HBO Max has a wide array of shows and movies to watch. Similar to other streaming apps, users can download these titles for seamless offline playback — regardless of whether they’re using an iPhone or Android device. Offline downloading is one of the most critical features of any streaming app. Want to watch a movie while on a plane or at a friend's house with slow internet? If you have a downloaded title on your phone or tablet, watching it is as easy as clicking 'Play.'
The HBO Max app first hit the scene in May 2020 as a successor to HBO Now. In addition to the usual array of HBO titles, the service includes content from DC, TCM, CNN, TNT, Crunchyroll, Studio Ghibli, and others. It’s also the only place to watch Max Originals (titles that can only be found on HBO Max). In short, there’s a good amount of TV shows and movies to watch regardless of what someone is interested in.
As mentioned above, one of the standout features of the HBO Max app for Android and iOS/iPadOS is the ability to download titles for offline use. Of course, users can stream shows via Wi-Fi or data, but downloading them can be handy for times when a reliable internet connection isn’t available. To do this, HBO says to open the HBO Max application, tap on any show or movie, and then tap the download icon (the one that looks like a downward-facing arrow). Tap ‘Continue’ on the pop-up to confirm the download, and just like that, it’ll be saved locally to the device.
HBO Max Downloads Restrictions & Settings
The actual downloading process is easy enough, though HBO enforces a few restrictions that users will want to keep in mind. For starters, only up to 30 titles can be downloaded at any given time. This rule applies across all profiles and devices an account is linked to, meaning it could be a potential roadblock for large families sharing an account with multiple people. Furthermore, once someone starts watching a show they’ve downloaded, they only have 48 hours to finish watching it before it’s expired. HBO does offer the option to renew an expired download ‘multiple’ times, but it’s still something to keep in mind. To do this, open the HBO Max app, tap the profile icon on the bottom-right of the screen, tap ‘Downloads,’ tap the ‘!’ icon next to the expired title, and tap ‘Renew.’
That’s how to renew a downloaded HBO Max title, but what about deleting ones that are no longer needed? From that same Downloads page, tap the ‘Edit’ button. Tap the ‘X’ icon next to each title that should be deleted, or tap ‘Clear all’ to select everything. Once everything is selected, tap ‘Done’ to confirm the choices and remove them from the device. After you watch a show or movie that's downloaded, there's no reason to keep it there and have it take up precious storage space. You can always re-download titles if you need them again. This is less of a problem if you have a phone with a huge amount of internal storage, but it's still a good idea to regularly delete downloaded titles that are no longer needed.
It’s also useful to know how to customize the few download options HBO offers to users. Open the app, tap the profile icon, tap the settings icon at the top-left of the screen, and tap ‘Video Options.’ Under the ‘Downloads’ section, there are a couple of important things to take note of. The first toggle, Download Over Wi-Fi Only, is enabled by default and prevents shows from being downloaded over mobile data. For users who have an unlimited data plan and want to download titles even without Wi-Fi, it’s a good idea to disable this. If someone wants to be reminded when they’re downloading something via data and not Wi-Fi, they can enable the Cellular Download Warning toggle. Users should also take a look at Download Quality. It’s set to ‘Fastest download’ by default, a lower quality download that takes up less storage space. The second option, ‘Highest quality,’ uses more storage and results in shows taking longer to download — yet users benefit from downloads looking much better.
Only Some HBO Max Users Can Download Videos
Last but not least, it's worth mentioning that only certain HBO Max users can download titles for offline viewing. More specifically, you need to have HBO Max's Ad-Free plan if you want to download stuff. The Ad-Free subscription costs $14.99/month (or $149.99/year) and also removes ads and upgrades video quality to 4K UHD.
If you pay for HBO Max's cheaper With Ads plan, you won't be able to download anything. It's an annoying stipulation, but it's one seen in many streaming apps these days. The With Ads plan is great if you never plan on downloading shows and want to save some money each month, but if you ever find yourself wanting to download an HBO Max show, you'll need to pony up for the Ad-Free subscription.
Source: HBO Max