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Journalism of Courage
Netflix, the popular online video streaming service with millions of users worldwide, has quietly removed the ability to cast shows and movies from phones to most smart TVs, leaving thousands of users frustrated. The change seems to have rolled out over the last few weeks, with some users saying the feature was removed sometime last month without any warning.
First spotted by Android Authority, an updated support page on the company’s website said that “Netflix no longer supports casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and TV-streaming devices. You’ll need to use the remote that came with your TV or TV-streaming device to navigate Netflix.” However, Netflix seems to have removed that part and has once again updated the page to say that it only supports casting to Chromecast 3rd gen or older (without a physical remote), Google Nest Hub Smart Display, select cast-enabled Vizio TVs, and Compal TVs.
A Netflix customer care representative also reportedly told one Reddit user that “if the device has its own remote, you can’t cast.” Also, it looks like devices that don’t have a native Netflix app will still be able to cast, but smart TVs and other large-screen devices with app support will most likely require you to use the remote.
Netflix has already removed support for AirPlay on iOS and the Google TV app. The support page also says that users won’t be able to use their “TV as a display for Netflix content playing on your mobile device (casting or mirroring)” if they are on the ad-supported plan or if the device they are casting from is not on the same Wi-Fi network as the receiver. As for removing the cast button, Netflix has offered no explanation except for a text that says the move is meant to “improve the customer experience.”
