How to watch videos offline

Updated 28 October 2026 · 4-minute read

A long flight, a train through tunnels, a hotel with terrible Wi-Fi. Here's how to have your videos ready before you lose the connection.

First: use official offline modes where they exist

Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube Premium and Spotify all have their own download for offline buttons in their apps. Use those for their content: their videos are DRM-protected, and the in-app download is the only legitimate way to take them offline.

For everything else: save the file

Lectures, webinar replays, conference talks, tutorials and videos on ordinary websites usually have no offline button. For those:

• Open the page, press play, click the Vidtuck icon, and hit Download.
• For streams, pick 720p: it looks fine on a laptop or phone and saves space.
• Do it the night before, on good Wi-Fi.

Getting videos onto your phone

• iPhone: AirDrop the MP4 from a Mac, or put it in iCloud Drive or Files and tap Download so it's stored on the device.
• Android: copy over USB into the Movies folder, or use Google Drive's Make available offline.
• Format: phones play MP4 best. Convert .ts or .webm files first (TS · WebM).

Pre-flight checklist

• Open each file once to confirm it plays without internet.
• Bring headphones, and a free player like VLC if your default app is picky.
• Keep only what you have the right to save. (The rules, simply.)