Netflix may be missing its expectations for subscriber numbers growing, but one thing is certain: millions of people still love and use the platform on a daily basis. The competition by Apple TV and Disney+ is a good thing; it forces Netflix to add more high-quality content.
You will get the same features as other Netflix apps but the highest video resolution will be 1080p. Top-notch viewing experience Mac users may only be able to watch Netflix through in 1080p, but it has all the important features that can create a good viewing experience.
- With Macs, you do it via the netflix.com website in your Web browser. With iOS devices, you launch a separate Netflix app. While iOS devices are able to load netflix.com via Safari (and access most.
- Download App for Netflix for Mac to enjoy an elegant and simple Netflix app experience.
For Mac users, however, there’s a problem: there’s no Netflix app for Mac. Maybe it’s an Apple’s thing. Maybe they don’t want you to have a dedicated app, so you’ll focus on Apple TV. Whatever the case is, the lack of Netflix app for Mac means we’ll have to find a way to work around the issue. Fortunately, there is a way.
We’ll share a few tips on how to watch content, but we’ll also explain how to download Netflix on Mac for offline viewing. But keep in mind that we’ll talk about a legal Netflix download.
The Simplest Way to Watch Netflix on Mac
The easiest way to access Netflix content through your Mac is to simply use your browser. That’s the method the platform suggests. To set up Netflix for Mac, you’ll simply get at the website, sign into your account, and stream away.
But wait; everyone knows how to do that. We promised a Netflix download here. Fortunately, it’s possible to download content for offline viewing.
This is where AirPlay gets into the picture.
When you access your Netflix app on iPad or iPhone, you’ll notice that you can download content. The Netflix download button is not always available, but it’s there on most original shows. However, you won’t see it when you access the platform via laptop.
That’s why you’ll connect your computer to your phone or tablet via AirPlay. Open AirPlay on the device and go for the Screen Mirroring feature. Then, you’ll see your Mac in the list of available devices for mirroring. Choose it. You’ll see the phone’s display on your Mac. Get into the Netflix app and download the content you need.
That answers your question: can you watch Netflix offline on Mac? Yes; you can. Thanks to the Apple ecosystem that effortlessly connects devices, you won’t even feel like you lack the Netflix app for Mac.
Another Option: Use the Screen Recording Feature to Watch Netflix on Mac Offline
Let’s say you don’t have a problem accessing Netflix through its website. The only issue is that you can’t stream content offline. If you’re planning a weekend getaway in a remote area, that’s a big problem. How do you prepare a few episodes and possibly a movie ahead, so you can watch it later?
If you hit Command+Shift+5 on your Mac, you’ll see the screenshot and screen recording options. If you record the screen while the video streams, you’ll be able to save the file and watch it offline. This is a rather inconvenient option that takes a lot of time. You have to play an entire movie just to get a Netflix download on your computer. However, it’s pretty cool for people who want to watch their favorite episodes multiple times.
We have to mention the fact that this is considered privacy. Your default screen recording tool might not get you through the entire episode or movie. Capto is a third-party app with better screen recording functionality.
Keep this in mind: since piracy is illegal, make sure you’re recording Netflix for Mac for personal use only. Never share that content with someone else!
Your Final Option: Get a Netflix Download via Windows
If you know that you won’t have Internet connection where you going and you absolutely need the app on your computer for offline viewing, you can install Windows 10 on your computer.
You didn’t see this coming, did you?
This is a workaround for extreme cases. Once you setup Windows on your Mac, you can download and install the Netflix app. It supports the download function, so that gets your offline Netflix for Mac.
Now you may be wondering: “Can’t I download Netflix content on a Windows computer and then watch it on my Mac?” Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do that. Netflix gives you the download feature for some content, but you’ll be able to watch your downloaded titles only through the device that you used to get them. If you got them on an iPad or iPhone, you can use the screen mirroring feature to watch the content on a Mac. But if you got them on a Windows computer, you can’t transfer them. That’s why we suggest installing Windows if you really need to download and use the full-featured Netflix app for Mac.
Can You Watch Netflix Offline on Mac?
Mac users are used to the ultimate convenience. As they always say about their computers “they just work.” In the Netflix case, they don’t really work. The platform limits your access only through a browser. That’s nice, but it doesn’t work if you want to watch content offline.
There are three potential solutions, which we listed above. Choose the one that works for you, and happy watching!
Author Bio: James Dorian is a technical copywriter. He is a tech geek who knows a lot about modern apps that will make your work more productive. James reads tons of online blogs on technology, business, and ways to become a real pro in our modern world of innovations.
So you own an older iOS device. And you are very happy with your device because it still works like new. However, your device may be too old for a lot of apps as they may require the latest version of iOS to run properly. It could be such a pain to download apps.
This means that you may not be able to download and install some apps on your device because they may require the latest version of iOS. When you do that you may get an error popup saying this:
How To Get Netflix App For Mac
This application requires iOS X.X or later. You must update to iOS X.X in order to download and use this application. (see the image below)
This message is useless if your device does not support the iOS X.X version. So how are you going to download this app? Do not worry, there is a way to do this.
Likewise, you may get a similar message saying “this app is not compatible with your device” when you want to download certain apps on your iPad or iPhone, such as Netflix.
See also: Cannot Connect to the App Store, Fix
Older devices may not support the highest supported versions of iOS available. Thus, for instance, you can not install iOS 12 on the original iPad (iPad 1). The last version of iOS that you can install on the original iPad is iOS 5.1.1. Below is the highest versions of iOS available for some of older iOS devices:
- iPhone 4: iOS 7.1.2
- iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 5, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad Mini 1: iOS 9.3.5
- iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPad 4: iOS 10.3.3
- iPad 1, iPod Touch 3: iOS 5.1.1
However you may be still able to download the last compatible version. This means that, for instance, you may be able to download the Netflix app on your iOS device running 9.3.5 or 10.3.3. This article explains how you can do that:
You may be able to download and install previously purchased apps (perhaps you deleted later). This means two things:
1. If you previously purchased this app, you can redownload and reinstall again. Here is how:
- First make sure that you are signed in with the Apple ID that you used to bought the app originally.
- Open the App Store app on your device.
- Find the Purchased tab and My Purchases. Here you can see all the apps you have installed previously.
- Find the app you want to install
- Tap the iCloud icon
- A popup will appear and you will be asked: “Download an older version of this app? The current version requires iOS X.X or later but you can download the last compatible version” Simple tap “Download”
- And download will commence.
2. Ok you may think that number #1 does not work because you have never downloaded the particular app that you want to install. How can you do that? If this is the case, you can buy the app on a newer device and then find and download on your older device. Here is how you can do this:
- You need to have a newer iOS device (if you do not have one, you can borrow one from a friend).
- Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on both devices (if you are borrowing a device from a friend, your friend needs to log out first, your friend may want to make copies of the information that he stored in iCloud).
- On your new device, launch the App Store and find the app and download and install.
- Now get your old device that you want to install the app. On your old device, go to App Store and then Purchased. You will see the app there because you just purchased it. İf you do not see it yet, just wait.
- And then tap the iCloud icon to download the app.
- And the download will start.
Note that these methods may not work for all apps. This only works if the developer of the app had not deleted it from the Apple’s App servers. Furthermore, since you are downloading an older version of the app, it is highly likely that not all features of the app may be available.
How To Find Netflix App On Mac
See also: Your Account Has Been Disabled in the Apple Store and iTunes, Fix