Downloaded movies won’t play without WiFi?

Just tried and succeeded with a workaround:

— download content while on WiFi

— after fully downloaded and while still on WiFi, press Play to spool a couple of seconds of the movie/TV show

— cancel play and back out to the main Downloaded screen

— turn off Apple device WiFi and put Airplane mode on, to test the workaround

— select your movie/TV show again and hit Play

— content now plays while WiFi is off and Airplane mode is on

This workaround has been successful today for two iPads Pro and two iPhones X.

I had the exact same issue (repeatedly). Looking into it, it seems all iTunes Movies are protected by FairPlay DRM (Digital Rights Management), which is used to protect Apple's digital content. DRM unfortunately means you cannot replicate iTunes Movies and save the videos down on to your own device for offline viewing. When downloading iTunes purchased movies, you are only downloading them on to your iTunes Library, instead of your iPhone, iPad or laptop device. So without a Wi-Fi connection, you will not be able to watch your downloaded movie. Crazy.

Same problem. I bought at least all these years 8 Ipads. Some older I donated. I have two now. Movies don`t play in my flight or without WiFi. I spent a lot of money renting and buying movies and TV Shows. I have been mad about! Trying other like surface, , my Samsung phone,

Although this works in theory, you have to make sure you did this to all the movies you have on your device. I have a dozen or so on my iPad. I never know what I want to watch and one should have to upload movies to your device just to have to download them. WiFi should NOT be needed to view existing content on your device. Whoever made this decision should be fired and forced to live in a land of now entertainment.

Same problem here with my downloaded TV shows - many, many TV shows that I legally purchased and own. Unable to watch these on the plane without WiFi. Had to purchase Delta WiFi just to trigger the app to display my previously downloaded content. This is a class action law suit waiting to happen. Do Apple executives actually use their products in practical scenarios? How is this horrible user experience acceptable? It’s overcomplicated. Will stick to Netflix and Prime downloads.

I have the kind of the same issue too on my Ipad. I found out that IOS 11.xxx now uses the built in TV app. You can go to library and find the downloaded movie.

I found my movie but when I press "play" and the popup window asks if I want to play it, the screen goes black for a fraction of a second and then comes back to the library screen with the play button. I tried numerous times. Same result.

I tried a full two-finger reset but it never would play the file.

When you're at 30,000 feet and you've already paid for a movie rental and it's not possible to re-download it again =

NOT HAPPY!

I too am having the same issues. I have downloaded my home videos to my phone so I can play them off-line. But after watching the first one, I try to start a new movie but it requires a Wi-Fi connection. Why?

It is a disaster for us, customers. I download with my internet that works with very high speed, premium, but itunes movies only at home, with apple tv. The best is try other alternative. I invested too much money renting anmd buying movies and TV show. I no longer trust them.

It is a disaster for us, customers. I download with my internet that works with very high speed, premium, but itunes movies only at home, with apple tv. The best is try other alternative. I invested too much money renting and buying movies and TV show. I no longer

Thanks for your answer. I'm gonna try but why the TV shows play and the movies don't? I'm not happy with the way Apple changed for those like us.

It is a disaster for us, customers. I download with my internet that works with very high speed, premium, but itunes movies only at home, with apple tv. The best is try other alternative. I invested too much money renting and buying movies and TV show. I no longer

Thanks for your answer. I'm gonna try but why the TV shows play and the movies don't? I'm not happy with the way Apple changed

It even is an issue with my videos that I created ; not purchased from iTunes. Those should not be affected at all. But it insists I have WiFi. So on a long train ride where the WiFi was down, my iPad was useless for videos. This started with Apples recent “downgrade” in software. I still think the IPod was Apples best invention because it doesn’t care about WiFi and has a lot of storage space.

It's been a been a while, but I've figured out that using Home Sharing in iTunes does not actually put the video on your device. It takes the video that is on the iTunes Library and plays over WiFi. Instead, for me, I turned off Home Sharing, and "desynced" my library. This removed the video that was never there. Then I synced the library and the movie copied over.

Same issue. I was on a plane today and started a movie. The movie is downloaded, but would not play without using an internet connection.

Use the TV APP> Library> Downloaded

Newer iPad iOS 11.4

I enabled on airplane mode, opened the TV APP to my library and was able to play all my downloaded movies.

Use Feedback - iTunes - Apple to let Apple know that downloaded movies are not playing when you're offline. They're not listening here. Your fellow users don't have a fix to suggest.

tt2