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UltraViolet goes offline 31 July, but your movies don't have to go with it
UltraViolet, the online film service that lets you store digital version of films you'd physically bought, will go offline 31 July 2019 - along with your entire collection, unless you take action.
The service was set up back in 2011 and offered viewers the opportunity to create their own personal film library, which could be streamed like Netflix on a variety of devices as long as you had an internet connection.
If you've bought a DVD or Blu-ray in the last few years then you probably noticed a little slip inside the box with a code that let you store a digital version of the film online.
Unfortunately, several websites have pulled support for the service, which has led to its demise.
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Use Flixster to save your UltraViolet library
To keep all your films safe, you need to link your UltraViolet account to Flixster, which is one of the few remaining services still supporting it.
- Log into Flixster, or make a new account if you don't already have one.
- You should then see a window asking if you want to link an UltraViolent account.
- Tick the 'Link My Account' box and select continue.
- If you aren't logged into UltraViolet then you'll be prompted to do so now, if you are then the accounts will be automatically linked.
- Your UltraViolet collection should now appear on the Flixster webpage or in the app.
You can continue to redeem codes for digital films in the same way, but they will show up in Flixster as of 31 July.
You're then free to watch your digital collection on any device that the Flixster app is available on, including Android phones, iPhones, Windows laptops, iPads, Android tablets and more.
Flixster is only a temporary solution
Unfortunately, Flixster isn't going to be able to keep your movies online for long. It's in the process of shutting down too and in October it will be offline.
Google has stepped in however, and Flixster agreed a deal so that your library can live on in the Google Play Movies app. Licensing issues means some films may not be available after you've copied them to Google, but many will be.
Streaming alternatives
Streaming has become the most popular way to watch films and TV since UltraViolet's launch eight years ago, and paying between £7 and £10 per month is enough to unlock enormous libraries from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
New content is added weekly to these services and the ability to download entire films onto phones, tablets and laptops for offline viewing means you don't need an internet connection to watch. This makes them a better choice if you frequently find yourself without a connection, you have an inconsistent one, or you'd rather use a ton of data to stream the films without wi-fi.
Read more on the different services and see which one we rated best in ourguide to TV services explained.
