Is it illegal to download movies? Finding movies, TV and music legally

Years ago this page pointed readers toward legal places to find movies, TV and music. The question behind it has not gone away: is it actually illegal to download a film, and how do you tell a legal service from a pirate one? This guide answers both in plain terms. It is part of our copyright basics and FAQ collection and sits alongside our guides for parents dealing with downloads at home and for students sharing and using media.

We do not list services or prices here, because both change often. Instead we explain how to check a service yourself.

01What the law says about downloading and sharing

Section 106 of the Copyright Act gives copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their work and to distribute copies to the public. Downloading a film makes a copy. Sharing it, including automatically through a file sharing program, distributes it.

The US Copyright Office's digital works FAQ puts it directly: "Uploading or downloading works protected by copyright without the authority of the copyright owner is an infringement of the copyright owner's exclusive rights of reproduction and/or distribution."

Civil penalties

Most cases are civil, not criminal. Under 17 U.S.C. 504(c), a court can award statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 for each work infringed, up to $150,000 per work if the infringement was willful. Courts can also order the infringer to pay the owner's attorney's fees. Because damages count per work, sharing a few albums or a season of a show can add up quickly.

Criminal penalties

Criminal charges are rare for ordinary downloaders. Under 17 U.S.C. 506(a), infringement becomes a crime when it is willful and done for commercial advantage, or involves copies with a total retail value of more than $1,000 within 180 days, or involves sharing a work before its commercial release. These rules mostly target people who run or feed large piracy operations.

02Why peer-to-peer sharing gets noticed

Peer-to-peer (P2P) programs, such as torrent clients, work by having every user share pieces of a file with everyone else. While you download a film, your computer is usually uploading parts of it too. That is distribution, and it is visible.

Companies hired by studios and record labels join these networks, record the IP addresses that share their clients' works, and send notices to the internet providers that own those addresses. The provider matches the address to an account and forwards the notice to the account holder.

Direct downloads and streams from unofficial websites are less visible to rights holders, but they are not legal for that reason. They also carry real risks: malware, fake download buttons and data theft are common on pirate sites.

03How to tell a legal service from a pirate site

You do not need a list of approved services. A few checks catch nearly every pirate site.

• The price is too good. New theatrical releases free on the day they open, or every film ever made for a tiny one-time fee, are signs of piracy.
• No clear company behind it. Legal services name the company that runs them, have terms of use and a privacy policy, and offer customer support.
• Where you got the app. Apps installed from official app stores on your TV, phone or console are far more likely to be licensed than apps you sideload or download from a forum.
• Pop-ups and forced jumps to ad pages. Aggressive ads, fake virus warnings and requests to install a "player" are typical of pirate sites.
• Domain hopping. Sites that keep changing their web address are usually avoiding takedowns.
• Payment by gift card or cryptocurrency only. Legitimate services take ordinary payment methods.

If a film is not on any service you can find, it may simply not be licensed for streaming in your country yet. Waiting, renting or buying it is the legal option.

04Free and legal options

Legal does not have to mean expensive. Common free options include:

• Your public library. Many libraries lend films, TV series, music and audiobooks through apps you can use with a library card, at no charge.
• Ad-supported streaming. Several licensed services offer films and TV free with advertising.
• Broadcast TV. An antenna still brings in local channels free.
• Creators' own channels. Many musicians, filmmakers and studios post official videos, full episodes or older films on their own channels.
• Public domain works. Older films and recordings whose copyright has expired can be watched and shared freely. Archives and libraries often host them.

Before you install a free app, apply the checks above. "Free" is fine; "free and unexplained" is a warning sign.

05If your provider sends a notice

If your internet provider forwards a copyright notice, it means a rights holder reported activity from your connection. It is not a lawsuit and it is not a finding that you did anything wrong. Still, take it seriously:

1. Read the notice and note the date, time and title listed.
2. Check every device on your network for file sharing programs, and remove any you do not use.
3. Secure your Wi-Fi with a strong password so neighbors and guests cannot use it without your knowledge.
4. Keep a copy of the notice and any reply.
5. Do not pay anyone who contacts you by email demanding a settlement until you have checked who they are.

Our full guide to what a copyright infringement notice from your internet provider means explains repeat infringer policies, subpoenas and settlement letters in detail. If you receive court papers, talk to a lawyer licensed where you live.