You can download Amazon Prime rentals, but only on phones, tablets, and Fire devices, not on PC or Mac. Rentals last 30 days to start, 48 hours after pressing play, and downloads expire along with them. If you need more flexibility, some users turn to third-party tools to save a copy, but these should only be used for personal offline viewing and deleted once your rental ends.
Not long ago, I rented a movie on Amazon Prime before a train ride. I thought downloading it meant I could watch whenever I wanted. Turns out, once I pressed play, a timer started ticking. By the time I picked it up again a couple of days later, the file had already expired.
Once I noted this out, I started paying closer attention to the fine print—like why the download button never shows up on my MacBook, or why a movie I saved for a flight still vanished after two days. And no, downloading doesn’t mean you get to keep it forever. Let’s break down the ground rules first: how long rentals last, which devices actually support downloads, and where the limits kick in.
Can You Download Rented Movies on Amazon?
Yes. Amazon Prime Video officially supports downloading rented movies with apps. However, it is only good for short-term viewing and lacks device flexibility and long-term preservation due to the Amazon Prime download limits. Here are the details:
- Where you can download: only on phones, tablets, and Fire devices through the Prime Video app; rentals are not downloadable on Mac or PC apps.
- Rental window: 30 days (or the time shown on the product page) to start watching after you pay for the rental.
- Viewing window: 48 hours to finish once you press play, even if there is still time left in the 30-day rental period.
- What expires: both the stream and any downloaded copy stop working as soon as the rental period ends.
- Third-party tools: some users make personal offline backups, but these should be treated as temporary copies and deleted after the rental expires.
These ground rules, timing, supported devices, and the limits on PCs set the stage for everything else. Understanding them upfront saves you from the usual surprises, like planning a long train ride only to find your download won’t play halfway through. Some rentals also come through Prime Video Channels, where individual partners may follow slightly different availability and download rules, so it’s worth double-checking the notes on each title’s detail page.
Official Offline Download Process
1. Download on mobile devices
On phones or tablets, Amazon makes it easiest to watch rentals offline. Here is the basic flow I use on my iPhone:
- Open the Prime Video app and make sure you are signed in to the account that rented the movie.
- Go to Library > Rentals or the movie’s detail page and find the title you want to watch.
- Tap the Download button under the title and choose a quality level that fits your storage.
- When you are offline, open the app again and play the movie from the Downloads section.
This works well on both iOS and Android when you are underground on the subway or stuck on a flight with no Wi-Fi, and the quality settings are handy if you are traveling with a smaller-capacity phone.
2. Fire tablet and Windows applications
Amazon’s own Fire tablets are built for offline viewing, and the steps are almost identical to mobile:
- Open the Prime Video app on your Fire tablet and sign in with your Amazon account.
- Find your rental in the Library or on its detail page.
- Tap Download so the movie is stored locally before your trip.
- Play it from the Downloads tab whenever you are offline.
On Windows, things are stricter. The Prime Video app can download some eligible shows and movies, but for rentals, the download button is usually missing, so you can only stream them while you are online and still within the 30-day and 48-hour windows.
How to Keep Amazon Prime Rentals For A Longer Time?
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen people ask online: “Isn’t there a way to keep a rental longer than 48 hours?” I asked the same thing myself after missing the ending of a film mid-trip. Officially, the answer is no, since Amazon enforces those limits strictly. But that hasn’t stopped users from finding workarounds.
On Reddit, I came across a thread where someone asked whether StreamFab could download Amazon rentals. The reply was simple: “Yes, as long as you can play it on Amazon, StreamFab can save it.”
The trick is that you still need to rent the movie first through Amazon, but once it’s in your library, the tool records and saves a copy that doesn’t disappear when the rental window closes. I tried it with a short indie film, and sure enough, the file was still playable weeks later.
Tool Required: StreamFab Amazon Downloader
StreamFab Amazon Downloader is one of the third-party tools in existence. It can save rented Amazon Prime movies, shows, or any other kind of Prime Video in common formats like MP4 or MKV to your PC forever. So that you can always watch Amazon Prime videos offline without worrying about expirations.
- Save rented Prime movies in MP4/MKV format to be watched on any device, anytime
- Download rented movies on Amazon in 1080p FHD plus EAC3 5.1 audio
- Keep the rented Prime Video movies forever without expiration
- Keep Amazon movies offline in H.264 or H.265 codecs, based on your needs
- Watch rented Amazon titles offline with subtitles and audio in the language you prefer
- Bulk download rented movies on Amazon to save a bunch of time
- Always rent the title legitimately on Amazon before you try to save a copy in any form.
- Use any downloader strictly for personal offline viewing, not for sharing, re-uploading, or redistribution.
- Don’t go tossing those rental files into public clouds where random folks can stumble over them.
- Once your official rental period ends, delete any saved copies to stay aligned with Amazon’s terms.
Some people prefer alternatives, screen recording software for Amazon Prime Video, for example, though that usually means lower quality and a lot of manual work. Others mention tools like KeepStreams or NoteBurner. The idea is the same: bypass the time lock and keep the movie for offline use, each method with its own trade-offs.
To put these options in context, here is how the main ways to watch rentals offline stack up side by side:
| Option | Video quality | Time limits | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Prime Video downloads | Good quality, controlled by Amazon’s app and your device’s capabilities. | Always bound by the 30-day rental window and the 48-hour countdown after you press play. | Very simple, built directly into the Prime Video app. |
| StreamFab Amazon Downloader | Up to 1080p with multi-audio and subtitles in your preferred language. | Files do not auto-expire, but you should still delete them once the rental period officially ends. | One-time setup, then mostly automated downloads. |
| General screen recording tools | Often lower quality and can run into black-screen issues depending on the service. | No built-in rental limit, but completely outside Amazon’s intended behavior. | Manual start/stop and editing for every single title. |
The steps to download Amazon Prime Video to PC with it, at least in my case, were straightforward:
Log in to Amazon with Your Account
Log in to Amazon on the new page opened in the built-in browser with your account. StreamFab won't store any of your info, but only use it for validation.
Find the Rented Movie on Amazon
Find rented movies on Amazon. Click on them to play, and StreamFab Amazon Downloader will now start analyzing. Soon, it will provide you with a panel with definition and audio options.
Start Downloading After Adjustments
Check if every option is good. Click on "Download Now" to start or download it later by clicking on "Add to Queue". You can manage the tasks in "Your Library."
From my perspective, the key is being clear on why you’re doing it. If it’s just for personal viewing and convenience, it can be a lifesaver. But if you’re hoping to convert Amazon Prime Video to MP4 to build a permanent collection out of rentals, that’s not what these services are designed for, and it definitely crosses into territory Amazon doesn’t support.
FAQ
If you don't see a download icon, it means the title is not available for download on your device. This could be due to licensing restrictions. You can use StreamFab Amazon Downloader to rip Amazon Prime Video you want.
The 30-day (or specified) expiration window takes precedence. Even if you start watching within that window, the 48-hour rule is still in effect, but you must finish before the 30 days are up.
No, at least not in the same official way you can on phones, tablets, or Fire devices. The Prime Video apps on Windows and macOS may let you download some included or purchased titles, but rental movies usually do not show a download button at all. That is why many people either stick to mobile devices, or look into third-party tools for personal offline viewing.
Amazon’s rentals apply two clocks at the same time. You get up to 30 days (or the period listed on the detail page) to start watching, but once you hit play, a separate 48-hour timer begins. If either window runs out, the rental and any downloaded copy stop working. That is why a movie can disappear even if the full 30 days have not passed.
Sure thing! If you grabbed that rental on a supported device before you took off (hopefully you didn’t wait ’til the cab ride to the airport, it’s nerve-wracking), and you’re still inside those somewhat pesky 30-day and 48-hour time limits, you’re golden. Once it’s sitting on your phone or tablet, it usually works just fine in airplane mode or even stripped of any Wi-Fi. Only catch is that if your rental window runs out during your trip, it’ll refuse to play, even though the file’s awkwardly hanging out on your device like an uninvited guest.
Amazon limits how many devices can download and watch the same title at once, and those limits are stricter for rentals than for regular Prime content. The exact numbers can change by region and license, but generally you should expect to keep downloads to a small number of personal devices within your household instead of spreading them across lots of accounts.
Conclusion
Looking back, I wish I’d known all these quirks earlier. Renting on Amazon is simple enough, but the rules can trip you up if you’re not ready. If you find yourself needing more flexibility, tools like StreamFab or other downloaders can help you remove Amazon Prime Video DRM and keep a copy longer for personal offline viewing. In some cases, it may actually be simpler to share your Amazon Prime benefits with family members so everyone can watch legitimately on their own devices instead of chasing workarounds.
I’ve used these approaches myself during trips when I knew the 48-hour window would run out too soon. But I also remind myself: these copies are for personal viewing, not for building a permanent library. Out of respect for Amazon’s rental terms, the safe practice is to delete the saved file once the official rental period ends.
