Downloading movies to your desktop lets you watch online movies as often as you like, without having to reload a title or deal with a slow Internet connection. The process itself may even be easier than finding a DVD of the movie. Not all online movie rentals can be legally downloaded, however, so first check a service's terms of use.
Install the Necessary Software Some services require you to download and install a specific media player; be careful when deciding whether to install these programs, however, as they could contain viruses or malware that can harm your computer. Always verify the program and provider before downloading anything.
Most online movie sites understand that their users don't want to download programs. To meet consumer demand, most downloads are formatted to play with media players that come pre-installed on new computers.
Most media players will automatically organize your movie downloads for you. Opening your player will typically allow you to explore your downloaded content or search for new paid and free movie downloads from that site.
Confirm Your Hardware and Internet Requirements Before purchasing or renting an online movie, confirm that your computer has the necessary hardware and software to play the movie. Reputable download sites are upfront with system requirements to prevent unnecessary purchases.
Common requirements pertain to your computer's processor information, the amount of free space on your hard drive and Internet requirements, such as browser, browser version and connection speed.
Organize Your Downloads Organize your movies into the same folder for convenience and easy viewing. Most computers already have a "My Videos" or "My Movies file" menu shortcut, but you can also create your own folder. Saving your movies to your desktop can clutter your monitor, but creating a shortcut to the folder itself makes it easy to find your movies when you want to watch them.
Renaming files can also help you keep track of their content, as some download services may give their files somewhat obscure names. On PCs, highlighting a file name and hitting the 'F2' key enables you to quickly rename a file. On a Mac, hit Control and right click and scroll down to 'Rename.'
Online movie download services can have their own quirks and requirements, but following a service's recommended download steps and requirements will enable you to download movies faster.