Hotstar might have a lot of issues and its content library might not be as expansive as Netflix or Prime Video but since it streams almost all major sports tournaments and games, it’s a subscription that every cord-cutter must take. While Hotstar lacks a lot of features, the service recently added the ability to download Movies and TV Shows for offline viewing.
With Hotstar adding more and more international content, this is a major usability win as subscribers can then download content before they are traveling and then watch it irrespective of whether they have access to an active internet connection or not.
However, unlike Netflix and Prime Video, downloading content for offline viewing on Hotstar is not that straightforward. There are a lot of restrictions and the process is not as straightforward as it should be.
Download Hotstar Content for Offline Viewing: Things to Know
- You must have a Premium Hotstar account to download content for offline viewing.
- You cannot download any Sports related content.
- Not all premium content on Hotstar is available for download.
How to Download Movies and TV Shows for Offline Viewing in Hotstar
Step 1: Open the Hotstar app and proceed to the listing of the TV series or movie that you’d like to download.
Step 2: For content that can be downloaded, you will automatically see a small Download button below its title. Tap on it and you will then be prompted to select the Download quality. Once selected, the download will then automatically start.
You will be prompted to select the video quality every time you start a download.
Step 3: Access all the downloaded content on your device by going to the Downloads section of the Hotstar app.
All downloaded content from Hotstar must be viewed within 7 days from the date of download or within 48 hours from the date you first start watching it.
To prevent the downloaded content from expiring, you must ensure that your device connects to the internet at least once in 7 days and you open the Hotstar app.