi-Fi or cellular. Remember that downloading over cellular will likely consume a large portion of your monthly data allowance.
- Tap X to exit the series view, then tap the Downloads menu to see a list of all the episodes you’ve downloaded.
Is There a Limit to the Number of Downloads on Hulu?
You might want to fill your mobile device with downloaded episodes now that you’ve seen how simple it is to download Hulu shows. Go for it, but remember that Hulu limits the number of downloaded episodes you can have at once.
As of this writing, you are limited to 25 downloaded episodes. Because the limit is per account, it makes no difference how many devices you use to download. You’ve reached your limit if your account’s total downloads across all devices exceed 25.
There are also device limitations. Downloads are limited to five devices at a time.
How to Delete Hulu Downloaded Shows Offline
You’ll have to delete some old shows if you’ve reached your 25-episode download limit and want to download new ones. Here’s how it’s done:
- Tap Downloads, then Edit, in the Hulu app.
- Tap the delete icon next to the episode(s) you want to remove.
- Select the trash can icon.
- Tap Delete in the pop-up menu.
Downloads are automatically deleted after you watch them.
How Long Are Hulu Downloads?
Unwatched downloads remain active on your mobile device for 30 days after they have been downloaded. If you begin watching a download, it remains valid for 48 hours after you begin watching.
If you have a download that you haven’t watched after 30 days, you may be able to renew it. To do so, navigate to the Downloads tab, tap the exclamation point icon next to an episode, and then tap Renew Download. This gives you an additional 30 days to view the episode.
Why Can’t I Download Certain Hulu Episodes?
As earlier mentioned, newer episodes of some Hulu shows are available for download, but older episodes are not due to licensing restrictions.
How Many Devices Can Watch Hulu at the Same Time?
On the same account, you can watch Hulu on two devices simultaneously, but watching offline does not count toward that limit. The unlimited screen add-on is available for $9.99.
Why Can’t I Watch Hulu When I’m Not Connected to the Internet?
You will lose access to your downloads if you no longer have a Hulu account. You can only watch shows offline on the device on which they were downloaded.
When Will Offline Hulu Downloads Be Available?
In the United States, the offline downloads feature is available in the Hulu app for Android, iOS, and iPadOS.
How Do I Locate Shows and Movies?
To browse through the available shows and movies for download:
- Select the Search Search Icon option.
- Select Downloadable shows from the Browse menu.
- When you’ve found something you’d like to download, go to the details page and tap the Download Icon icon next to the video to get it. You can download videos while connected to WiFi or cellular data.
- To see all the downloads on that device, tap the Downloads icon at the bottom of the screen. After you’ve finished watching the video, tap the Trash Trash Icon icon to delete it and make room on your device.
Are there any download restrictions?
You can have up to 25 downloads on five supported mobile devices at any given time. These restrictions are set at the account level, rather than per profile or device. If you go over one of these limits, a popup alert will appear with next steps.
Unless the episode or movie expires from our streaming library before that, you’ll have access to your unwatched downloads for 30 days. When you start watching, you’ll have 48 hours to finish before the download expires. If you haven’t watched a download yet, you may be able to renew it by following these steps.
What Happens to My Downloads if I Change My Subscription?
Plan Change
Your existing downloads will be deleted if you switch to a plan that does not support downloads, such as Hulu or Hulu + Live TV.
Hold Subscription
You can manage your downloads but not watch them if your subscription is on hold. Your access to Hulu will be restored once your account is in good standing.
Unsubscribe and Resubscribe
If you cancel and resubscribe, you will lose access to your previous subscription’s downloads, but you can download them again if the content is still available.
What Effect Do Downloads Have On My Data Usage?
If you’re concerned about data usage, keep an eye on your downloads; they won’t use your data even if you’re online.
To limit the amount of data consumed by downloading Hulu shows and movies, make sure you’re connected to WiFi, and that cellular downloading is turned off (by default).
What Do I do When I Encounter Problems With My Downloads?
Keep the following in mind if you’re having trouble downloading Hulu shows and movies:
- You must sign up for one of Hulu’s (No Ads) plans.
- Downloads aren’t available on living room devices or Hulu.com unless you have a supported mobile device.
- Only the Download Icon allows you to download videos.
- Downloads can only be viewed on the device used to download them.
- Downloads in progress may be interrupted if your device loses internet access or your connection becomes unstable.
- When you log out of Hulu, all downloaded videos from that device are automatically deleted.
- Can You Download Movies on Amazon Prime: How-To Guide
- Best Horror Movies on Hulu: Top 10 Best Right Now
- Best Offline Ios Games: Top 15+ Best Offline IOS Games In 2023
- How to Access Disney Plus on Hulu: Step-by-Step Guide
- Hulu Live vs YouTube TV: A Full Comparison
References
