Netflix’s Smart Downloads feature is broadening its horizons with “Downloads for You.” It can now automatically download movies and TV shows that you might like, to help you in situations where you find yourself stuck without Internet access or in a long wait like the evening commute. (Remember travelling to and fro for work? Saving on commute time is one of the few things I’m grateful to COVID-19 for.) Previously, Netflix’s Smart Downloads would automatically delete the episodes you’ve watched and download the next episode of said TV series. But movies (or new shows) were out of the question. With Downloads for You, Netflix goes a step further.
How to automatically download movies and TV shows on Netflix app
Naturally, Netflix’s Downloads for You is an opt-in feature that you can turn on inside the Netflix app. The feature is only available for Android devices, it’s not on iPhone and iPad right now.
- To get started, simply launch the Netflix Android app.
- Then, tap on the Downloads tab.
- There, hit the toggle next to Downloads for You.
- On the next screen, decide how much storage space you want to dedicate for Downloads for You. Netflix says 3GB is enough for 12 movies and TV shows.
- Once you’ve made up your mind, tap Turn On.
If you change your mind, you can always deactivate the Downloads for You toggle in the Netflix app. Or if you run into storage troubles, you can decrease the amount it takes up from Downloads > Smart Downloads. Alternatively, if you want more surprises, just increase the storage space allotted to Downloads for You. The storage space you reserve for automatic downloads will not be used by manual downloads you initiate in the Netflix app.
“Three years ago, we introduced Smart Downloads so you can find the next episode of your favorite show — even when you’re on the go,” Netflix’s director of product innovation Patrick Flemming wrote in a Netflix blog. “Now, we want to make discovering your next new favorite series or film quick and easy whether you’re connected or not. Today we’re launching Downloads for You, a new feature that automatically downloads recommended shows or movies to your mobile device based on your tastes.”
Netflix’s Downloads for You is available now on Android globally. It will soon enter testing on iOS. If you’re wondering how much of a wait it might be, Netflix’s Smart Downloads feature took nearly seven months to make the jump from Android to iOS.