How to Watch Movies For Free With 123Movies
Watching movies online has never been easier thanks to 123Movies. This platform has gotten me through many rainy days and it’s probably the one site I visit the most.
It’s free to use, they upload the latest movies and TV shows, and they have one of the most easiest to navigate platforms out there.
But what exactly is 123Movies? Is it a streaming library or platform or do they host pirated movies that are not safe to watch?
Read on to find out all there is to know about watching movies online for free with 123Movies.
123Movies – Review and Recommendation
What is 123Movies?
123Movies is an online streaming platform that has gotten incredibly popular over the years for their frequent uploads and the ability to stream on any platform and device.
They act as a platform that hosts third-party links that could be streamed for free and a majority of the titles available were in HD print.
The site offers the latest movies, TV shows, specials, PPV airs and much more where each of these videos were available in print copies ranging from CAM to BRrip 1080p and above.
But, as of 2022, 123Movies has been taken down in most countries due to copyright violations. A number of third-party links that were uploaded on the site were not legit and were deemed to be copyright violations resulting in the complete ban of the site in numerous countries.
Apart from the original 123Movies, there are also a number of pseudo 123Movies websites that are up and running, but the safety and security of these sites can not be guaranteed.
Is It Safe to Use?
Yes, 123Movies is a safe to use platform with loads of new and unique content uploaded on a daily basis.
I found the site to be secure but without a VPN personal information is left vulnerable to attacks and phishing attempts through ads.
123Movies uses a dedicated Cloudflare certificate, but there is still a possibility that my personal information and card details can get leaked if they are entered on the site.
However, since the movies that are hosted are free to stream, there’s no requirement for a debit/credit card nor does the site accept payments in any form.
123Movies Platform Review
I’ve used 123Movies for years and have been fascinated with how quick they are at uploading links to new episodes and movies.
The website is pretty straightforward and at the top of the page sits an array of categories as well as a search bar towards the right.
The categories that are listed here help filter TV shows and movies based on Genres, Countries, Years and type of content.
Upon scrolling down, the main page is broken into six sections covering the most popular genres of content available;
- Latest Movies in Theaters
- Recently Added Movies
- Recently Added TV Series
- Recently Added Animated Series
- Recently Added Cartoon Movies
- Recently Added Asian Dramas
Each section will have a total of 16 of the most popular and latest TV series, episodes and movies. Clicking on any of them redirects me to the video playback page of that particular episode or movie.
The page that opens has a large video player at the top of the screen followed by a summary of the movie, key information such as the movie name, production company, duration, release date, actors, director, country of release and more.
Movies here can be shared to either Facebook or Twitter so your friends and family can watch them as well and there’s even a section under the movie details where I was able to choose from different servers in case one is down or low on connectivity.
Further down is a section of approx 10 movies that are similar to the one playing at the top and they will all fall under either the same category or genre.
The only drawback is that some of the servers hosting the movies do not have secondary prints available and the movie will have to be watched in what’s available at the time.
At the bottom of every page, including the home page I found a second list of popular categories and a search bar making it easier to find movies or shows that I like.
While using the website I did not find any flaw or bug with the load time of pages or the videos. There were no ads present (because I was using an Ad blocker) and it was entirely safe to use as my device was connected to a VPN.
I did notice that there are pop ups, but these only appear when double clicking the video to launch it in full screen mode or to increase/decrease the volume. It wasn’t bad as it happened only once throughout the entire playback, but it was a little frustrating with the fact that there are pop ups on the site.
On the other hand, the one thing that I truly like about 123Movies is that it is completely free to use and even though it’s blocked in many countries, the site can still be accessed even with a free VPN.
Is the Content on 123Movies Illegal to Watch?
The platform 123Movies is not illegal to use and most of the content is not illegal to watch.
However, sharing the links on social media platforms is deemed against the regulations and can land the site in trouble.
The thing is that different countries have different rules about copyright infringement and if your country does not condemn piracy then you’ll be able to access and stream movies and TV shows for free on 123Movies.
However, if your country does in fact have policies in place for pirating then 123Movies.net would most likely be blocked and it can only be accessed through a VPN that’s connected to a Switzerland, Spain or Portugal server.
The reason behind this selection of servers is because the laws in these countries permit pirating as long as it’s for personal use.
Laws in other countries vary depending on what their IT ministry has to say about piracy. Here’s a short list of some piracy laws around the world.
- Pirating is allowed or legal for personal use – Switzerland, Spain, and Poland.
- Pirating is against the law – United States, South Africa, Russia, Portugal, Latvia, Japan, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, France, Finland, China, and Australia.
- Pirating is against the law but people are not actively persecuted – Uruguay, Slovenia, Slovakia, Singapore, Romania, Philippines, Netherlands, Mexico, Iran, Israel, India, Greece, Egypt, Denmark, Czech Republic, Colombia, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.
Legal Alternatives to 123Movies
For those who do not wish to use 123Movies for whatever reason, here are some legal alternatives of the site that you can check out. They don’t have as many ads, offer a wide range of content and most of them are free.
- Hoopla
- IMDb TV
- Roku Channel
- Tubi
- fuboTV
- Curiosity Stream
- Sling TV
Pros and Cons of Using 123Movies
| Pros | Cons |
| Watch the latest movies and TV shows | Risk of data getting leaked |
| Movies are free and do not require any subscription | Some files might contain viruses |
| Movies can be downloaded in MP4 format | You can not change the quality of the movies and it will drop if the network is low |
| No subscription required | There are pop-ups while using the video player |
| Website can be accessed on any device |
FAQ’s
Is it safe to watch movies on 123Movies?
It’s not entirely safe to watch movies and series on 123Movies as the website has ads and pop-ups that can potentially redirect you to a dangerous site. You can boost your security by using a VPN and an Ad Blocker on your browser.
Is 123Movies Illegal?
123Movies is not an illegal platform but in some countries it is considered illegal as the site hosts movies and TV shows that have been uploaded by other third-parties.
What to do if the movie/TV show keeps buffering?
If the video is constantly buffering then there’s a possible issue with either the hosting server or your own internet connection. You can use an alternate host from the list provided or you can try rebooting your router and then wait for the server connection to get repaired.
Why are there different 123Movies websites online?
This is because 123Movies have made a name for themselves and are one of the most popular streaming platforms of today. The original website is 123movies.net and anything other than that is considered to be a duplicate or pseudo website that can prove dangerous for your personal data and information.
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