Can You Record Netflix? Legality of Screen Recording Streaming

Sometimes, you may want to record Netflix shows or content from other streaming sites for later offline viewing, but you may not know whether such action will violate the law or not. In fact, the legality of screen recording on popular streaming sites like Netflix is always controversial.

If you record a film from Netflix without official consent, does it mean an infringement of copyright? Is it against Netflix's privacy policy and service? For safe recording, it's necessary to understand such information in advance. Read on to find the answer to these questions with our professional advice, and try to record Netflix films legally through 3 effective solutions.

And since you're here, you may also be interested in other answers to the questions about Netflix, such as how to download Netflix videos to MKV, and why can't you download movies on Netflix.

Is It Illegal to Screen Record Netflix?

The US Protection of Lawful Streaming Act was published in 2020 to prohibit the infringement of copyright, especially digital piracy. But it doesn't work for private recording for the purpose of personal usage. Although Netflix refuses you to screen record its shows because it is against Netflix's privacy policy and service, it's legal to screen record Netflix as long as you meet several requirements.

Based on the terms from Section 107 of the Copyright Act, you are permitted to screen record and watch copyrighted films and television shows for personal and non-commercial use. Namely, as long as you don't share and sell them publically, it's legal to record Netflix without consent.

How to Record Netflix Without Black Screen?

When you screen record Netflix films using the built-in button of your devices, such as a Windows PC or iPhone, you can only find a black screen. That's how Netflix protects its content from malicious screen recording. This part will introduce 3 powerful tools to help you record Netflix without the worry about a black screen. Pick up the most suitable one to improve your offline viewing.

Let's have a preview of the basic info and major features of these 3 tools:

Solution 1: Y2Mate Netflix Downloader

The first tool we'd like to recommend is Y2Mate Netflix Downloader from Y2Mate, as it stands out from many other online tools or Netflix recorders with its impressive features. As a professional software designed for Netflix, Y2Mate can not only solve the problem of black screen but also save your favorite Netflix shows in high quality up to 1080P, and even 4K (depending on the original quality).

As a downloader instead of recorder, Y2Mate can save your time and energy through the batch download feature and fast download speed supported by GPU Acceleration, which means that you can finish downloading a video long for 1 hour in just 1 minute or saving a whole series of episodes in 10 minutes.

Y2Mate Netflix Downloader

Enjoy Netflix offline and unleash your potential for binge-watching!

• Download Netflix movies and series in MP4 or MKV format;
• Download videos in high quality up to 1080p/4K to view offline;
• Store Netflix films without any advertisements;
• Save Netflix Videos with Subtitles as External SRT Files conveniently;
• Free trial of 3 downloads for 30 Days.

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Solution 2: AnyStream

RedFox AnyStream is a popular video downloader, which aims to download videos from online streaming sites like Netflix and save them in MP4. You can also enjoy powerful features like batch download, ad removal and subtitle-saving services with AnyStream. Compared with most other downloaders, AnyStream also boasts a competitive download speed.

But it should be noticed that AnyStream only offers 2 kinds of subscription plans: 1-year plan and 2-year plan. And this tool only works for Windows PCs. So if you are using Mac, AnyStream is not a recommendable tool for you.

Solution 3: EaseUS

Different from Y2Mate and AnyStream, EaseUS is more like a traditional recorder. It can capture your computer screen with audio and save the recorded video in compatible MP4 format. EaseUS offers a built-in video editor equipped with several simple functions. Therefore you can directly edit your recorded Netflix show in the software.

But EaseUS also poses several inevitable disadvantages as it's a recorder. For example, you must finish watching the whole film while recording it and then save the film on your computer. Of course, you can't enjoy batch download service with EaseUS. It means that you have to spend a lot of time and energy to record a Netflix film.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the act of screen recording Netflix content may seem convenient, it is important to understand the legality of such actions. As discussed, it's legal to screen record Netflix if you only use the recorded shows for personal and non-commercial use.

Usually, you will encounter a black screen when recording Netflix directly. Therefore, it's recommended to explore alternative methods for downloading or screen recording Netflix content offline. Solutions such as Y2Mate Netflix Downloader, AnyStream, and EaseUS offer viable options for saving content for offline viewing without violating copyright laws.