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How to Download HBO Max Movies and Shows for Offline Viewing

By Lore Apostol / December 9, 2021

HBO Max has a lot of WarnerMedia blockbuster movies and hit series to watch - and also quite many native apps to support pretty much all the currently popular devices and platforms so that everybody's happy. However, you may find yourself in a situation where you want to watch content offline for various reasons, so let's see how to download HBO Max movies and shows for offline viewing on your devices.

We do not always have an internet connection to use for streaming content on our devices, and that mostly happens when traveling or commuting. Also, this feature is pretty useful when traveling to territories where HBO Max is not available, as we can download the desired content before leaving and have it with us stored on our devices.

Requirements to Download HBO Max Movies and Shows

The downloading option is not available to all HBO Max subscribers, and not all shows and movies are available to download. So to download something, you need:

How to Download HBO Max Content for Offline Viewing

  1. First, subscribe to HBO Max if you haven't already. Downloads are only available with the Ad-Free plan, so select this one.
  2. Now, make sure your phone or tablet is connected to the internet and open the HBO Max app and log in.
  3. By default, downloading is limited to Wi-Fi and we recommend you use Wi-Fi (to change this and use the device's data, tap Profile icon > Settings > Video Options).
  4. Choose the episode or movie that you want to download and check if it has the Download icon (arrow pointing down).
  5. You can choose your audio and subtitles settings when you start watching, but keep in mind that for some shows and movies, you may need to choose a language before downloading.
  6. Now it's time to tap the Download icon to start the process.
  7. You can tap the circle icon that shows you the download progress if you want to pause and resume downloading. You can also tap the Profile icon and then Downloads.

HBO Max movies and series that are downloaded won't be saved to an SD card. But they are stored on your device's internal storage instead, which can be accessed only through the HBO Max app.

Where Are My Downloads? - How to Play HBO Max Shows or Movies Offline

After you download the content following the steps described above, here is how you can find and watch your HBO Max downloads:

  1. Open the HBO Max app.
  2. Tap the Profile icon that you can see in the bottom edge on phones and left edge on tablets.
  3. Then, tap Downloads and your list will appear.
  4. To watch a something from that list, tap the Play icon (triangle) on the desired title.

You can have up to 30 downloads at one time on one account (expired titles are not counted here) and up to five copies of the same show or movie across all profiles and devices. However, once you start playing a downloaded title, the platform gives you 48 hours to finish watching it - after that, it expires. A downloaded title can also expire if it leaves the HBO Max service.

Nevertheless, if the content is still on the streaming platform, you can renew (multiple times) or delete the download. To see the availability status of the content you want to watch offline, check your Downloads list.

To renew a download:

To delete a download:

FAQ

Here is the list of frequently asked questions about the HBO Max download feature for the offline viewing experience.

Which plan should you get to enable 'Downloads' feature?

Downloads are only available for subscribers who pay for the HBO Max Ad-Free plan ($14.99/month or $149.99/year), so access to the download button is a premium feature. Upgrade if you are using With Ads plan.

Can you download HBO Max Shows and Movies on a Laptop or Computer?

No, you can't because downloads only work on mobile devices. So you cannot download the platform's content in a browser on your computer or laptop but only through the HBO Max app on your smartphone or tablet.

Does the 'Downloads' feature work in my country?

Like most others, this streaming app's content is geo-blocked. HBO Max is available in the United States, certain US territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands), and select countries in Latin America, Europe, and the Caribbean. You can see the exact list here.

Everything else besides these territories is a dead zone for HBO Max, so you won't be able to access (or create, for that matter) your account unless you use a VPN. However, you can still play shows and movies that you've downloaded when traveling to other countries (your home country is the country where you signed up for HBO Max).

You can post a comment below in case you have any questions, and we'll make sure to respond as soon as possible. And, of course, enjoy watching downloaded HBO Max movies and series on your mobile devices!



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