How To Download Netflix Movies on a Mac

If you’re a proud owner of a Mac and a movie enthusiast, Netflix presents the perfect streaming service to help you keep up with trending movies and TV shows. You can even download your favorites and enjoy them on the go. But to do so, you need the Netflix app.

Sadly, Netflix hasn’t released an app for Mac, so you can’t download the content. So does that mean your dream to watch your favorite content while offline is gone? No.

You can take advantage of a few legal and safe workarounds and still catch up with those blockbusters on your Mac even without an internet connection. In this article, we’ll share some tips on how you can download movies on Mac.

Is It Possible to Watch Netflix Offline on Mac?

Since its invention, Netflix has proved to be an innovative streaming service that offers a vast library of movies and TV shows. You can find just about anything you want to watch, from the trending programs to obscure classics from years past. One of the features that endear Netflix to movie enthusiasts is the ability to download movies. You can save your favorite movies in your local storage and watch them whenever you want.

Although Netflix hasn’t yet released an app version compatible with MacOS, you can still enjoy your movies offline, thanks to several proven workarounds. Let’s now look at the different ways you can download movies on your Mac.

Method 1: Use QuickTime Player

Before trying anything complex, it may be helpful to look closer to home. Netflix has already developed an app for other devices in the larger Apple family, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. These apps come with a download option. You can save your movies on your local storage and watch them later, even without an internet connection. Most importantly, you can then transfer these files to your Mac using QuickTime Player.

QuickTime Player is a digital media playback tool that comes bundled with the MacOS. It recognizes and plays all of the main video formats. It can also be used to capture, record, and share movies or music.

Let’s see how you can play your movies on Mac using QuickTime Player. We’ll demonstrate the necessary steps, assuming you’re using an iPhone.

1. Link your Mac to your iPhone using a USB cable.
2. Launch the QuickTime Player on your Mac. You can do so via either the Applications folder or the Launchpad.
3. Click on “File” in the top right corner and then select “New Movie Recording.” Alternatively, you can use the shortcut “Option+Command+N”.
   
4. Open the control panel and click on the arrow icon just next to the red record button.
5. You now need to instruct QuickTime Player to stream content from your iPhone. To do so, select “iPhone” under “Microphone and Camera.”
6. Launch the Netflix app on your iPhone and then navigate to the movie or show that you’d like to stream.
7. Click on the record button on the QuickTime Player (on your Mac) and then tap “Play” on your iPhone. At this point, the movie should start playing on your Mac via the QuickTime Player app. While it plays, the app will be recording everything in the background.
   
8. As soon as the movie ends, click on the record button to stop the recording.
   
9. Click on “File” in the top right corner and then select “Save.”
   

Et voila! You’ve technically downloaded your movie on Mac. Although the video quality may not match the Netflix app, you’ll be able to save the file in your Mac’s local storage.

Method 2: Streaming From an iPad or iPhone

You can stream movies from an iPad or iPhone to your Mac using AirPlay. It’s a proprietary protocol stack/suite of application programming interfaces (API) owned by Apple that enables media streaming between devices. One of the best things about AirPlay is that it enables you to stream audio and video from your iOS device to other supported devices like TVs or Mac wirelessly. All you need is Wi-Fi.

The Netflix app for iOS devices is compatible with AirPlay. This means you can stream any movie or TV show that you download on your iPad or iPhone to your Mac in just a few clicks. Here’s how:

1. Make sure there’s a Wi-Fi connection between your iOS device and your Mac.
2. Launch AirPlay on your iOS device and tap on “Screen mirroring.”
   
3. Select your Mac from the AirPlay menu.
   
4. Launch Netflix on your IOS device and then open the downloaded movie or series you’d like to watch.
5. Click on “Play.” At this point, the movie should start playing on your Mac.

This method technically doesn’t allow you to download any Netflix content for offline viewing, but it can be a useful workaround, especially for multiple viewers. The downside is that the Wi-Fi network connection can take a toll on the battery life of your devices.

Method 3: Boot Camp and Windows

Netflix has already developed an app for Windows operating systems that allows you to download content on your PC. Although Mac computers primarily run on MacOS, you can install Windows 7 (or higher) on your Mac. How can you do it? The solution is Boot Camp.

If you’re wondering what Boot Camp is, it’s software developed by Apple that allows you to use both the MacOS and Microsoft Window on your Mac at the same time. If you have two monitors plugged into your Mac, you can open and run Windows and its applications on one screen while running Mac on the other. All hardware and drivers are optimized to ensure that you won’t have to buy anything extra. Boot Camp is particularly compatible with Intel-based Mac computers.

Once you’ve installed Windows on your Mac, all you’ll need to do is download and install the Netflix app. You’ll then be able to download movies or TV shows and watch them later at your convenience. The only downside to this approach is that you’ll need to purchase a copy of Windows to install on your Mac.

Additional FAQs

How do I download content from Netflix to an iPad?

Downloading movies and TV shows from Netflix to an iPad is straightforward:

1. Launch the Netflix app and sign in to your account.

2. Browse through the listings to find your desired movie or show.

3. If your desired selection is a movie, tap on the download button located just below the movie’s description. If you don’t see any download button, then the movie isn’t approved for download.

4. If your desired selection is a series, you’ll need to download each episode. Once you’ve opened the series, you’ll see a list of all the episodes with a download button on the far right.

5. Once you’ve downloaded all the items desired, tap on “Downloads” at the bottom of your screen. You’ll then see a list of all your downloads.

Watch Netflix Without Limitations

Netflix is a great way to relax and watch your favorite movies, but you may want to download the content so that you can view it later or share it with friends. Although you can’t download Netflix directly on your Mac, several workarounds are just fine for all Mac computers. Whether you’re on a flight or on a train to visit family and friends, nothing should stop you from enjoying Netflix. Thanks to this article, you now know each workaround. Simply choose the most convenient one and enjoy your favorite shows.

Have you tried downloading Netflix on your Mac using any of the approaches discussed in this tutorial? How did it go? Let us know in the comments section below.