Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms in the world, offering thousands of movies and TV shows across different devices. While the Netflix app allows users to download titles for offline viewing, many still wonder whether it's possible to download Netflix movies to a USB drive and watch them directly on a TV without relying on the Netflix app.
If you've had similar questions, this guide is perfect for showing you how to easily transfer your Netflix downloads to a USB stick and enjoy them anytime, anywhere!
Part 1. Can You Download Netflix Movies to A USB Directly?
The short answer is: No, Netflix does not officially support direct downloads to a USB stick or external storage for playback on other devices.
Why Netflix Downloads Don't Work on USB Stick
When you download a movie or TV episode in the Netflix app, the files are not "standard" video files. Instead, they are:
- Encrypted with DRM (Digital Rights Management)
- Tied to your Netflix account
- Restricted to the Netflix app
- Locked to the device where it was downloaded
While you can sign in to your Netflix Premium account on an unlimited number of devices, you are restricted to 4 simultaneous streams and downloads on up to 6 devices.
Essentially, these Netflix downloads are not stored as standard video files like MP4 or MKV on your device. Even if you locate the download folder on your phone or computer, moving those Netflix files to a USB drive will not make them playable on a TV or any other device.
Key Limitation of Netflix Downloads
To fully understand why a USB workaround is necessary, you should be aware of the following expiration rules:
- General Expiration (Before Watching): Most downloads remain available for 7 to 30 days, depending on the licensing agreement for that specific title
- The "Play" Timer: This is what catches most users off guard. Once you press "Play" on a downloaded title, you typically have only 48 hours to finish watching it before it expires
- Subscription Dependency: If your membership ends or is canceled, all offline downloads become inaccessible immediately
- Content Removal: If a movie or show is scheduled to leave the Netflix library, the download will expire the moment the title is removed from the platform - regardless of when you downloaded it
Besides, you must connect your device to the internet at least once every 30 days so Netflix can verify your subscription and regional content availability.
Conclusion: Because of these aggressive DRM protections and server-side restrictions, a direct "download Netflix movie to USB" feature does not exist within the official Netflix ecosystem. To achieve this, you need a tool that can convert these streams into permanent, local files, which we'll show you in Part 3.
Part 2. How to Download Netflix App or Movies to USB Stick (Official Method)
While Netflix doesn't natively support USB playback, there are official workarounds to download netflix movies to USB stick or an external drive on certain devices. However, this method still carries the significant limitations mentioned above.
How to Download Netflix App to USB/External Hard Drive (Windows Only)
If you have previously installed Netflix on your computer and don't want to lose your downloaded Netflix movies, you can try to move the data folder of Netflix app to another drive directly.
Step 1. Insert the USB stick or external hard drive into your computer.
Step 2. Click the Windows icon at the bottom left corner and click Settings.
Step 3. Select Apps > Apps & features and find the Netflix app on the application list.
Step 4. Click the Netflix app, hit Move, select your USB/external drive as the installed location, and click the Move button to confirm your choice.
Step 5. Tap Settings > System > Storage > Change where new content is saved, select your USB/external drive as the location of new movies and TV shows, and click Apply.
However, some users may be unpermitted to move the previous Netflix app on the Windows settings due to a lack of administrator rights. In this case, you can uninstall the app and select the USB or external hard drive as the installed location when reinstalling it.
See also: How to Download Netflix Movies on Mac
How to Download Movies from Netflix to USB Stick/External Hard Drive
Once you moved or installed the Netflix app on your external drive, all previous Netflix downloads will be moved to the drive automatically. Besides, your new downloads will be stored on your USB stick or external hard drive directly.
Step 1. Launch the Netflix app and find a movie you desired to download.
Step 2. Click the Download button next to the Netflix movie's title.
Part 3. How to Move Netflix Downloads to USB Without Device or App Limitation
As Netflix continues to tighten its copyright protections, direct workarounds for USB downloads are becoming increasingly rare and unstable. This means you risk losing the ability to enjoy your favorite content on larger screens. Fortunately, AudFree Netflix Downloader provides a reliable solution to bypass these restrictive Netflix download limits.
By converting Netflix content into DRM-free MP4 or MKV files, this tool allows you to store videos on a USB or external drive permanently and enjoy them on any media player without restrictions.
AudFree Netflix Video Downloader
- Convert Netflix videos to MP4 and MKV formats
- Download Netflix videos, audio and subtitles to USB/external hard drive
- Watch Netflix movies on all devices at any time without limits
- Save 5.1 surround audio and AD audio of original Netflix videos
- Customized output settings on video, audio, and subtitles
How to Download Movies to USB/External Drive From Netflix Permanently
- Step 1. Insert your USB/external drive into your computer
- To download movies from Netflix to USB/external drive directly, you can connect the drive to your computer previously.
- Step 2. Install the AudFree Netflix Downloader on your computer
- Please click the green Download button above and install the AudFree Netflix Downloader on your computer or external drive first. Then, launch this downloader on your computer and hit the Sign-in button at the top right to log into your Netflix account.
- Step 3. Select your USB or external hard drive as output directory
- Click 'Menu > Preferences' at the top right corner to open the Preferences setting window. Then, hit the three-dots icon under the Output Directory section, choose folders in USB/external drive disk, and click Select Folder to save your choice.
- Step 4. Customize output video/audio/subtitle settings
- Scroll down the Preferences setting window after you select the output folder, and you can select your download preferences in the Download section.
See also: How to Get Netflix Subtitles
- Step 5. Download Netflix movies to external hard drive/USB Stick
- Once everything is set, you can browse/search for the videos you want to download, or paste the unique Netflix video link into the address bar at the top. Then, click the Download arrow icon at the bottom right; the AudFree Netflix Downloader will analyze the video information. After a few seconds of analysis, you can click the red Download button on the video details window to download instantly or click the black Add to List to download later.
- You can check your download history and storage folder in the History tab. If you haven't previously set a USB/external drive as the output folder, you can also drag these Netflix downloads to your USB stick/external drive after downloading Netflix movies to your computer .
Part 4. How to Watch Netflix Through USB on TV [2 Methods]
While smart TVs with built-in Netflix apps have become the standard, many people still use older or 'non-smart' TVs that lack native streaming support. In these cases, a USB connection is an excellent workaround. But how do you bypass Netflix's strict encryption to make this work? Fortunately, there are two easy solutions: you can either connect Netflix from phone to TV with USB cable or insert a USB flash drive containing your downloaded Netflix files directly into the TV.
How to Stream Netflix Downloads on TV via USB Stick [Offline]
Apart from saving storage, the USB drive is also a great medium to transfer files. With the video files stored on the USB, you can watch them on a device with a bigger screen like a TV easily once you download Netflix movies to USB in MP4 format via the AudFree Netflix Downloader.
Step 1. Insert the USB stick or external drive with Netflix downloads file to your TV with the USB port.
Step 2. Open the USB/external drive folder on your TV with the controller.
Step 3. Navigate to and click the Netflix downloads you want to watch. Then, you can start playing the Netflix movies on your TV.
How to Connect Netflix from Phone to TV with USB Cable [Online]
Except for the USB flash drive, you can also watch Netflix on TV via the USB cable. If you don't want to transfer or move Netflix downloads to USB flash drive, this method is your choice.
Simply put, this method involves casting Netflix movies from your devices to your TV via the USB to HDMI cable. Ensure you have the connection cable or a USB HDMI adapter with the correct plug on both ends, your phone's port and the TV ports. Typically, you need a Type C or Lightning to HDMI cable to connect your Android/iPhone to the TV.
Step 1. Plug the cable into your phone and the TV.
Step 2. Switch your TV's input source to the one your phone is connected.
Step 3. Open a Netflix video on your phone's app. The screen should be synced to the TV. Then, you can stream Netflix from phone to TV using USB cable.
Part 5. FAQs About Downloading Netflix Movies on USB
Why Won't My TV Recognize the Netflix Downloads on My USB?
Because Netflix downloads are encrypted and not standard video files. TVs cannot decode or authenticate these files without the Netflix app. But if you have downloaded the MP4 or MKV format from Netflix to USB stick using the AudFree Netflix Video Downloader, it still can't be recognized, it will be possible that the USB drive is formatted to NTFS, which many TVs cannot read.
To fix this, ensure your movies are in MP4 format and your USB is formatted to FAT32 or exFAT.
Can You Transfer Netflix Downloads to USB Drive for Streaming?
Yes, you can. With the aid of AudFree Netflix Video Downloader, you can easily download the MP4/MKV DRM-free Netflix videos to the USB drive and watch the Netflix downloads on any other device without limitation. While the official downloads are unavailable to stream on other devices via the USB.
Which Netflix Downloads Format Is Compatible with USB?
The USB drive is only a container to store your files, you can store all kinds of file formats on it. But if you want to watch Netflix downloads on TV and other devices with USB, the MP4, and MKV formats have wider compatibility.
See also: How to Convert Netflix to MKV
Can You Download Netflix Movies to External Hard Drive for Backup?
The official answer is nope. Netflix prevents you from backing up or storing its movies and shows with several Netflix download limits. Thankfully, you can save Netflix videos to your external hard drive for personal backup via the AudFree Netflix Downloader, which can bypass all Netflix download limits without losing video and audio quality.
How to Record from Netflix to USB?
Currently, all recorders on the market cannot record any videos on Netflix due to the DRM protection. Even though you find that the recorder is working, you may only see the black screen with the completed records. Therefore, you cannot record from Netflix to USB.
Conclusion
Downloading Netflix movies directly to a USB drive is not supported due to DRM and app restrictions. Official Netflix downloads are locked to specific devices and cannot be played on TVs via USB.
However, if your goal is offline playback on TV, using desktop-based solutions (AudFree Netflix Video Downloader) to save Netflix content in TV-compatible formats is the most effective approach. Once the files are properly prepared, watching Netflix through USB becomes as simple as plugging in the drive and pressing play.
By understanding the limitations and choosing the right method, you can enjoy Netflix movies on virtually any device - no Netflix app required.
Adam Eldon
Staff Editor
