Netflix kills casting from phones

Netflix has removed the ability to cast shows and movies from phones to TVs, unless subscribers are using older casting devices. An updated help page on Netflix’s website, first reported by Android Authority, says that the streaming service “no longer supports casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and TV-streaming devices,” and instead directs users to navigate Netflix using the remote that came with their TV hardware.

The change seems to have rolled out in the last few weeks, with one user on Reddit reporting that casting support was removed on November 10th “with zero warning.” My colleague Dom Preston also found that while he was able to cast to a TV from an older version of the Netflix app, the casting option was no longer available after the app was updated.

Casting support is still available on older Chromecast devices or TVs that support Google Cast natively, according to Netflix’s support page, but only for subscribers on pricier ad-free plans, which start from $17.99 per month. Netflix users with an ad-supported subscription ($7.99 per month) will be unable to cast from their phones even if they own legacy Chromecast devices.

The casting changes announced on Netflix’s support page do not explain why the feature has been removed. It follows a similar move in 2019 when Netflix removed AirPlay support, citing a desire to “ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met.” We have reached out to Netflix for comment.