How to Download Movies on iPad to Watch on Airplane: A Comprehensive Guide
Watching movies is a great way to pass the time when you're traveling on a long flight, train ride, or road trip.
With some preparation before your trip, you can download movies and bring your iPad on planes so you have entertainment readily available, even without an internet connection.
This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions to help you through the entire process of finding and downloading movies to have available offline while you travel.
Choosing a Movie Source
The first step is choosing where you will get your movie files from. Some good options include:
– iTunes Store – Offers a wide selection of movies to purchase and download directly onto your iPad. Movies stay in your library forever after buying them.
– Amazon Prime Video – Prime members can download movies from a large catalog local to the app for offline viewing.
– Netflix – Paid subscribers can save some Netflix shows and movies to their devices to watch offline later.
– Online streaming sites – Some sites let you download movie files to a computer for free. Note that this content may be pirated, so review copyright details carefully.
Make sure to pick a source that is legal and offers movies you actually want to watch. Purchased movies, rentals, and subscription services provide reliable quality and availability compared to free online streaming sites.
Downloading Movies to Your Computer
Before transferring movies to your iPad, you first need to download them to your computer if they aren't available there already. For example:
1. If you purchased or rented an iTunes movie on your iPad, you can download it to a computer through iTunes.
2. For shows and movies saved offline from streaming apps, use the platform's website to download them to a computer instead.
3. For online streaming sites, use a downloader tool or web browser functionality on the computer to save the movie files after identifying content you have proper rights and permissions for.
Save all movie downloads to one designated folder on your computer for easier access later when it's time to put them on the iPad.
Transferring Movies to the iPad
Once your selected movies are downloaded and stored on your computer, connect the iPad using a USB cord to transfer the files over.
1. Open iTunes on the computer with your iPad plugged in. Click on your connected iPad icon towards the top left.
2. Select “Movies” in the sidebar and check the box for “Sync Movies.” Then click “Apply” to confirm.
3. In the pop-up window, choose “Select folder…” and browse to the folder location on your computer where the movies now reside. Select it to add them to the sync.
4. Verify the movies to transfer are checked off in the right pane. Click “Apply” again to start syncing the movies to your iPad through iTunes.
The length of the transfer depends on the number and size of movies chosen. When completed, safely eject the iPad from the computer. The movies are now available for offline viewing through the TV app while traveling!
Organizing Your Movies on the iPad
For easier movie access on your iPad when offline, organize them within the TV app by:
– Creating a Smart Playlist and adding rules to separate travel downloads from other content
– Making a folder just for the downloaded movies using the “Edit” option
– Deleting movies already watched to reduce clutter
Pro tip: Rename overly vague default movie titles to something more descriptive so you can better recognize their content!
Watching Your Movies Offline While Traveling
You're all set to enjoy your downloaded movies on-the-go! Before your trip:
– Fully charge your iPad
– Check storage space
– Sync any last additions
While traveling without Wi-Fi:
– Put iPad into Airplane mode to conserve battery
– Open the TV app and navigate to the downloaded content
– Adjust brightness and volume accordingly
– Laugh, cry, and immerse yourself in great movie watching!
Travel made better with great films to pass the hours—now accessible even without internet when you follow these key steps for getting your desired movies onto your iPad ahead of time.
Just sit back, relax, and enjoy hours of entertainment during your upcoming journeys near and far.
Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”