Hulu's download feature works on phones and tablets, but not computers, and only for content Hulu owns outright
Hulu lets you download episodes to watch later without an internet connection, but only through the mobile app on iPhones, iPads, and Android phones. You cannot download through a web browser or on a computer. The episodes you can download depend on what Hulu owns — you can download Hulu originals like The Bear or Only Murders in the Building, but most licensed shows from networks like ABC, FX, or NBC have download restrictions set by the studios that own them.
Downloaded episodes stay on your device for 30 days before they expire, even if your subscription is active. If your Hulu subscription lapses, downloaded episodes disappear immediately. The download feature is included with all Hulu subscription tiers — no extra cost — but it only works if you have a Hulu subscription (not Hulu + Live TV, which has different rules).
Key Takeaways
- You can only download Hulu episodes through the mobile app on iPhone, iPad, or Android — not through a web browser or computer.
- Most Hulu originals are downloadable, but licensed shows from networks often are not, depending on the studio's contract with Hulu.
- Downloaded episodes expire after 30 days and vanish if your subscription ends, even if you downloaded them while paid.
- To download, open the Hulu app, find the episode, tap the download icon, and choose your video quality before it saves to your device.
How to download an episode on iPhone or iPad
Open the Hulu app and search for or navigate to the show you want. Tap on the episode (not the show title — the specific episode). On the episode details page, look for a download icon that looks like a downward arrow or cloud with a down arrow. Tap it. A menu will appear asking you to choose video quality: you can pick between lower quality (uses less storage) or higher quality (uses more storage but looks better). Select your preference and tap download. The episode will begin downloading to your device.
You can check the download progress by going to your profile menu (usually a person icon in the bottom right), selecting Downloads, and watching the progress bar. Once the download finishes, the episode stays in your Downloads section and you can watch it anytime without internet. If you want to delete it early to free up space, swipe left on the episode in your Downloads section and tap delete.
How to download an episode on Android
The process is nearly identical to iPhone. Open the Hulu app, find the episode you want, and tap on it to open the episode details page. Look for the download icon (a downward arrow or cloud with a down arrow) and tap it. Choose your video quality — lower quality saves storage space, higher quality gives you better picture — and confirm. The download will start.
To see your downloads, tap your profile icon (usually in the bottom right corner) and select Downloads. Your downloaded episodes appear here and you can watch them offline. To remove a download and free up space, long-press the episode and select delete, or swipe and delete depending on your Android version.
Why some shows and episodes cannot be downloaded
When you tap the download icon and nothing happens, or no download icon appears at all, the reason is almost always licensing. Hulu does not own most of the shows it streams — networks like ABC, NBC, Fox, and FX own them and license them to Hulu. Those studios often restrict downloads as part of their contract with Hulu to protect their content and control how it spreads.
Hulu originals — shows Hulu produced itself — are almost always downloadable because Hulu owns them completely. Licensed shows vary wildly: some allow downloads, some do not, and some allow downloads for certain seasons but not others. There is no way to predict which shows will be downloadable except by trying to download an episode and seeing if the option appears. If you cannot download a show you want, the only option is to watch it on the Hulu app while connected to the internet.
Storage space and video quality trade-offs
When you choose video quality before downloading, you are deciding how much space the episode takes up on your phone or tablet. Lower quality (often labeled "Low" or "Standard") uses roughly 200 to 400 megabytes per hour-long episode, depending on the show. Higher quality (often labeled "High" or "Best") uses 800 megabytes to 1.5 gigabytes per hour. A typical phone with 64 gigabytes of storage can hold anywhere from 40 to 200 downloaded episodes depending on quality and episode length.
If you are downloading on a phone with limited storage, choose lower quality and delete episodes after you watch them. If you have a tablet with plenty of space and want the best picture, choose higher quality. You can download the same episode at different qualities on different devices — for example, high quality on your iPad and low quality on your phone — but you cannot download the same episode twice on the same device.
The 30-day expiration and what happens when your subscription ends
Downloaded episodes automatically expire and delete themselves 30 days after you download them, even if your subscription is active and you have not watched them yet. This is a Hulu policy, not a technical glitch. If you want to keep watching an episode, you need to re-download it after the 30 days pass. This applies to all downloads, whether you downloaded a Hulu original or a licensed show.
If your Hulu subscription ends — you cancel it or your payment fails — all downloaded episodes disappear from your device immediately. You cannot watch them offline anymore, even if you downloaded them months ago. If you resubscribe later, you can download them again, but the downloads you had before are gone. This is why downloads are useful for travel or temporary offline access, but not for building a permanent library.
Downloading on Hulu + Live TV and other subscription types
If you have Hulu + Live TV (the version that includes live television channels), the download feature works differently. You can download on-demand content the same way, but live TV recordings cannot be downloaded — they can only be watched through the app. Some on-demand shows included with Hulu + Live TV have download restrictions that differ from the standard Hulu app, so you may find that a show is downloadable on regular Hulu but not on Hulu + Live TV, or vice versa.
If you have Disney Bundle (Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ together), the download feature on Hulu works the same as a standalone Hulu subscription. Downloads are specific to each app — a show you download on Hulu does not appear in Disney+ and vice versa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download Hulu episodes on my computer or laptop?
No. Hulu's download feature only works on the mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and Android phones. If you try to download through the Hulu website on a computer, the download option will not appear. Your only option on a computer is to stream while connected to the internet.
What happens if I download an episode and then cancel my Hulu subscription?
The downloaded episode will disappear from your device immediately when your subscription ends. You cannot watch it offline anymore. If you resubscribe later, you can download it again, but the file you had before is deleted.
Can I transfer a downloaded Hulu episode to another device or share it with someone else?
No. Downloaded Hulu episodes are locked to the device and account they were downloaded on. You cannot move them to another phone, tablet, or computer, and you cannot share them with other people. Each person who wants to watch needs their own Hulu account and needs to download it on their own device.
Why does the download option not appear for a show I want to watch?
The studio that owns the show has restricted downloads in their licensing agreement with Hulu. This is most common with licensed network shows. Hulu originals are almost always downloadable. There is no way around this restriction — you can only watch the show by streaming through the app while connected to the internet.
Do downloaded episodes use my internet data if I watch them offline?
No. Once an episode is fully downloaded to your device, watching it uses zero internet data. You can turn off your Wi-Fi or cellular data and the episode will play normally. The data is only used during the download itself.