ARD Mediathek’s iOS and Android apps provide a download symbol below the video. Saved items appear under Meins, then Offline, and play within the app. They remain subject to the programme’s availability period. The website and television version do not provide this download function.
Prepare the screen that will travel
Choose the intended video on the phone or tablet you plan to use away from a connection. The documented function belongs to the mobile iOS and Android apps. Opening the same programme in a desktop browser or television interface does not provide the same download route.
Match the episode before saving it. For a returning series, retain the series and episode number; for a dated programme, retain the edition. This avoids using local storage for a similar item when the actual viewing plan concerns another part.
Save and find the actual item
Use the download symbol beneath the video window. ARD says this adds the opened video to the Meins area for offline use. Open its Offline section to find the saved material.
Before departure, inspect the intended item in that area rather than relying on a general series bookmark. A saved series reference helps discovery, while the offline item is the object needed for this plan. Keep the same mobile device and app in the plan; the broadcaster describes playback within the app.
Storage does not extend the programme window
ARD says the saved video remains playable only during its availability period. It does not give a universal seven-day or thirty-day period in this help. Check the particular programme’s current expiry information against the date you intend to watch.
For example, a video saved before a journey can still reach its programme expiry during that journey. Saving it earlier does not turn the item into an unrestricted permanent copy. When the planned viewing falls after the stated end, choose another currently available item or revise the plan rather than assuming the download preserves access indefinitely.
Manage space inside the app
The help says the storage location cannot be changed and saved data cannot be moved from internal storage to external media such as an SD card. To remove an item, use its context menu in Offline; ARD says this also deletes the saved data.
If you need space for another episode, choose which completed items to remove in that area. Keep the programme window and the storage decision separate: freeing space helps the device hold material, while the availability notice decides whether that material can still be played. A useful travel check therefore covers the correct episode, its presence in Offline and its remaining viewing period.
Sources and review
- Videos herunterladen — ARD