How to Download iTunes/Apple TV Movies to External Hard Drive/USB

Part 1. Can You Download Apple Movies to an External Hard Drive?

Yes. You can download purchased, rented, or streaming Apple movies to an external drive by changing your default iTunes or Apple TV Media Folder location directly within the app's advanced settings. However, because Apple encrypts its media with Digital Rights Management (DRM), there are strict limitations depending on your end goal:

For Apple Devices (Free Official Method):

You can easily move your iTunes library to an external drive, but the files will remain in a protected format. You must keep the drive plugged into a computer authorized with your Apple Account to watch them offline.

For Non-Apple Devices (Universal Method):

If you want to plug that external hard drive, like USB drive into a smart TV, gaming console, or Android device, you will need to use a dedicated conversion tool to export the DRM-protected files into universal formats like MP4 or MKV.

In the follow sections, we will break down exactly how to transfer your Apple video library to an external drive using both the official app settings and professional third-party software solutions.

Part 2. How to Download iTunes/Apple TV Movies to External Hard Drive Directly

In this section, we will walk you through how to move movies from the Apple TV app or iTunes app to an external hard drive. You can refer to the following steps to ensure that the process goes smoothly:

Step 1. Authorize Your Computer

1. Open iTunes or Apple TV app on your computer.
2. Go to "Account" in the menu bar and select "Authorizations" > "Authorize This Computer".
3. Enter your Apple Account name and password to authorize your computer.

Step 2. Change Media Folder Location

For the legacy iTunes App

1. Go to "Edit" (Windows) or "iTunes" (Mac) in the menu bar and select "Preferences".
2. Click on the "Advanced" tab. Click "Change" under the "iTunes Media folder location" section.
3. Select your external hard drive as the new location for your iTunes Media folder. Click "OK" to confirm the change.

For the modern Apple TV App (macOS & Windows)

1. Go to Apple TV app and choose the "Settings" > "Files" on Mac. For Windows users, you can click the "down arrow" next to your name > "Settings" > "Files".
2. Click "Change", select your external drive, and make sure "Keep Media folder organized" is checked so the app handles the folder structure for you.

Step 3. Consolidate Your Library

For iTunes Library

1. After changing the media folder location, go to "File" in the menu bar.
2. Select "Library" > "Organize Library". Check the box for "Consolidate files" and click "OK".
3. This will move all your media files, including movies from iTunes to the new location on your external hard drive.

For Apple TV App

1. In the same Settings > Files menu where you changed the location, ensure the box "Copy files to TV Media folder when adding to library" is checked.
2. Go to File in the top menu bar and select "Library" > "Organize Library...". A small window will pop up. You can check the box for "Consolidate files" and click "OK" to confirm it.

Step 4. Download Apple Movies to External Hard Drive [USB] Directly

1. Find your favorite movies on iTunes or Apple TV app and click the "Download" button to download them. Apple movies will now be stored on the external hard drive directly.

Part 3. How to Download iTunes Movies to External Hard Drive for More Flexible Playback

If you want to plug your external hard drive into a smart TV, projector, or non-Apple laptop to watch your purchased or rented iTunes movies, the official method won't work due to DRM encryption. The files simply will not be recognized by standard media players.

To solve this, you can use DRmare M4V Converter. It's well-designed to unlock limits from iTunes videos and convert iTunes M4V videos to MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, etc. for better playback. Besides, it can keep the original audio tracks and subtitles of the video files. Moreover, you can edit your iTunes movies before converting, like adding watermarks, and subtitles.

With this tool, you can transfer movies from iTunes to USB, and any other external hard drive and watch them via any media player on all devices.

How to Download and Put iTunes Movies on USB Stick Step-by-step

How to convert and copy iTunes movie to USB flash drive with DRmare M4V Converter? Here we will take the Windows version of DRmare program as an example.

Step 1Add iTunes M4V films and TV series to DRmare

Firstly, download and authorize the videos to play on your iTunes. Then launch DRmare M4V Converter. Drag & drop the downloaded iTunes movies from iTunes Library to the main screen of DRmare. Or you can add the iTunes videos via "Load iTunes Library" button at the bottom left of the program.

Step 2Customize output settings for iTunes movie to USB

In this step, you are required to select an output format for the iTunes movies. You should set the format to be compatible with your USB drive, or other external hard drives. Here we'd recommend the lossless MP4 or HD MP4 by clicking the "Format" button. They are supported by most of the media devices. Or you can choose the preset profiles of specific device you own from "Devices" panel.

Step 3Download movies from iTunes for USB flash drive

Click the "Convert" button in the main interface. And it will start to convert and download iTunes movies to USB supported formats. Once completed, you'll get the common iTunes videos on your computer.

Step 4Transfer iTunes movies to USB flash drive

1. Plug the USB flash drive into the USB port on your computer. Open the USB drive folder on your computer.
2. Find and locate folder with the converted iTunes movies on your computer.
3. Select and copy the iTunes movies you like. Then paste them to the USB drive. Or you can drop and drop iTunes movies to USB flash drive.
4. Once finished copying, then unplug the USB drive from your computer.

Part 4. How to Download Movies from Apple TV to External Hard Drive [USB] to Play on Any Device

For Apple TV streaming exclusives (Apple Originals), you can use DRmare Apple TV Downloader to make it possible. Using a streamlined, integrated web player module, it eliminates the need for complex standalone app dependencies. It allows you to save 1080p streaming Apple TV content directly as permanent MP4 or MKV files.

It can preserve the cinematic experience by retaining Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound, multiple audio tracks, and multilingual subtitles (including CC and SDH). With it, you can simply drag and drop them onto a USB drive or external HDD and play them on any device, such as a Smart TV, game console, or non-Apple computer, without needing to sign in your Apple Account anymore.

How to Download Apple TV Movies to External Hard Drive [USB]

Step 1. Launch the DRmare Apple TV Downloader on your PC or Mac. Instead of using the desktop app, this tool uses a built-in browser. Click the "Sign In" button and enter your Apple Account credentials.

Step 2. Before you start downloading, click the "Menu" icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and select "Preferences". Go to the Download tab and set the Apple TV movie output format to MP4. You can also choose your desired Quality (up to 1080p) and ensure your preferred Audio and Subtitle languages are selected.

Step 3. Search for the movie or Apple Original you want to save. When you open the movie's page, a Download icon will appear on the side. Click it to add the title to your list. Now, you can click the "Download" button at the bottom right. DRmare will begin downloading the stream into a permanent file. Once finished, you can move them to USB or other external hard drives

The Verdict

It is easy to download and transfer iTunes and Apple TV movies to an external hard drive, like a USB flash drive from this post, right? You can choose the suitable method based on your purpose.

If you like to play Apple movies and TV shows on other devices, DRmare M4V Converter or DRmare Apple TV Downloader could be the better way. They can help you unlock restrictions of Apple videos and do format conversion of them. With it, you can move movies from iTunes and Apple TV to USB, and other external hard drives and use any media player to watch them offline on your device.