How to Rip Apple TV Movies for Local Backup to PC (2026 Updated)
Summary: While the Apple TV app offers offline viewing, the files are temporary and restricted. This guide explores the best ways to create a permanent personal backup of your purchased or subscribed content, ensuring flexible playback across all your devices without expiration.
Apple TV contains a world of content in movies, videos, etc. While Apple TV allows downloads on mobile devices, these are temporary cache files with strict expiration dates (often 48 hours after you start watching). If you need to move your movies to an external hard drive or keep them for permanent offline access on your PC, you need a different approach: saving a local personal backup.
3 Methods to Rip Movies from Apple TV (2026 Tested)
| Feature | StreamFab (Top Pick) | PlayOn | DRmare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported Device |
|
|
|
| Primary Use | High-Quality Permanent Backup | Screen Recording | Format Compatibility |
| Resolution |
4K/1080p + SDR/HDR10/Dolby Vision |
720p | 1080p |
| Audio |
|
Original | EAC3 / AC3 5.1 |
| Speed | Super Fast (Batch) | Real-Time (Slow) | Fast |
| Device Freedom | Any Device / External Drive | Local PC | Android / Legacy Devices |
Method 1: Rip Apple TV Movies with StreamFab (Most Recommended)
StreamFab Apple TV Downloader adapts to the latest Apple TV+ technical updates to help you save movies you already have a lawful right to access. It ensures your personal backup stays at 1080p/4K resolution without the risk of in-app expiration. By saving these movies as standard MP4 files, you can easily move your personal library to an external hard drive or other personal devices, a flexibility not offered by the standard app.
The most recommended method for users who want to build a high-quality media library on their PC.
- Stunning Quality: Supports 4K/1080p resolution plus HDR10/Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos/EAC3 5.1 audio.
- Permanent Access: Ripped files are saved as standard MP4/MKV and never expire.
- Batch Mode: Automatically saves entire seasons at 10x speed.
- External Storage: Perfect for moving your library to a USB or external hard drive.
- Requires a paid subscription for full features.
- Desktop-only (Windows/Mac), not available directly on Smart TVs.
- Don't know which title to start with? Check this guide on how to watch Coda without Apple TV.
Method 2: Rip Apple TV Movies with PlayOn Home (The Real-Time Backup)
PlayOn Home provides a screen recording solution. While it ensures a local file, the process of screen recording Apple TV is totally real-time, and quality is limited to 720p. It’s a backup option for those who don't mind the slower speed.
- Broad Compatibility: Since it records the screen, it works regardless of specific file protocols.
- Ad-Skipping: Can automatically skip ad segments during the recording process.
- Very Slow: It is a 1:1 process; a two-hour movie takes two hours to record.
- Lower Resolution: Typically capped at 720p, and quality can be affected by internet stability.
- Storage Heavy: Recorded files are often larger than optimized downloads.
If you are interested in the desktop or cloud version of PlayOn, you can check out our latest PlayOn review for more information.
Method 3: Rip Apple TV Movies with DRmare Apple TV Downloader (Best for Legacy Support)
Replacing the older M4V conversion methods, DRmare Apple TV Downloader focuses on format compatibility. It is designed to help users move their legitimate Apple content to devices that don't support the Apple TV app, such as older Android tablets or specialized media players.
- Lossless Format Adjustment: Effectively saves content into universal formats like MP4 while preserving original metadata.
- Multilingual Support: Keeps multiple audio tracks and subtitle languages intact.
- Interface: The UI is less intuitive compared to StreamFab’s built-in browser.
- Stability: Occasional issues when processing high-bitrate 4K HDR content compared to more modern tools.
FAQs
1. Is it possible to watch Apple TV movies on non-Apple devices?
Yes. While official downloads are restricted to Apple-authorized devices, you can use StreamFab to save a local copy in MP4 format. This allows you to view your purchased content on any personal device you own, ensuring your fair use rights.
2. Why does my Apple TV download disappear after 30 days?
This is due to Apple's internal service protocols. To avoid this, many users choose to create a permanent personal backup on their PC storage, which doesn't have an auto-delete timer.
3. How do I move Apple TV+ shows to an external hard drive?
Since official downloads are hidden and encrypted, you must first rip the show into an MP4 format using a tool like StreamFab or DRmare. Once the file is on your PC, you can simply drag and drop it onto your external hard drive.
Conclusion
If you simply want to watch an episode offline on your phone, Apple's official download feature is sufficient. However, for film enthusiasts looking to back up their collection or move movies to a computer for long-term storage, StreamFab Apple TV Plus Downloader is the most robust and high-quality solution in 2026.
