To download an HBO Max movie on an iPhone, sign in to the HBO Max app, open the movie, and tap the Download icon beside its description. When the download finishes, tap the Downloads icon to watch it offline. You need a Standard or Premium plan. The Basic with Ads plan does not include downloads.
The steps, limits and fixes below follow the HBO Max Help article Download HBO Max shows and movies, checked in October 2026. App layouts change between versions, so an icon may sit in a slightly different place on your screen.
What You Need Before You Download
- A Standard or Premium plan. HBO Max lists zero downloads for Basic with Ads.
- The HBO Max app on a supported iPhone. HBO Max says the app needs iOS 16.4 or later. See its supported devices list, or our guide on how to set up HBO Max on an iPhone if the app is not installed yet.
- An internet connection. HBO Max says a strong Wi-Fi connection is best. A movie is a large file, so a cellular download can use a lot of data.
- Enough free storage. The space a movie needs depends on its length and the download quality you pick. HBO Max gives the example of 1-2 GB for an hour-long download at Good quality.
Downloads only work on phones and tablets. You cannot download HBO Max movies on a computer or a TV device. To watch on a TV, stream instead and cast HBO Max to a Chromecast.
How to Download HBO Max Movies on an iPhone
- Open HBO Max on your iPhone and sign in.
- Search or browse for the movie you want, then tap it to open its description screen.
- Look for the Download icon beside the movie description. Only titles that can be downloaded show it.
- Optional: pick your languages first. Tap the Play icon, tap the Audio and Subtitles icon in the video player, choose your subtitle and audio language, and go back to the description screen.
- Tap the Download icon.
Result: The Download icon changes to show the download progress. To stop it, tap the progress icon and choose Cancel. Leave the app connected until the download finishes.
Step 4 matters more than it looks. HBO Max saves the original audio track, the subtitle and audio language you last selected (if available), and English closed captions. If you want Spanish subtitles on the plane, select them before you download, not after.
How to Watch a Downloaded Movie Offline
- Open HBO Max.
- Tap the Downloads icon.
- Tap the movie you want to watch.
An Adult profile sees the downloads from every profile on the iPhone. A Kids profile can only watch titles downloaded by that profile. If you share the phone with a child, see how to set up parental controls for HBO Max on an iPhone.
To confirm the movie really plays without a connection, turn on Airplane Mode for a moment and start it from Downloads. The airplane icon at the top of the iPhone screen shows that Airplane Mode is on. Turn it back off when you finish.
Traveling abroad? HBO Max says you can watch movies you have already downloaded in any country or region. Streaming and new downloads only work where HBO Max is available, so download before you leave.
How Long HBO Max Downloads Last
Downloads are temporary. HBO Max sets two timers:
- 30 days: an unwatched download expires 30 days after you download it, or sooner if the movie leaves HBO Max.
- 48 hours: once you start watching, you have 48 hours to finish before the download expires.
An expired download stays in the list, but you have to renew it before it plays again:
- Connect to the internet and open HBO Max.
- Tap the Downloads icon.
- Tap the Expired icon on the movie.
- Tap Renew Download.
HBO Max says you can renew a download multiple times. You must be signed in, online, and in a country or region where both HBO Max and that movie are available. If the movie has left HBO Max where you are, it cannot be renewed.
Warning: if you change your plan to Basic with Ads, HBO Max deletes your downloads. Finish what you saved before you switch.
HBO Max Download Limits by Plan
| Plan | Downloads at one time |
|---|---|
| Basic with Ads | 0 |
| Standard | 30 |
| Premium | 100 |
These totals are for the whole account, counted across every phone and tablet signed in to it. Three more rules apply:
- Standard and Premium are both limited to 30 downloaded movies at one time, so Premium does not mean 100 movies.
- Certain series may be limited to 25 downloaded episodes from the same series.
- Pay-per-view replays and events cannot be downloaded.
How to Change HBO Max Download Settings
Two settings control how big your downloads are and which network they use. Both apply to every profile on the iPhone.
- Open HBO Max and tap your profile.
- Tap App Settings, then Download Settings.
- Tap Video Quality and choose Good, Better or Best. Good is the default. Higher quality takes more storage.
- Turn Download Over Wi-Fi Only on to keep downloads off your cellular data, or off to allow them.
Result: New downloads use the quality and network you chose. Movies you already downloaded keep the file they have; to get a different quality, delete the movie and download it again. HBO Max does not say this directly, so treat it as the expected behavior.
The Download Settings screen also shows your available storage space. For a full breakdown by app, open the iPhone Settings app and tap General > iPhone Storage, as Apple explains in How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad. Our guide on how to check and free up storage on an iPhone covers ways to make room.
How to Delete a Downloaded Movie
Deleting a download removes only the copy on your iPhone, and it frees a slot under your plan limit.
- Open HBO Max and tap the Downloads icon.
- Tap the Download complete icon beside the movie.
- Tap Delete Download.
To clear everything at once, see how to delete all HBO Max downloads on an iPhone. Signing a lost or old device out of your account does not delete the downloads stored on it, but unwatched downloads still expire after 30 days.
Troubleshooting HBO Max Downloads
The Download icon is missing
HBO Max lists three causes. You are on the Basic with Ads plan, the movie is one of the titles that is not available to download, or you are using a computer or TV device instead of a phone or tablet. Pay-per-view events never show the icon.
Download Failed
If you were on cellular data, connect to Wi-Fi and start the download over. Also check that Download Over Wi-Fi Only is not blocking a cellular download you meant to allow.
Download Limit Reached or Movie Limit Reached
Your account has hit its plan total (30 on Standard, 100 on Premium) or the 30-movie cap. The count includes every phone and tablet on the account, so the extra downloads may be on another device. Delete a few, then try again.
Storage Limit Reached
The iPhone does not have room for the movie. Check available space under App Settings > Download Settings, free some storage, or lower Video Quality. Downloads are saved to the phone itself and cannot be moved to other storage.
A download will not play
First check whether it has expired, and renew it if so. If it has not, HBO Max suggests this order: make sure you are signed in, close the HBO Max app, turn on Airplane Mode, turn off Wi-Fi, then open HBO Max and play the download.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download HBO Max movies with the Basic with Ads plan?
No. HBO Max lists zero downloads for Basic with Ads. Downloads are included with the Standard plan (30 at a time) and the Premium plan (100 at a time, with a 30-movie cap).
Do HBO Max downloads use data when I watch them?
No. A downloaded movie plays without an internet connection. You only need a connection to download it or to renew it after it expires. Disney+ works in a similar way; see how to download a Disney+ movie on an iPhone.
Can I download HBO Max movies to a Mac or PC?
No. HBO Max says downloads are only available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, most Android phones and tablets, and Amazon Fire tablets. Computers and TV devices can stream but not download.
Where are HBO Max downloads stored on an iPhone?
They are stored in the iPhone internal storage and play only inside the HBO Max app, from the Downloads screen. They do not appear in the Photos or Files apps.
Why did my downloaded movie disappear or stop playing?
The most likely reasons are that it expired (30 days unwatched, or 48 hours after you started it), the movie left HBO Max, or the account moved to the Basic with Ads plan, which deletes downloads.
Next Step
Before a trip, open Download Settings, check your free space, then download your movies on Wi-Fi and test one in Airplane Mode. That takes two minutes and avoids finding an expired or missing download after you have left your connection behind.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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