Want to capture your favorite HBO Max moments? Learn how to screen record HBO Max on any device, whether you're using an Android, iPhone, or PC.
Quick Answer: If you try to record HBO Max directly, you will almost certainly get a black screen due to strict DRM encryption.
The most reliable solution is not recording, but downloading. Using a tool like StreamGaGa HBO Max Downloader allows you to save content as 1080P MP4 files, completely solving the black screen issue for permanent offline access.
Last Tuesday, I tried to clip that insane plot twist from the latest season of The White Lotus to share with my private discord group. I confidently hit "Record" on my software, captured the scene, and played it back—only to find a pitch-black screen with audio playing in the background.
As someone who has tested digital media tools for over a decade, I understand how aggressive Widevine DRM (Digital Rights Management) has become in 2025. Would you like to know how to screen record HBO Max? To enable you to watch HBO Max videos on any device anytime you want, there are numerous choices available to let you screen record on HBO Max videos.
Can You Screen Record HBO Max on Mobile Phone?
Note: iOS and Android OS-level DRM is much stricter than PC. Screen recording apps will fail because of a black screen or blank screen.
Modern Android phones from major brands (Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, etc.) often include a built-in screen recorder, and older or budget models can use third-party recording apps. On the iOS side, Apple provides a built-in screen recorder accessible from Control Center.
However, when you try to use them with HBO Max, two things matter more than the model of your phone:
- DRM typically blocks the video stream from being captured, leading to black or frozen video in the recording.
- The same contractual restrictions apply: using screen recording to copy shows/movies can conflict with copyright law and HBO Max's rules.
So while your phones absolutely have a built-in recorder, it's not meant as a tool to archive or duplicate HBO Max content, and it usually doesn't work for that purpose anyway.
How to Screen Record HBO Max on Android & iPhone?
Note: iOS, Android, and Fire follow the same flow. HBO Max only offers the download feature for the Standard plan ($18.49/mo.) or Premium plan ( $22.99/mo).
I want to watch HBO Max when I'm offline — on a plane, in the subway, or in a place with bad signal. The correct and supported solution is to use HBO Max's official download feature, not screen recording.
According to HBO Max's own help documentation, you can download selected titles in the HBO Max mobile apps for offline viewing.
Supported devices
- iOS devices (iPhone, iPad)
- Android phones and tablets
- Some other mobile devices (like select Amazon Fire tablets)
Where downloads work
- Downloads are done inside the official HBO Max app, not in a browser.
- Offline playback happens only within that app — you can't export those files as normal video files.
How to Screen Record HBO Max on PC?
Note: Instead of fighting the "black screen" with recording software, the smarter move is to download the source file.
Both Windows and Mac operating systems come with their own screen recorders capable of recording the entire screen with ease and simple steps. The functionality of these screen recorders remains similar to the other similar tools on Android or iOS that we discussed above.
However, recording the screen on HBO Max may cause a blank screen at times. This is due to the DRM protection enabled on the videos on HBO Max. You may also find the video quality of the recorded video to be quite unreliable and substandard.
There is no option for how to screen record HBO Max without a black screen. That is perhaps why it may be a good idea to download the video instead of screen recording it. You can find several HBO Max downloaders that help you achieve this task.
- Enjoy a crystal-clear viewing experience with 1080p HD resolution;
- Experience fast download with GPU Acceleration and Turbo Speed;
- Easily play and enjoy various formats such as MP4 and MKV;
- Use a single account across 5 PCs for added convenience;
- Download separate subtitle files;
- Efficiently download multiple files with batch download feature;
- Navigate seamlessly with the ad-free and user-friendly interface;
- Try it out with a free trial, allowing you to download up to 3 files in 30 days.
StreamGaGa HBO Max Downloader can be an easy-to-use option to download the HBO Max videos for offline viewing. It lets you download your watchable videos in 1080p or 4K resolution wherever supported.
Step 1. Install on StreamGaGa Downloader on your device
Download StreamGaGa Downloader on your computer from the official website.
Step 2. Choose HBO Max from the streaming service
Click on VIP Services on the left side pane. Select HBO Max from the services available. If you have an account on HBO Max, sign in to your account. If not, you will need to create an account.
Step 3. Play your video
Play the video you want to download. Configure the download settings such as video resolution, audio quality, and subtitles among others.
Step 4. Download the video
Click Download Now to get the video for your records.
| Feature | HBO Max Official App | StreamGaGa | Screen Recorder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where downloads work |
|
PC/Mac local files you can play offline on any device |
|
| Download expiration |
|
No expiry on saved files |
|
| Formats | Encrypted, app-only playback | MP4/MKV (more portable across players/devices) | Often compressed full-screen captures with lower quality |
| Download to PC/Laptop | Not supported | Supported |
|
| Batch downloads | One by one, affected by plan/series caps | Batch/season downloads | No batch mode – must record episodes one by one in real time |
| Subtitle options | In-app/subtitles only | External SRT or embedded |
|
| Storage location |
|
Computer storage |
|
| Portability | Offline files are playable only inside the app | Plays in common media players across many devices |
|
| Offline reliability | Subject to expiry, plan caps, and catalog changes | Stable local files |
|
Editor's Takeaways
Screen recording can be an excellent means to help you download the HBO Max videos and watch them offline. However, the screen recording feature comes with a few disadvantages, such as a blank screen or low video quality. That is why we recommend using a third-party video downloader for HBO Max.
StreamGaGa is your one-stop solution for downloading HBO Max videos on your laptop. Check it out and forget asking how to screen record HBO Max without a black screen.
FAQs
Q1. Does HBO Max allow screen recording?
A1. HBO Max doesn't provide any feature specifically for recording its shows, and its Terms of Use prohibit unauthorized copying and circumvention of technical protections. On top of that, DRM is deliberately used to block screen capture of the video stream.
Q2. What's the safest way to watch HBO Max offline?
A2. Use the official download feature inside the HBO Max app on your Android phone/tablet or iPhone/iPad, with a plan that supports offline downloads. Use StreamGaGa to download HBO Max videos on PC.
Q3. Why is my OBS screen black even with "Display Capture"?
A3. OBS cannot bypass HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). Even if you capture the entire display, the browser sends a signal to the graphics card to black out the specific window playing the video.
Q4. Does the "Hardware Acceleration" trick work on Mac (Safari)?
A4. Rarely. Safari is tightly integrated with macOS security. Mac users are better off installing the Chrome browser to try the trick, or using the Mac version of StreamGaGa.
Q5. What happens if the HBO Max video has ads?
A5. If you are on the ad-supported tier, standard screen recording will record the ads. A dedicated downloader like StreamGaGa, however, can often automatically download videos from HBO Max without ads.
