--- title: "What Is Offline Viewing? Definition and Examples | RentAnOTT" description: "Offline viewing lets subscribers download titles in a streaming app and watch without a connection. See how downloads are protected and limited." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/offline-viewing" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/offline-viewing.md" category: "Platform" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is offline viewing? Offline viewing is a feature of a streaming app that lets a viewer download a title to their phone or tablet and watch it later without an internet connection. The download stays encrypted and playable only inside the app. ## 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. ## Offline viewing on RentAnOTT Offline viewing is a $59/month add-on on the RentAnOTT Growth and Scale tiers, with secure, rights-aware downloads on supported mobile devices. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [DRM](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/drm) — DRM (digital rights management) is technology that encrypts video and controls who can decrypt it. A viewer's device must obtain a license from a license server before it can play the stream, and the license sets the rules for that playback. - [FairPlay](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/fairplay) — FairPlay Streaming is Apple's DRM system. It protects video delivered over HLS to iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Safari on Mac, and is the only DRM those devices support for native playback. - [Widevine](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/widevine) — Widevine is Google's DRM system. It protects streamed video on Android phones and tablets, Android TV and Google TV, Chrome and other browsers, and most smart TVs and streaming devices outside Apple's ecosystem. - [Subscription tier](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/subscription-tier) — A subscription tier is one of the plans a streaming service offers at a given price. Tiers differ in what the subscriber gets, such as video quality, simultaneous streams, downloads, the catalog included or whether ads are shown. - [Device limit](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/device-limit) — A device limit is the maximum number of devices that can be signed in or registered to a single streaming account. When the limit is reached, the viewer must remove a device before adding another. - [Content licensing](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-licensing) — Content licensing is the agreement by which the owner of a film, series or event grants a streaming service the right to show it, for a set period, in set territories, under set business models, in exchange for payment. - [Native app](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/native-app) — A native app is an application built specifically for one operating system, such as iOS, Android or tvOS, using that platform's own programming languages and tools, and installed from its app store. It has direct access to the device's video player, DRM, storage and notifications. ## Further reading - [Offline video in streaming apps](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/offline-videos-streaming-app-guide) - [OTT subscription plans and tiers](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ott-subscription-plans) - [Security features](https://www.rentanott.com/features#security) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can downloaded videos be copied to another device? No. The file is encrypted and its license is bound to the device and app that downloaded it, so a copy will not play elsewhere. ### Does offline viewing need DRM? For licensed content, yes. DRM provides the persistent license that enforces expiry and prevents the file being played outside the app. ### Is offline viewing available on smart TVs and the web? It is essentially a mobile feature. Phones and tablets are the devices people carry out of coverage, and they have the secure storage that downloads rely on. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt