Discovery Plus Download Limits: The Official Rules & How to Fix Them?

I subscribed to Discovery Plus to download a full season for offline watching. I even paid extra for the ad-free plan. Imagine my frustration when I found every single episode had "expired."

This seems to be a universal problem. I found one user on Reddit who summed it up perfectly: they "kinda got ripped off" after subscribing just for downloads they couldn't get. It turns out the "download" feature is one of the most confusing and restrictive I've ever seen.   

This guide is the result of my deep dive to find the real answers. I'll explain the official rules, all the hidden limits, and how to actually save your shows so they don't disappear when you need them most.

Can You Actually Download Shows on Discovery Plus?

I found that the ability to download Discovery Plus videos is strictly controlled by your subscription plan, your location, and your device.

Subscription Plan Limit

The most important "limit" is a paywall. The download feature is a premium perk reserved for the service's most expensive tier.

• Ad-Free Plan: In the U.S., subscribers to the ad-free plan (currently $9.99/month) can download select shows. This is the only plan that includes this capability.   
• Ad-Supported Plan: The standard, ad-supported plan (currently $5.99/month) does not offer downloads. If you're on this plan, the download icon simply won't appear.   

Location Limit: Why UK Users Can't Download

A major source of frustration I found in my research comes from regional differences. While the U.S. ad-free plan includes downloads, the same is not true everywhere.

The official Discovery Plus UK help center states unequivocally, "There isn't an offline or downloads feature". This explains why many users, like the one on Reddit, subscribe to a premium plan and are confused when the download button is missing.

Device Restrictions: It's Mobile-Only

Even if you have the correct ad-free plan and live in the U.S., the download feature is restricted to mobile devices. You can only download content using the official Discovery Plus app on:

• iPhone and iPad (running iOS 13 or later)    
• Android phones and tablets (running Android 5.1 or later)    

There is no official way to download and watch Discovery Plus videos offline on your computer (PC or Mac)

3 Real Limits on Your Discovery Plus Downloads

Once I got past the paywall, I found the actual limits on downloaded DRM protected content. These rules are what make the feature so frustrating.

Limit 1: The 48-Hour Expiration Rule (The Most Frustrating Limit)

This is the most common complaint and the rule that caused my own travel disaster. It's the direct answer to the common question, "Why do my Discovery Plus downloads expire?".   

Here's the trap:

1. 30-Day Window: An unwatched download will remain on your device for 30 days.
2. 48-Hour Timer: The moment you press the play button, a 48-hour timer begins. You have only 48 hours to finish watching it before the download automatically expires and is deleted. 

This is what I call the "binge-watch trap." I downloaded a season of House of Hammer for a one-week vacation. I started the first episode in the taxi to the airport. That simple action started the 48-hour clock. By the time I was on my way home five days later, the entire season had expired.

Limit 2: The "How Many Items" Limit (Is It 25?)

I saw many people searching for a "discovery plus 25 download limit". This appears to be confusion with other services. For example, one Reddit user posted a very detailed complaint about Peacock's "arbitrarily silly" 25-item limit, which wasn't enough for their kids on a single flight. Another user noted that Hulu and Paramount+ also have a 25-item limit.   

Discovery Plus is different. Its official terms are vague, stating they "may control the amount". But here's the trick: Discovery Plus doesn't need a hard numerical limit because the 48-hour expiration rule does the job for them. Your downloads won't last long enough for a 25-item cap to matter.   

Limit 3: The Confusing Device & Stream Limit

This one is tricky because there are two different limits that often get confused.

1. Simultaneous Streaming Limit: This is how many people can watch at the same time. In the U.S., you can stream on four devices at once. (Note: Some international help centers say 2, so this is likely regional).   
2. Registered Device Limit: This is the real hidden problem. I found a detailed Reddit thread from a user who was locked out of their account. They weren't streaming on too many devices. They had simply hit a hidden cap on the total number of devices registered to their account. They counted 12 "ghost devices" (old phones, old Fire sticks) and couldn't log in on their new, 13th device.

Why the Official Discovery Plus Download Limit Fails Users

Based on my own experience and dozens of user complaints, it's clear the "premium" download feature fails in almost every real-world scenario.

• It Fails for Travel: My lead-in story is a perfect example. The 48-hour expiration rule is the exact opposite of what a traveler needs.
• It Fails for Laptop Users: It's "mobile-only", so I can't watch on my laptop during a commute or in a hotel.   
• It Fails for Users with Bad Internet: This is the most ironic part. The people who need downloads the most are often rural users or those with slow connections. I found a Reddit user asking for any way to download because their internet is "horrible" and they're "stuck watching 240p streams".   
• It Fails on a Technical Level: Even if you have the right plan, users report the app itself is a problem. It's described as "clunky," "lags," and plagued by "constant buffering".

How to Download Discovery Plus Videos without Limits?

Given these frustrations, it's no surprise people look for other ways. This led me to look at dedicated downloader software. KeepStreams for Discovery Plus are designed specifically to solve the exact problems I've outlined. They work by saving a permanent, MP4 file, not a temporary "rental."

I analyzed what this software does. It's built to address each official limit:

KeepStreams For Discovery Plus

Download titles from Discovery Plus in high quality up to Full HD 1080p, and transfer them into MP4/MKV format for permanent offline viewing and never expires. Desktop downloading for local playback. 

• Compatible with Windows and macOS systems
• Supports all regional Discovery Plus websites
• Allows batch downloading of Discovery Plus shows
• Schedule to automatically download newly released videos
• Supports downloading subtitles as separate SRT files
• Removes ads from downloaded Discovery Plus shows
• 30-day free trial to download 3 titles in 1080p from Discovery Plus

 Free Trial  Free Trial

Learn More

For users who need reliable offline viewing, the official feature is a temporary, restrictive rental, while a tool like KeepStreams provides a permanent, flexible download.

Follow these simple steps to download Discovery Plus videos with KeepStreams:

1. Download and install KeepStreams for Discovery Plus on your computer.
2. Access KeepStreams, navigate to VIP Services > Discovery Plus, and log in to your Discovery Plus account.

3. Find the video you wish to download and select the format, audio, and subtitle settings.

4. Click Download Now for an immediate download or Add to Queue for later downloading.

Editor's Takeaways

In this article, I have listed the official Discovery Plus download restrictions, including plan and device limitations, as well as the expired period after download.

The most practical alternative is KeepStreams, which is designed to avoid the official Discovery Plus download limits by saving permanent video files.