Want to Cast Netflix to Your TV? You’ll Need an Older Chromecast and an Ad-Free Plan
Netflix quietly dropped casting support to most devices, except older models without a remote; it also is forcing users who want casting capabilities to pay for an ad-free Netflix tier.
Written by Jackie Leavitt (Editor at Large)
Reviewed by Aleksander Hougen (Chief Editor)
Last Updated:
Netflix users began noticing at the beginning of December that casting support was no longer available. It seems that Netflix has updated its support for Google Cast, disabling casting in most situations. Now Netflix will support casting only to older TVs and streaming dongles without remotes, and casting also requires users to subscribe to an ad-free Netflix plan.
Here are the devices that can still cast Netflix:
- Chromecast 3rd gen or older
- Google Nest Hub Smart Display
- Select cast-enabled Vizio TVs
- Select cast-enabled Compal TVs
The original Chromecast launched in 2013, allowing Netflix users to cast to TVs and streaming boxes from mobile apps. In 2019, Netflix removed Apple AirPlay support, and now most smart TVs have dedicated Netflix apps.
Netflix’s move is widely seen as a way to further clamp down on Netflix password sharing, forcing users to sign in to apps on TVs instead of casting — making it more likely users hit their device limits. The move is also a way for Netflix to sell more expensive plans to viewers.
Reddit has exploded with rants against Netflix’s changes, especially for users who watch Netflix while traveling. However, previous decisions by Netflix that received disapproving feedback have largely mellowed out and resulted in higher profits for the company, so this move will likely hold its course.
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