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All you need is the Netflix app from the Google Play Store to get started watching your favorite flicks on your trusty Chromebook
By
Nick Steinberg
Nick Steinberg
Writer
- Wilfrid Laurier University
Nick Steinberg has been writing about technology since 2014. His work has appeared in Goliath, Screen Rant, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on October 7, 2024
In This Article
View All
In This Article
- Step-by-Step: Download to Laptop
- Delete Netflix Downloads
- Watching Netflix Offline
- Troubleshooting Download Issues
- Netflix Downloads on MacBooks
What to Know
- The Netflix app via the Google Play Store on a Chromebook is the only way to download movies to a laptop.
- Choose My Netflix > Downloads > Find More to Download > Download icon to save for offline viewing.
This article explains how to download Netflix movies and TV shows to a Chromebook that supports the Google Play Store and Android apps.
How to Download Movies From Netflix to Your Chromebook Laptop
Saving a Netflix movie to a Chromebook laptop works much the same way as downloading Netflix videos to a phone or tablet. Here's how to use the app from the Play Store to download titles for offline viewing:
Downloads are no longer supported on Windows laptops.
Install Netflix from the Google Play Store, and then open the app and use the Sign In button to log in to your account.
Select My Netflix from the menu at the bottom of the screen > Downloads > Find More to Download.
Browse the listings and tap the movie or TV show you’d like to download.
Click Download to download a movie to your laptop.
Once the download is complete, click the My Netflix icon again and select Downloads.
You should see your downloaded movie or TV show listed. Click it to begin playback.
How to Delete Downloaded Netflix Movies
To remove a downloaded movie or TV show from your laptop, select Downloads under the video and then click Delete Download.
If you have an ad-free plan, you can use the Smart Downloads feature to save space by deleting TV episodes you’ve already watched. It will also automatically download the next available episode when you're online. You can turn Smart Downloads on and off from the app's settings.
How Do I Watch Netflix Offline?
Anything you download from the Netflix app is available offline. To watch those items when you don't have an internet connection, open the My Downloads tab.
To ensure you’re able to access Netflix videos offline, it’s recommended that you remain signed in to the app.
When offline, you’ll only be able to access the movies and shows you downloaded while you were online. If you try to navigate to a different menu, you’ll be greeted by the notification below:
Why Can't I Download Movies on Netflix Without a Subscription?
While the Netflix app is free to download, you’ll need an active subscription before you can sign in and start downloading things. See our Netflix article to learn more about the various plan options.
11 of Our Favorite Free Movie Download Sites for 2024Even with a subscription, the number of devices that you can have downloads on is limited by the plan you’re subscribed to.
You can download movies to two devices with the ad-supported plans, or up to six devices with the Premium ad-free plan.
If you’ve reached your device limit, you can remove devices linked to your account. Do this from the Manage Access and Devices page of your account settings.
Here are some other possible reasons you can't download Netflix movies on your laptop:
- You're downloading too frequently. Standard and Premium plans can have up to 100 active downloads per device at any given time.
- Too many videos have already been downloaded. Ad-supported plans top out at 15 downloads per month per device.
- Google Play isn't support on your Chromebook. The Google Play app isn't available on all Chromebooks. Check Chrome OS and Google Play device compatibility before attempting to download titles from Netflix.
Why Can't I Download Netflix Movies on My MacBook?
Unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t support downloading movies and TV shows for offline viewing on Mac, as there’s no Netflix app for Mac.
Your best option is to stream Netflix from an iPad or iPhone using AirPlay. For more on this, how to download movies from Netflix to a Mac or iPad.
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