Hulu Launches Offline Viewing Feature Years After Competitors
Hulu finally introduces a download feature for offline viewing, though it currently restricts access to iOS users on the ad-free plan. The streaming service allows up to 25 downloaded titles per account, with Android support arriving soon.
Hulu introduces offline viewing to its streaming platform, a feature that competitors like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer for years. The download capability launches exclusively for iOS users who subscribe to the "No Ads" plan. Hulu does not provide a timeline for when ad-supported subscribers will gain access to this functionality.
The streaming service makes "thousands" of TV shows and movies available for download, including popular Hulu Originals and classic network series. Users access this content through a new "Downloads" tab at the bottom of the app screen or by looking for a download icon on a title's details page. Because existing content agreements already permit downloads, the majority of Hulu's library supports this new feature.
Subscribers download up to 25 titles across five different devices, and they have 30 days to begin watching before the content expires. Once a user starts playing a downloaded title, they have 48 hours to finish it before the download disappears. While Android users wait for their upcoming support, Hulu acknowledges that this addition arrives much later than industry standards expect.