What MovieJack can do

MovieJack saves streaming content locally on your hard drive — so you can watch it offline, archive it, or play it on your smartphone on the go. Depending on the chosen edition, the following are supported:

• Shows from public media libraries from German-speaking countries — included in all editions
• Videos from large video portals (videos, playlists, subtitles — up to 4K if available) — from Premium Edition
• Other video and streaming platforms — from Premium Edition
• Audio extraction to MP3 for your music collection — in all editions
• Translate subtitles — automatically transcribe spoken content and translate it into your language — in the Translate and Ultimate Edition
• Karaoke conversion with vocal removal and lyrics synchronization — in the Karaoke and Ultimate Edition

Editions at a glance

Five editions — one fits every use case. All editions are purchased once and run for the selected duration without subscription, without automatic renewal.

All editions: one-time purchase, no subscription, no automatic renewal. Up to 26 % savings with 3-year license.

System Requirements

Demo version — try for free

Without a license, MovieJack runs as a demo. This way, you can try out the most important functions without obligation:

• 5 downloads per day — enough to test the app at your leisure
• 15 days usage period from the first app launch
• Media libraries and large video portals available
• MP3 extraction and subtitles fully usable
• Full quality — no watermark, no advertising overlay
• No account, no credit card, no hidden limits

When the demo expires, the app remains installed — you can activate a license key at any time and continue working immediately.

Installation

Windows

1. Download the setup file MovieJack-Setup.exe from the Engelmann shop or your confirmation email.
2. Double-click the downloaded file.
3. Follow the installation wizard — the installation runs without administrator rights in the user profile.
4. After completion, start MovieJack via the Start menu or the desktop shortcut.

macOS

1. Download MovieJack.dmg and double-click.
2. Drag the MovieJack icon to the Applications folder.
3. Start the application via Launchpad or the Applications folder.

Apple Silicon and Intel Macs: There is a separate version for Macs with Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and for Intel Macs. The download automatically provides the correct version.

Activate license key

You received the license key via email after purchase — or it is included with the purchased magazine issue.

1. Start MovieJack and click on Activate License in the menu or the demo notice.
2. Enter the license key. New MovieJack keys have the format MOV-XXX-XXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XX, older keys ( from previous MovieJack versions) have the format XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX. Both are automatically recognized. Hyphens and case are irrelevant.
3. Click on Activate — a brief online connection is sufficient.
4. After successful activation, your edition will appear in the app.

Multiple devices? A purchased license allows use on up to 3 devices by the same user.

First Steps: Download a video

1. Open the video you want to save in your browser. Copy the URL from the address bar.
2. In MovieJack, paste the URL into the Add URL field — or press the clipboard icon to copy it directly from the clipboard.
3. Click Add — the video appears in the download list.
4. Click Start. The progress is displayed live.
5. After completion, click the folder icon to open the video directly.

Change download folder

In the main window, click the path button in the upper right to change the save location. By default, MovieJack saves to your user's Videos folder.

Download playlists

If you paste a playlist URL and activate the Download entire playlist option, MovieJack will download all titles in the playlist one after another. The progress will also show which title is currently playing (e.g., Video 3/12).

Search directly in the app

You don't have to switch to your browser every time — MovieJack has a built-in search.

1. Switch to the Search tab.
2. Choose the source: Video Portal or Media Libraries.
3. Enter your search term and click Search.
4. For each result, click the download button — the button changes to "Downloading..." during the download and to "✓ Done" after completion. Next to the download button, you will also find a button to copy the video URL.

Shows from media libraries

The media libraries section simultaneously searches the large public media libraries from German-speaking countries. Instead of a URL, simply enter the title you are looking for — such as the name of a show, a keyword like "Doku Klima", or the title of a series.

The hit list shows preview images, broadcasters, and broadcast times. Clicking on Download will download the episode to your computer—usually in HD, if the broadcaster offers it.

Download Subtitles

Existing subtitles can be automatically downloaded and embedded into the video file, and also saved as a separate .srt file, ensuring reliable recognition by any media player.

1. Open settings → Subtitles section.
2. Check the box next to Download subtitles.
3. Select language — Automatic chooses the language matching the program interface, plus English as a fallback.

If no subtitles are available for a video, MovieJack will display a subtle notification and download the video without further delay.

Do you want subtitles that don't exist yet—for example, a German translation of an English-language video? The Translate Edition handles this.

Translate Subtitles (Translate Edition)

The Translate Edition generates subtitles even if the original doesn't provide them: MovieJack automatically converts spoken audio into text and translates it into your desired language—the finished subtitles are embedded into the video or saved as a separate file.

How it works

1. Switch to the Translate tab and add a video or URL.
2. Select one or more target languages—MovieJack can translate a video into several languages in one go (one file per language).
3. Choose a translation service (see below) and click Start.

Free translation included

MovieJack Translate includes a free local translation that runs entirely on your computer—no cloud, no account, no extra costs. For many language pairs, this is already perfectly sufficient.

Optional: Your own professional service (BYO-Key)

For maximum quality, you can optionally store your own API key from a professional service. Supported services include:

All Translate functions are also included in the Ultimate Edition.

Save as MP3

If you only want the audio track—podcasts, lectures, songs—MovieJack extracts the audio track in one step:

1. Activate the Audio instead of Video option in the settings.
2. Choose format: MP3 (standard) or M4A for better quality with smaller files.
3. Choose bitrate (128 kbps for speech, 192–320 kbps for music).
4. Add URLs as usual and start download—you'll receive MP3 files directly.

Karaoke Edition

The Karaoke Edition extends MovieJack with two computationally intensive but fascinating functions:

Remove vocals from songs

Using modern AI technology, MovieJack separates the vocal track from the music—leaving a pure instrumental track, ideal for singing along. The processing runs locally on your computer, nothing is uploaded to the cloud.

Lyrics synchronization

MovieJack recognizes the sung lyrics and synchronizes them precisely to the beat—as an .lrc file or as burnt-in karaoke subtitles in the finished video. In the Karaoke tab, you can adjust the lyrics delay and the maximum number of words per line using two sliders.

Customize appearance

In the settings under Karaoke Tools, the karaoke layout can be individually customized:

• Font size: small, medium, or large
• Color scheme: Standard (Red → White), Gold-Highlight, White → Red or White → Gold on Black
• Number of lines: one line or two lines (with preview of the next line)

Do you want karaoke and subtitle translation? Both are included in the Ultimate Edition.

Settings — the most important options

Updates

MovieJack automatically checks for new versions once a day on startup. Updates are checked for authenticity before installation (signature check) to ensure that no manipulated version is installed.

All updates are included free of charge during your active license period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does MovieJack also work without a constant internet connection?
Yes. An internet connection is only required for one-time activation and for downloading videos. The app itself runs completely offline. The free local translation also works on your computer without the cloud.

Which translation services does the Translate Edition support?
It includes a free local translation that runs on your computer. Optionally, you can use a professional service with your own API key: DeepL, OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic (Claude), Google Gemini, or Mistral. The key is stored locally and is never transmitted to Engelmann.

Does translation cost extra?
The local translation is included in the Translate and Ultimate Editions at no extra cost. Only if you choose an optional professional service will you pay the respective provider directly for its use.

Am I allowed to download videos at all?
In Germany, creating a private copy for private use is permitted, as long as no effective copy protection is circumvented. Passing it on to third parties or public display is not permitted. When in doubt: keep it to yourself and watch it privately.

How many devices can I use with one license?
Up to 3 devices for the same user.

What happens when my license expires?
MovieJack will continue to run, but will switch to demo mode with the limitations described above. You can extend or upgrade at any time—your settings and download history will be retained.

Can I upgrade between editions?
Yes. Contact our support—we will credit the remaining term of your existing edition proportionally towards a higher edition (for example, from Mediatheken to Premium, Translate, Karaoke or Ultimate).

Some portals block me after several downloads — what should I do?
Large video portals have automatic protection mechanisms against too many requests from the same source. Wait a few minutes between larger download sessions, and it will work again. This is a platform behavior that cannot be influenced externally.

Subtitles are not displayed in my player — what's wrong?
Some video containers and media players do not reliably recognize embedded subtitles. Therefore, MovieJack also saves an .srt file next to the video. Most players load this automatically—if not: in the player menu, choose Subtitles → Add subtitle file.

Can I continue to use an older MovieJack license?
Yes. MovieJack recognizes both new license keys in the format MOV-XXX-XXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XX and older keys in the 5×6 format. Simply enter your existing key in the activation dialog.

Support

If you are still having trouble despite the instructions, we are happy to help. Please have the following ready for the fastest processing:

• Exact MovieJack version (found in the About dialog)
• Operating system and version
• Description of the problem with the last steps taken before it occurred
• In case of an error: content of the diagnostic log (Settings → Diagnostics → Show → Copy)

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