Today, Netflix is bringing this beloved feature to iOS users around the world. When members finish watching a downloaded episode on their Netflix iPhone app, Smart Downloads will automatically download the next episode and delete the one they have just watched when they’re connected to Wi-Fi. You watch, and Netflix does the work.

This new feature is part of the effort to make the mobile experience more convenient and fun for Netflix members, helping them access amazing stories on the app more easily. For more info, check out the Smart Downloads on the Netflix help centerand the company blogthat has just been updated from the original launch.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with 139 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without adverts or commitments.

Reactive FAQ (background)

Q: What are Smart Downloads? 

A: Smart Downloads allows members to spend less time managing downloads and more time watching. Once they finished a downloaded episode, the feature downloads the next episodes and deletes the ones that have already been watched. Smart Downloads is only available on Wi-Fi. 

Q: How does it work?  

A: Once you finish watching a downloaded episode, the app will download the next available episode and automatically delete one you’ve already watched (the next time you’re on Wi-Fi). Once the download completes, you’re ready to watch.

Q: Can you give a few examples of how this works?

• If a member has downloaded episode 1, 2 and 3, and watched episode 1, the app will download episode 4 and delete episode 1.
• If a member has downloaded episodes 3 through 9, and watches episode 2 and episode 5, the app will download episode 10 and 11, deleting episodes 2 and 5.
• If a member downloads the last two episodes available, and watches them, the app does not delete them and does not download the earlier episodes.
• If a member has downloaded all available episodes and watches any of them, the app does not delete the watched episode.
• If a member has downloaded episodes 1-3, and watches episode 1, manually deleting episode 1 themselves, the app will auto-download episode 4

Q: I don’t want to use this feature. How do I turn it off?

A: It is simple and easy to opt out of the Smart Downloads feature. On the top of the Downloads tab in the Netflix app, members can choose to toggle Smart Downloads on or off. Alternatively, you can also turn off Smart Downloads from your App Settings.

Q: If I want to keep an episode even after I watch it, how do I do that?

A: To manually manage your downloaded content, turn the Smart Downloading feature off. 

Q: Does Smart Downloads use more of my plan’s data?

A: Smart Downloads only works over Wi-Fi and won’t use your wireless data plan.

Q: Does Smart Downloads use up more space on my phone?

A: Smart Downloads does not use additional storage since an already watched episode is being deleted before a new one is being downloaded.

Q: How will I know when Smart Downloads is active or has downloaded a new episode?

A: You will see a status notification on your phone when downloading is in progress and will receive a notification when the downloads are complete.

Q: When is Smart Downloads activated?

A: Smart Downloads is activated whenever you reconnect to Wi-Fi and you have watched a downloaded episode and there are more un-downloaded episodes to watch.

Q: I downloaded a whole season for my kids. Once we finish episode 1, what happens next?

A: Smart Downloads is really just another way for you to help manage your downloaded files on the Netflix app. Once you have finished watching a episode, it will download the next available episode for a title. In this case, if you have downloaded an entire season and watched the first episode, that episode will be deleted and we will download Episode 1 of Season 2, as long as it is available for download on the service.

Q: Currently my downloads expire after a while but I still have to go through and delete them from the queue. Will that still be the case if I didn’t complete them?

A: Yes. Smart Downloads only activates once you have completed watching an episode.

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