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TechNetflix

Netflix Believes ‘Smart Downloads’ Will Save You Time

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
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By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
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July 10, 2018, 3:45 PM ET

Netflix believes that its new Smart Download feature will help you to continue binging on Stranger Things or Glow.

The video streaming giant debuted on Tuesday its new feature intended to make it easier for people to automatically download episodes that are part of an extended series. It’s an extension of the Download feature Netflix released in 2016 as a way for people to watch shows when they aren’t online.

Currently, only Android-powered smartphones and tablets are able to use the new feature, and Netflix (NFLX) did not say when it would be released for iOS-based devices or personal computers.

With the new feature, Android users who download an episode of a series to their devices will not have to manually delete the episode once they are done watching. The feature will delete the episode and then “automatically download the next episode in the series,” according to a Netflix support page.

The feature only works if people activate their smartphones’ Wi-Fi connections, so that they don’t use their cellphone data when Netflix begins to automatically download an episode to the devices.

For those who are fine with the conventional method of downloading shows, they can turn off the feature by tapping on the “Downloads” icon on the app. From there they can select “Smart Downloads” from the “My Downloads” section and deactivate the new feature.

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People can also access Netflix’s “App Settings” in order to see the “Downloads” heading that they can use to turn off “Smart Download.”

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
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Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

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