You can read shows and movies on Peacock to watch later without an internet connection, but only on the mobile app

Peacock's read feature works only on the iPhone and Android apps — you cannot read on a web browser or Roku device. Once you read a show or movie, you can watch it offline for up to 30 days. After 30 days, the read expires and you must reconnect to the internet to refresh it. The read stays on your phone or tablet until you manually delete it or until Peacock removes it from the service.

Not every show or movie on Peacock can be downloaded. Licensing agreements limit which titles have the read option available. If a title cannot be downloaded, you will not see a read button when you open it.

Key Takeaways

  • Downloads work only on the Peacock mobile app for iPhone and Android, not on web browsers or streaming devices.
  • You can watch a downloaded show or movie offline for 30 days before it expires and requires an internet refresh.
  • To read, open a show or movie, tap the read icon, and select the video quality you prefer.
  • Downloaded content takes up storage space on your phone or tablet, so delete old downloads if you run low on space.
  • Not all titles are available for read due to licensing restrictions.

How to read a show or movie step by step

Open the Peacock app on your iPhone or Android phone. Search for or browse to the show or movie you want to read. Tap on the title to open its details page.

Look for the read icon — it looks like a downward-pointing arrow inside a circle. On most titles, this icon appears near the play button. Tap the read icon. A menu will pop up asking you to choose a video quality: Standard or High. Standard uses less storage space; High uses more but looks sharper on your screen. Select the quality you prefer. Peacock will begin downloading the episode or movie to your device. A progress bar shows how much of the read is complete. Once the read finishes, a checkmark appears next to the read icon.

To watch your downloaded content, go to the "My Stuff" section of the Peacock app and select "Downloads." Your downloaded shows and movies appear there. Tap any title to play it. You do not need an internet connection to watch downloaded content, but after 30 days offline, you must connect to the internet once to refresh the read before you can watch it again.

Downloading entire seasons versus single episodes

When you read a TV show, Peacock lets you choose whether to read a single episode or the entire season. Open the show's page and tap the read icon next to the season title. A menu appears with options: you can read just the current episode, or you can read all episodes in that season at once.

Downloading a full season takes longer and uses much more storage space than downloading one episode. If you have limited storage on your phone, read episodes one at a time as you watch them. If you have plenty of space and plan to watch the whole season offline, downloading all episodes at once is faster than downloading them individually later.

Managing storage and deleting downloads

Each read takes up space on your phone or tablet. A single episode of a TV show typically uses 300 MB to 1 GB of storage, depending on the video quality you chose. A movie can use 1 GB to 4 GB. If your phone is running low on storage, delete downloads you have already watched to free up space.

To delete a read, open the Peacock app and go to "My Stuff," then "Downloads." Long-press or swipe on the title you want to remove. A menu appears with a delete option. Tap it to remove the read from your device. Deleting a read does not remove the show or movie from your Peacock account — you can read it again later if you want to watch it.

You can also set Peacock to delete downloads automatically after you finish watching them. Go to the app's Settings, select "Downloads," and toggle on "Auto-delete watched downloads." This keeps your storage from filling up without you having to manually delete each title.

What to do when a read expires or fails

If you have not watched a downloaded show or movie for 30 days, the read expires. The next time you try to play it, Peacock will ask you to connect to the internet to refresh the read. Once you connect and refresh, you get another 30 days of offline viewing. This refresh happens automatically when you tap play — you do not have to re-read the entire file.

Sometimes a read fails or gets stuck. This usually happens if your internet connection drops during the read or if your phone runs out of storage space. If a read fails, delete it from your device and try downloading again. Make sure you have a stable internet connection and at least 2 GB of free storage space before you start. If the read keeps failing, restart the Peacock app and try once more.

Video quality and how it affects file size

Peacock offers two read quality options: Standard and High. Standard quality streams at a lower resolution and uses less storage — typically 300 MB to 800 MB per episode. High quality streams at a higher resolution and uses more storage — typically 600 MB to 2 GB per episode. The difference in picture quality is most noticeable on larger screens like tablets.

Choose Standard quality if you plan to watch on a phone screen or if you have limited storage space. Choose High quality if you plan to watch on a tablet or if you want the sharpest picture. You can read the same episode in both qualities if you want options, but this doubles the storage used.

Downloading on different devices and accounts

Your downloads are tied to the device and Peacock account you use. If you read a show on your iPhone, it does not automatically appear on your Android phone or tablet. You must read it separately on each device. If you share a Peacock account with family members, each person can read content to their own phone, but downloads from one person's phone do not sync to another person's device.

If you sign out of Peacock on your phone, your downloads remain on that device and you can still watch them offline. However, if you uninstall the Peacock app, all downloads are deleted. Reinstalling the app does not restore them — you must read them again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read shows on my Roku, Fire Stick, or smart TV?

No. Peacock's read feature only works on the iPhone and Android mobile apps. You cannot read on web browsers, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, or other streaming devices. To watch offline on these devices, you would need to read on your phone first and then watch there.

What happens to my downloads if I cancel my Peacock subscription?

Your downloads stop working once your subscription ends. Even though the files remain on your device, Peacock requires an active subscription to play them. If you resubscribe later, your old downloads may still be there, but Peacock will verify your subscription before letting you play them.

How many shows or movies can I read at once?

There is no set limit on the number of downloads, but you are limited by your device's storage space. A phone with 64 GB of storage might hold 20 to 50 episodes depending on quality, while a phone with 256 GB could hold many more. Check your available storage before downloading large amounts of content.

Can I read Peacock originals and licensed shows?

Both Peacock originals and licensed shows can be downloaded, but it depends on the specific title's licensing agreement. If a show or movie does not have a read button, that title is not available for read. This varies by show and can change over time as licensing agreements are renewed or expire.

Do I need WiFi to read, or can I read over cellular data?

You can read over either WiFi or cellular data, but downloading over cellular uses your phone's data plan. If you have a limited data plan, use WiFi to read large files like movies or full seasons. Downloading a single episode over cellular typically uses 300 MB to 1 GB of data depending on quality.