Are you getting a Netflix Download limit error? Perhaps you’ve received a popup error such as the maximum number of downloads limit warning or the “you reached the Netflix yearly download limit for this video” warning.
Another common error occurs when there are downloads on too many devices. Netflix will be sure to prompt you to remove them from your device.
…but, what about the other confusing errors?
We’ll cover all the easiest fixes for each possible error in this guide (and some).
If you’ve received the error 10015-22006 “You have reached the yearly download limit for this video”, then it is being indicated that your account is about to reach the maximum number of downloads for a movie or show.
Related: You might want to consider simply downloading Netflix movies to a good cheap budget tablet that works well with Netflix.
Sometimes these download limit hacks can be frustrating, but worthwhile. I’m still convinced a cheap Tablet For Netflix is ideal.
What they don’t tell you on the app is that this max number for download limits is different depending on the movie or show.
This Netflix download limit occurs when a license holder (those who own the title’s distribution) requests Netflix to put a limit on how many times a Netflix user can re-download a certain title.
What’s even more unfortunate? You won’t know how close you are to your download limit until your down to your last download. You’ll unexpectedly see something like this on your last download:
The following errors are a bit rare and we’ll be covering how to fix these, step-by-step, in this guide:
Error 10016-22005: “You’ll need to remove downloads from this device, or from another device on your plan”.
Error 10016-23000) “You have downloads on too many devices. Please remove download from another device”.
It’s interesting to note that many who are fed up with all these errors for offline are switching to something called Plex.
Related Pro Hack: They’re doing this because they’re realizing you can watch any new movie or show that possibly exists in 10 minutes or less, for free when set up correctly. You can learn more by visiting our guide on how to get new movies on Plex.
What is this “Netflix download limit warning”?
If you’re receiving the Netflix download limit warning (or any variation of this error), then Netflix is indicating you’re about to reach the max downloads for a particular movie or show in some shape or form. This max differs based on the show and what limits the license holder has put on their Netflix video.
What’s worse? you’ll see this notification when you store your 99th download, with no previous warning whatsoever:
If you’re receiving this error, then you likely don’t have Smart downloads turned on. Smart downloads will delete the download you just watched and will automatically download the next title if it is a tv show series.
Here are some updates to “smart downloads” that will help you work around the Netflix download limit:
- To ensure the smart downloads feature deletes previously viewed episodes you must be back on wifi.
- Netflix has brought the smart downloads feature to iPhone and iPad and is no longer Android only.
- On iPhone or iPad, you can turn Smart downloads on by opening your Netflix app and going to “Downloads”, next look for “smart downloads” at the top of your screen. Tap to turn the feature on or off.
It’s clear you’ll have to delete your videos for this one. We’ll show you how to solve the other errors as well as how you can delete your videos all at once or individually.
Related: Netflix keeps freezing: how to easily fix Netflix buffering.
What is the Netflix download limit?
The Netflix download limit is 100 downloads.
- Note: Netflix will not issue a warning until you reach your last download.
How long do Netflix downloads last?
Here’s how long Netflix downloads last:
Netflix download last as long as two days (48 hours) or 1 week. You’ll need to be on the internet to activate the download again.
- Note: Netflix downloads will notify 7 days before your movie or show expires.
I’m getting a Netflix download limit warning, but I haven’t downloaded even close to 100 videos yet?
If you haven’t reached 100 downloads yet and are still somehow getting this warning, then you’ll want make sure you’re connected to the internet when at time of deleting:
Many Netflix errors related to the Netflix download limit warning can be solved by simply ensuring you’re connected to the internet when you delete your movies or shows.
Not being connected to the internet during the time of deletion has proven to cause many issues with the Netflix download limit in the past.
How can I reset my Netflix download limit?
You can reset your Netflix download limit by deleting your current downloads. You can remove individual videos by locating my downloads, then tap edit at the top of the screen and hit the red X to remove the title.
To delete all downloads together to reset, locate the app settings (from the menu) and hit delete all downloads.
If you’re unable to delete your downloads you can contact Netflix chat support and they can solve the problem of reseting your Netflix download limit. This can also solve many other Netflix issues.
Short on time?
If you’re short on time… you can skip this guide and see How to watch any movie or show that exists in less than 10 minutes
How to fix Netflix download limit error 10016-22006 “You have reached the yearly download limit for this video”
If you’ve received this error this means you have reached the max amount of downloads for an individual, specific video. You may also receive the error “Due to licensing this can only be downloaded 1 more time”.
You see, certain shows and movies have a limit on the number of times they are allowed to be downloaded per year. (source)
The reason this occurs could be due to the license holder of the movie or the agreement between Netflix and the movie or show distributer/owners. Netflix advises to connect to the internet and watch to solve the problem… but, if we received this error then it’s clear we need to view it offline.
Normally, you’d hit the renew button and you’d have it saved for offline use again, but not this time.
So what can we do?
This is extremely irritating and there doesn’t seem to be a fix anywhere online, right?
Wrong.
Here’s how to fix error 10016-22006 “You have reached the yearly download limit for this video”:
Log into your Netflix account on a browser, then contact Netflix chat support. Explain the truth, Perhaps your baby brother hit the save buttons and now you’re getting multiple errors. Maybe you didn’t download the movie at all in the past or someone you didn’t give access to is on your account.
Netflix typically helps its subscribers out with issues like this. In fact, as an alternative, the most recent Netflix software errors can be solved by attempting an uninstall, then re-installing the app on whichever device you are using.
I would be going through these lengths to watch my favorite show offline if I was boarding a plane or on a long car ride and didn’t want to use my data.
Alternative ways to solve error 10016-22006 “You have reached the yearly download limit for this video”
You may use a different Netflix username/account. To play it safe, try uninstalling Netflix from your device and re-downloading the app.
Another common fix- download the Netflix video containing the limit error to your device through a third party downloader or alternative. Though, doing this could technically be against Netflix’s terms.
See our full guide on this by visiting how to download Netflix movies to computer. This guide will also show you how to get offline movies from Netflix to your TV.
If you’re not willing to go to these lengths for your favorite TV series then you’re unfortunately out of luck and may want to do what everyone else does…
What is everyone else doing?
They’re creating their own “Netflix style” personal streaming service. You can learn more about this by visiting our guide on how to watch movies still in theater online.
How to fix Netflix download limit error 10016-23000 “You have downloads on too many devices. Please remove downloads from another device”
A friend of mine who got this exact error. He had an ex who was still using his Netflix account to watch downloaded movies at her new boyfriend’s house since he doesn’t have WiFi (nice girl, I know).
She was gobbling up all the videos she could to watch with her boyfriend and downloading them using my friend’s account. When he figured it out he took the necessary steps that we’ll explain below.
In most cases though, you (or a friend using your account) has an old phone, tablet or computer that still has downloaded Netflix content on it and you don’t even know it.
So what’re the next steps?
Here’s how to fix the Netflix download limit error 10016-23000, “You have downloads on too many devices. Please remove downloads from another device”:
First remove any other devices by logging into Netflix by going to account settings, then change the plan. Locate plan details and select manage download devices. Go ahead and remove any unknown or undesired devices from this list.
Next, determine if you have any existing devices that need downloaded videos removed from it. This could be an old mobile phone, tablet or computer with Netflix downloads on it that you may have forgotten about.
Finally, remove those devices by going to netflix.com/devicemanagement while signed in to Netflix (on your app) to remove.
- Note: Devices automatically expire after 30 days of inactivity.
- You can alternatively upgrade your streaming plan by going to netflix.com/changeplan to keep downloads on existing devices.
Upgrading is ideal when you have a friend or family member who is using your Netflix account and you want them to keep their downloaded content for later.
How to fix Netflix download limit error 10016-22005 “You’ll need to remove downloads from this device, or from another device on your plan”
This is a somewhat rare Netflix error that only occurs on iPhone, iPad and iPod and is basically warning you you’ve been downloading the same movie or show title, at the same time, on multiple devices.
The purpose of this warning is to tell you that simultaneous downloading like this is not allowed due to licensing agreements between Netflix and movie studios/distributors.
Why does error 10016-22005 occur exactly?
- Uncommon, but you may also get this error if you’ve downloaded complete seasons of TV shows for reasons currently unknown to the public.
- Commonly, this happens because Netflix licenses its titles in bundles from studios and distributers-causing some sort of conflict in the app when downloading to your device.
The real reason we expect this happens is because many people aren’t aware that Netflix has released smart downloads on iPhone and iPad. In the past this was an android only feature, but now you can use this to help avoid this error in the future.
Sure, the licensing logic that Netflix explains makes sense, but then why doesn’t this happen on Android?
Related for mac users: For those that need Netflix downloads on Mac, be sure to visit our guide on How to download Netflix movies on Mac. (It’s a bit different on Mac)
Whether the above is true or not… fixing this error is very easy.
Simply delete your downloads.
Here’s how to delete downloaded Netflix movies and shows on iPad, iPhone or iPod to fix error 10016-22005:
- Go to downloads icon from “My downloads”
- Next, tap edit at the top right of your screen.
- Hit the red X to remove the movie or show from your device
- Download your video again.
Deleting all downloaded movies or shows is also an option to fix this error:
- Locate app settings from the menu
- Hit delete all downloads
- Hit confirm
- Download your video again
If you are already doing these steps you’ll need to delete the Netflix app and restart your device. If this does not work try a different wifi network or hit “forget this wifi” on your mobile phone and reconnect before attempting this fix again.
Bottom line
In conclusion, if you want to fix the listed Netflix errors in this guide you’ll need to understand that each error is very different and can be fixed in a matter of seconds. You’ll need to follow the steps outlined in this guide or contact Netflix chat support (something many subscribers overlook when troubleshooting the popular streaming service)
There are ways to solve this issue of Netflix download errors as mentioned in this guide.
…or simply do what everyone else is doing by visiting our guide on how to grab your own own “Netflix style” personal streaming service.
