Popcorn Time has a collection of movies, TV shows, and anime available for instant streaming. The Popcorn Time app itself is legal, but the content on there might not be, so please avoid any copyright-protected content. My team and I don’t condone breaking any laws.

I understand that understanding the proper usage of the app is crucial, especially for researchers or government personnel. Regardless of your role, it’s essential to prioritize safety when using the Popcorn Time app. By using a VPN, you add an extra layer of protection against potential threats from third-party hackers and web trackers, which helps safeguard your personal data throughout your usage.

Since Popcorn Time is an open-source program with many forks, it’s important to download the official version. Otherwise, you might end up downloading a version that isn’t updated, or worse, it will install malware on your computer.

Follow the steps below to download the free and safe version of Popcorn Time.

How to Download Popcorn Time for Free (No Viruses or Malware)

  1. Click on the Download button on the sidebar to go to the official Popcorn Time site.
  2. Download the latest version of Popcorn Time.
  3. A pop-up ad will appear encouraging you to get a VPN. While I agree you should use a VPN while streaming Popcorn Time, I don’t recommend the one in the ad. You can find the best VPNs for Popcorn Time here.
  4. Double-click on the file once the download is complete to open the installer.
  5. The installation wizard will open, click Next a few times, and then the installation will begin. When it’s done, click Finish, and Popcorn Time will open.
  6. Depending on your antivirus software, you may need to Allow Access for the program to run.

How to Uninstall Popcorn Time

If you decide the Popcorn Time isn’t for you or the streams aren’t working for some reason, follow these simple steps to uninstall it. If you’re still looking for torrenting or streaming sites, check out the free alternatives to Popcorn Time below.

  1. Type “Add or Remove Program” to your windows search bar.
    Add or Remove Program
  2. Scroll down the list of programs until you find Popcorn Time and click “Uninstall.”
    how to uninstall popcorn time
  3. An uninstallation wizard will open, agree to uninstall the program and all databases, and it will be completely removed from your system.

You Should Use A VPN While Watching Popcorn Time

A VPN serves as a valuable tool for safeguarding online privacy by encrypting your internet traffic and concealing your actual IP address. This ensures that your streaming activities remain protected from potential threats like hackers, advertisers, and web trackers.

The WizCase online security team has tested several hundred VPNs. While we don’t recommend the one that Popcorn Time advertises, we do have several excellent recommendations for VPNs that will protect your privacy and won’t slow down your computer.

3 Best VPNs for Popcorn Time

Not all VPNs are created equally, and you shouldn’t just download any VPN and hope it can protect your identity and allow you to stream Popcorn Time in HD.

Based on the results from hours of streaming and testing VPNs, here are the three best VPNs for Popcorn Time:

1. ExpressVPN: Gives Users 100% Anonymity When Streaming Popcorn Time 

This VPN does more than any other VPN I’ve tested when it comes to protecting its user’s privacy. Forget about a no-log policy; these guys use a technology that instantly erases all data as soon as it’s powered off. ExpressVPN also hides your internet activity from your ISP and so there is no reason they would throttle your speeds when doing data-heavy activities, such as streaming.

If you’re not sure that ExpressVPN is the right VPN for you, try it  risk-free for 30 days, with their proven money-back guarantee. I tested it for myself, canceling my account after 24 days, and within two business days, I had a full refund.

2. CyberGhost: Thousands of High-Speed Servers Optimized for Streaming

When it comes to streaming, there are not many VPNs that can match CyberGhost. You can choose specialized streaming servers in the VPN client, and it will automatically find the fastest servers for you. You can stream the shows in HD and avoid any annoying buffering.

Your online activity is completely hidden while connected to the CyberGhost servers. They have a strict no-log policy so none of your data is collected, stored, or shared with third parties.

CyberGhost currently has a 45-day money-back guarantee, which means you can binge all your shows or go on a movie-watching marathon and then decide if you want to pay for a monthly or annual plan.

3. PIA: Global Servers for Watching Kodi

With over 34,000 servers worldwide in more than 78 different countries, the odds are good that you’ll be able to avoid overcrowded servers. This translates to a premium streaming experience with high speeds and HD viewing.

You can see for yourself how PIA works and try it risk-free, with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Popcorn Time Overview

In 2014, Popcorn Time made its initial appearance, gaining rapid and substantial popularity. However, the platform faced closure for several years. Numerous imitation websites emerged, utilizing the Popcorn Time source code, yet none could match the excellence of the original version.

The original Popcorn Time recently made its official comeback — and it’s better than ever.

Great Selection of TV, Movies, and Anime

The abundance of choices might seem daunting, but the media library is conveniently divided into three categories: TV Series, Movies, and Anime. Each of these sections includes a filtering tool to assist you in refining your exploration. You have the option to arrange the content by factors such as Popularity, Trending status, Recent Additions, Ratings, Release Year, and Title. If you’re already aware of the title you’re interested in watching, the internal search engine is available for a swift and precise discovery.

Popcorn Time also has a Favorite button and Watchlist, which makes it easy to find what you want to watch.

High-Quality, (Mostly) Ad-Free Streaming

I downloaded and tested Popcorn while I was in coronavirus quarantine with my 4-year-old daughter. I was impressed with the high-quality streaming, and it didn’t feel like we were watching on a streaming site. Popcorn Time usually gives you the choice of streaming at 480p 720p, 1080p, and I even saw a few movies that had 2160p.

Most of the things we watched had the option to turn on subtitles in multiple languages. If you don’t see your language, it’s easy to download the subtitle file and upload it to Popcorn time.Moanna Popcorn Time

I really liked the clean interface. Unlike most other torrenting and streamings sites, the homepage isn’t covered in ads, and there were no pop-up ads or ads that opened up in new tabs. Just click on the thumbnail image of the show or movie you want to watch to get started.

While the torrent begins downloading, there is a VPN ad that shows your IP address and the name of your ISP. This appears whether you have a VPN on or not, and it was annoying at first. However, once the movie started, the ad went away and didn’t come back.

Alternatives to Popcorn Time

  • uTorrent Web: While it doesn’t have the same visual library as Popcorn Time, you can search for torrents and start streaming while the download is in process. uTorrent Web is free, fast, and secure.
  • Kodi: While not nearly as easy to use as Popcorn Time, once you learn how to work Kodi, you’ll be able to stream shows, movies and music.

FAQ

Is Popcorn Time safe?

 With many different versions of Popcorn Time on the internet, it’s important to download the official app. Unofficial versions are known to have adware and malware, and the quality and media choices are limited.
Is Popcorn Time legal?

Popcorn Time’s app is completely legal, but the content on there might not be so please avoid any copyright-protected content. My team and I don’t condone participating in any illegal activities including the streaming of copyrighted content.
Can I use a free VPN while using Popcorn Time?

While there are some good free VPNs, they aren’t really ideal for streaming and torrenting. The reason is that a reliable free VPN will have data limits, and you’ll reach your daily or monthly limit in no time. Free VPNs without limits are generally not secure or are selling your data to third party marketing companies. 
Is Popcorn time a streaming site or download site?

If you want to get technical, Popcorn Time is a torrenting site. The torrent file starts to download once you click on the Play button. Additionally, you are also uploading or seeding the TV show or movie for other users while you’re watching. Once you exit the show, the uploading stops as well. 
What happens to movies I download on Popcorn Time?

There are two ways to download movies and TV shows on Popcorn. The main way is to just start streaming the movie, and the file is downloaded to a temporary folder and deleted when you restart your movie. If you prefer, you can change the settings, so the file isn’t temporary.

If you want to download something and watch it later, you can click on the magnet link or download button, and the file will download like a regular torrent file, and you can watch it at your convenience.

Note that while torrenting itself is not illegal,  the file you torrent may be if it is still under copyright. Make sure to check the rules and regulations in your country and only download torrents that are copyright-free.

Download Popcorn Time now!