What You Can Actually read From Udemy
Udemy's official read feature lets you save course videos to your device so you can watch them without an internet connection. This is a legitimate feature built into the Udemy app — you do not need to use third-party tools or workarounds. The catch: you can only read courses you have already purchased or received free access to through Udemy's promotions.
Downloaded videos stay on your device for 30 days before they expire and need to be refreshed. You cannot read course materials like PDFs, quizzes, or code files through the official method — only the video lectures themselves. If you want to keep course materials permanently, you will need to save them separately while you have access.
Downloading is available on the Udemy mobile app for iOS and Android, and on the desktop app for Windows and Mac. The web browser version does not have a read option.
Key Takeaways
- You can read videos only from courses you own or have free access to, using the official Udemy mobile or desktop app.
- Downloaded videos expire after 30 days and must be refreshed to keep watching them offline.
- The web version of Udemy does not support downloads — you must use the mobile or desktop app.
- Downloading a course does not give you permanent ownership of the video files; they remain tied to your Udemy account.
- Course materials like PDFs and code files cannot be downloaded through Udemy's official feature and must be saved separately.
How to read Courses on the Mobile App
Open the Udemy app on your phone or tablet and navigate to the course you want to read. Tap the course title to open it, then scroll through the curriculum to find the lecture you want to save. Next to each video title, you will see a read icon — it looks like a downward-pointing arrow inside a circle. Tap that icon to begin the read.
The app will show a progress bar as the video downloads. Depending on your internet speed and video length, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Once the read finishes, a checkmark will appear next to the video title. You can now watch that video without an internet connection.
To read an entire section at once, look for the three-dot menu next to the section name and select "read section." This saves all videos in that section without tapping each one individually. Be aware that downloading many videos at once uses significant storage space — check how much free space your device has before starting.
How to read Courses on the Desktop App
read and install the Udemy desktop app from Udemy's website if you do not already have it. Log in with your account, find the course you want to read, and open it. In the course curriculum, locate the video lecture you want to save and look for the read icon next to its title.
Click the read icon and the app will begin saving the video to your computer. You can watch the read progress in the app's read section. On Windows, downloaded videos are stored in your user folder under AppData; on Mac, they go into your Library folder. You do not need to know these locations to watch the videos — the app manages them automatically.
Like the mobile app, you can read entire sections at once by clicking the menu next to the section name. Downloaded videos on desktop also expire after 30 days, so you will need to refresh them if you want to keep watching after that period ends.
Managing Your Downloaded Videos and Storage Space
Each downloaded video takes up storage space on your device. A typical one-hour lecture in standard quality uses between 300 MB and 800 MB, depending on the video's resolution and length. If you are downloading many courses, you can quickly run out of space, especially on phones or tablets with limited storage.
To check how much space your downloads are using, open the Udemy app and look for a "Downloads" or "Offline" section. This shows all your downloaded videos and how much storage they occupy. You can delete individual videos or entire sections from here to free up space. Deleting a read does not remove the course from your account — you can read it again later.
If you are running low on storage, prioritize downloading only the lectures you plan to watch soon. You can always read more videos later when you have more space available. Consider deleting downloads from courses you have already finished watching to make room for new material.
What Happens When Downloaded Videos Expire
Udemy's 30-day expiration window is a digital rights protection measure. After 30 days, the downloaded video file becomes locked and you cannot watch it. You will see a message in the app saying the read has expired. To continue watching, you must refresh the read by tapping or clicking the read icon again.
Refreshing takes the same amount of time as the original read and requires an internet connection. If you are planning a trip or period without internet access, refresh your downloads before you leave so they will work for another 30 days. If you forget and a read expires while you are offline, you will not be able to watch it until you reconnect and refresh.
This expiration system means Udemy can may support you still have an active account and course access. If your account is suspended or you lose access to a course, your downloaded videos will stop working even if the 30 days has not passed.
Saving Course Materials Beyond Videos
Udemy's read feature only works for video lectures. If a course includes PDFs, code files, spreadsheets, or other downloadable resources, you will need to save these separately while you have access to the course. Open each resource in the course and use your browser's or app's save function to store it on your device.
For PDFs, right-click (or long-press on mobile) and select "Save" or "read." For code files, copy the text into a text editor and save it with the correct file extension. For resources hosted on external sites, read them directly from those sites if possible. Taking screenshots of important diagrams or notes is another way to preserve information that is not in video form.
Create a folder on your computer or phone labeled with the course name and save all these materials there. This way, even after your course access expires or the 30-day video expiration passes, you will still have the supporting materials you collected.
Troubleshooting read Problems
If a read fails or gets stuck, first check your internet connection. A weak or unstable connection can interrupt downloads. Switch to a stronger WiFi network if possible, or move closer to your router. Once your connection is stable, try downloading the video again.
If the app keeps crashing when you try to read, try closing the app completely and reopening it. On mobile, you can also try clearing the app's cache (not the data) through your device's settings. If that does not work, uninstall and reinstall the Udemy app — this often fixes persistent read issues.
Make sure you have enough free storage space on your device before downloading. If your device is nearly full, delete unnecessary files or apps to make room. Some devices slow down significantly when storage is almost full, which can cause downloads to fail. Aim to keep at least 1 GB of free space available for smooth downloading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read courses I got for free through a Udemy promotion?
Yes. Free courses you claim during Udemy's promotions are treated the same as purchased courses — you can read them using the same method. The read feature works for any course in your account, whether you paid for it or received it free.
What happens if I read a course and then lose access to it?
If your course access is removed (for example, if Udemy removes the course from the platform), your downloaded videos will stop working even if the 30-day expiration has not passed. The videos are tied to your account access, not stored permanently on your device.
Can I share downloaded videos with friends or family?
No. Downloaded videos are encrypted and locked to your Udemy account. They cannot be played on another device or account, and sharing them violates Udemy's terms of service. Each person who wants to watch a course must have their own account and read it themselves.
Do I need to refresh all my downloads every 30 days?
Only if you want to keep watching them. If you have finished a course and do not plan to rewatch it, you do not need to refresh. If you are actively using a course, refresh the downloads before the 30 days ends so you do not lose access while watching.
Why does the web version of Udemy not have a read option?
Udemy designed the read feature specifically for the mobile and desktop apps to give you offline access on the go. The web version is meant for streaming while connected to the internet. If you need offline access, read the app for your device.