How offline viewing works
The app downloads the video at a chosen quality and stores it in encrypted form. It also obtains an offline license, which holds the decryption key and the rules for that download. The file cannot be opened, copied or played outside the app.
When the device is next online, the app renews licenses, reports what was watched and removes downloads that are no longer permitted.
The rules a download carries
- Expiry: how long a download may be kept, for example 30 days
- Playback window: how long the viewer has to finish once they start, for example 48 hours
- Device limit: how many devices on an account may hold downloads
- Title rules: some titles are excluded because the rights do not cover downloads
- Subscription status: downloads stop playing when the subscription ends
Why offer it
Downloads let people watch while commuting, flying or in places where mobile data is expensive or unreliable. In markets with costly data it is often the main way a mobile audience watches at all.
It is commonly used as a reason to upgrade, reserved for a higher tier. Check your licenses first: download rights are frequently granted separately from streaming rights.
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