We have bad news for password loyalists: Netflix is telling you to change your password after its new (and newsworthy) regulations.
The popular streaming platform has made it easy for people living together for years to use the same login details when accessing a shared Netflix account, thanks to features like profiles and multi-streaming.
While this has made it easier for users—especially the more than 100 million households that share accounts today—it hasn’t made it easier on Netflix, the company says, impacting their income and thus their “ability to invest in great new things.” TV and movies.” As a result, Netflix blocks password sharing as a result.
The 2023 edition is looming since reports first hinted at a possible password sharing ban in December 2022. (Netflix announced that it will be testing the new feature internationally in March.)
In the early days, “sharing cared” for Netflix users (the company’s tweeted In 2017?), but due to growing competitors in the streaming space, including Disney+ and Hulu, Netflix’s earnings estimates have dwindled a bit, prompting Netflix to look for ways to gain new subscribers.
According to this forbes“The numbers say it all. Netflix lost nearly a million subscribers between April and July 2022 as people decided to leave the service.” That June, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed that ad-supported streaming would be added to the service for subscribers who want to watch ads for a lower monthly fee. And now the company will make it harder for an account to be used by more than one person, forcing former “account borrowers” to pay or be caught without a flow.
Here’s everything you need to know about the future of Netflix password sharing, including who will be affected and when the transition will begin.
Who will be affected by the Netflix password sharing ban?
Netflix, Courtesy of Noh Juhan/Netflix, Liam Daniel/Netflix
Netflix announced in a blog post on May 23 that it is rolling out the password sharing feature for its streaming platform’s users. Members who share a Netflix account with viewers from outside the home should expect to receive an email informing them about the news.
Members who share accounts with people from the same household, whether at home or on the go, will not be affected by the password sharing regulation. These viewers will be offered features such as “Transfer Profile” and “Manage Access and Devices”. to continue account sharing
However, significant changes will apply for users who share a Netflix account with viewers from outside the home.
When does Netflix password sharing end?
While reports that Netflix password sharing will end have been circulating since early 2022, the streaming giant officially rolled out its new protocol in the United States on Tuesday, May 23. However, the new password sharing regulation is not a complete ban, as sharing an account now comes at a cost.
How much will Netflix password sharing cost?
The Netflix password sharing ban won’t go away permanently, but the ability to do so for free is gone. Now, Netflix charges an extra $7.99 per month from accounts if users plan to share access with viewers from outside the home. (The simplest, ad-supported account is currently $9.99 per month.)
“We are aware that our members have many entertainment options,” the service said in its blog post. “That’s why we continue to invest heavily in a wide variety of new movies and TV shows – so whatever your taste, mood or language, and whoever you’re watching with, there’s always something satisfying to watch on Netflix.”
Netflix encourages profile owners to change their passwords or sign out of all devices to avoid paying the fee for shared passwords due to an account with users outside the home; These two options are available from Netflix’s website.
According to Netflix’s email to account holders, if the account holder wishes to add extra members to their account, especially those who don’t live in their own home, they can “buy an extra member” for “$7.99 a month or more”.
If owners aren’t prepared (or willing) to pay the extra cost for an out-of-home viewer, the changes include the option to kick people out of the active account by following the instructions under the “transfer account” section. This will prompt the “borrower” account to sign up for its own membership.
Netflix’s standard monthly package is $15.49, which means adding an extra user means a nearly 50 percent increase in monthly subscription cost.
Which countries does the Netflix password sharing ban affect?
On May 23, Netflix said it had sent emails about account sharing to customers in 103 countries and regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Mexico and Brazil.