If you ever find yourself at a loss of what to watch when on the go, Netflix is here to lend a hand with its new Downloads For You feature.
It will automatically download recommended shows or movies to your mobile based on your interests.
What Is Downloads for You?
As announced on the Netflix blog, Downloads For You is a new feature that helps you discover your new favorite film or series and automatically downloads it to your mobile.
Offline downloads on Netflix are great because it means you can keep watching even without an internet connection—perhaps when traveling or just if your connection packs in.
The Downloads For You feature means that you are never without something new to watch offline. It’s available now on Android globally, with iOS tests to follow soon.
To enable the feature, open the Netflix app on Android, go to the Downloads tab, and toggle on Downloads For You.
You can then choose how much content you want to download to your device: 1GB, 3GB, or 5GB. Naturally, the more space you reserve, the more downloads you will receive.
It will only download content when you’re connected to Wi-Fi and will be based on your Netflix recommendation algorithm. According to TechCrunch, it will usually download the first couple episodes of a TV show.
Once you’ve finished watching, you can delete the content from your phone. Next time you’re on a Wi-Fi connection, something new will be downloaded.
Everything on Netflix is available through Downloads For You, not just Netflix original content, though some won’t be available due to licensing restrictions.
Does This Replace Smart Downloads?
The ability to download Netflix content offline was a feature that launched in 2016. It got better in 2019 with the launch of Smart Downloads; when you finish watching a downloaded episode, it will automatically be deleted and the next one downloaded.
It means you don’t need to constantly manage the downloads or shift Netflix content to an SD card to save space.
Downloads For You isn’t a replacement for Smart Downloads. You can use the two in conjunction. Simply put, you can download your own choices and let Netflix decide some too.
Download Movies and TV Shows on Netflix
Netflix wants you to make it as easy as possible for you to discover its content. Downloads For You is another step in this direction.
If you have an Android device, check it out now. You’ll need to wait longer if you’re on an iOS device, though you can still manually download movies and TV shows on Netflix.