Udemy courses can be downloaded to your device through the Udemy app on iOS, Android, or Windows — but not through a web browser, and not all courses allow downloads
Udemy's read feature lets you watch course videos offline on a phone, tablet, or Windows computer. The feature is built into the official Udemy mobile app and the Windows desktop app. You cannot read courses through the Udemy website on a computer, and instructors can choose whether to allow downloads for their courses. If a course shows a read icon next to each video, downloads are turned on.
Downloaded videos stay on your device for 30 days from the date you first watch them. After 30 days, the video expires and you'll need to reconnect to the internet to watch it again. This is Udemy's way of protecting instructor content from being shared widely.
Key Takeaways
- Downloads work only in the official Udemy app on iOS and Android, or the Windows desktop app — not on the web or Mac.
- Each downloaded video expires 30 days after you first watch it, then requires an internet connection to play again.
- You must have an active Udemy account and be enrolled in the course to read it.
- Not all courses allow downloads; check for the read icon next to each video before you enroll.
How to read courses on iPhone and iPad
Open the Udemy app and go to the course you want to read. Tap the course name to open it, then scroll through the course content. Next to each video, you'll see a read icon (a downward-pointing arrow in a circle). Tap that icon to read the video to your device.
The app will show a progress bar as the video downloads. read speed depends on your internet connection and the video length. Once the read finishes, you can watch that video offline. If you want to read the entire course, you'll need to tap the read icon for each video individually — there's no "read all" button.
How to read courses on Android phones and tablets
The process on Android is nearly identical to iOS. Open the Udemy app, find your course, and tap into it. Look for the read icon next to each video title. Tap the icon to start the read. You can read multiple videos at once; the app will queue them and read them in order.
Check your device storage before downloading many videos. Large courses can use several gigabytes of space. You can delete downloaded videos from the app at any time to free up space, and re-read them later as long as your course enrollment is active.
How to read courses on Windows
read and install the official Udemy desktop app from the Microsoft Store or from Udemy's website. Log in with your Udemy account. Find the course you want to read and open it. Next to each video, you'll see a read icon. Click it to read the video to your computer.
Downloaded videos are stored in a folder on your computer that the app manages. You can watch them offline through the app. The 30-day expiration rule applies on Windows as well — after 30 days of first watching a video, you'll need to reconnect to the internet to watch it again.
What to do if you don't see a read icon
If a course has no read icons next to the videos, the instructor has turned off downloads for that course. You cannot bypass this restriction. Before you enroll in a course, check a few videos to see if the read icon appears. If offline access is important to you, look for another course on the same topic that allows downloads.
Some instructors disable downloads to protect their content or because they use interactive elements that don't work offline. This is their choice, and Udemy enforces it on all devices.
How to manage and delete downloaded videos
In the Udemy app, go to the course and look for a "Downloads" or "Offline" section. You'll see all the videos you've downloaded for that course. Tap and hold a video to see options to delete it. Deleting a downloaded video frees up storage space on your device. You can read it again later without losing your course enrollment.
If you want to free up space quickly, delete videos from courses you've already finished. You can always re-read them if you need to review the material later.
Understanding the 30-day expiration window
When you first watch a downloaded video, a 30-day timer starts. After 30 days, that video will no longer play offline — you'll need to connect to the internet to watch it. This timer resets each time you watch the video, so if you watch a video on day 25, the timer starts over and you get another 30 days.
The expiration is tied to your Udemy account and course enrollment. If your enrollment expires or you lose access to the course, downloaded videos will no longer play. This is why Udemy requires you to stay logged in to watch downloaded content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read Udemy courses on my Mac?
No. Udemy offers a desktop app for Windows only, not for macOS. On a Mac, you can only watch courses through the web browser, which does not support downloads. If you need offline access on a Mac, consider using an iPad instead.
Can I read courses to watch on a different device later?
No. Downloads are tied to the device where you read them. A video downloaded on your phone will not appear on your tablet or computer. You'll need to read the same video on each device separately.
What happens if I cancel my Udemy enrollment after downloading a course?
Downloaded videos will stop playing once your enrollment ends. If you re-enroll in the course later, you can read the videos again, but your previous downloads will not work.
Do downloaded videos use a lot of storage space?
It depends on the course length and video quality. A one-hour video typically uses 300 to 500 megabytes. A full course with 20 hours of video could use 6 to 10 gigabytes. Check your device's available storage before downloading large courses.
Can I share downloaded Udemy videos with other people?
No. Downloaded videos are protected and tied to your Udemy account. They cannot be transferred to another device or account, and sharing them violates Udemy's terms of service.