Netflix has quietly removed the Cast feature from some users’ accounts after a recent update, without any direct announcement. This feature usually allows content to be played on the phone and viewed on a TV or streaming box connected to the same network.
However, the new update included users who own certain types of smart TVs and streaming boxes, and the removal also affected subscribers of the ad-supported package.
Netflix posted a clarification on its Help Center under the title “The Cast button cannot be found in the Netflix app,” stating that the service “no longer supports sending content from the phone to most TVs or streaming devices.”
According to the company, affected users will need to rely on the device’s original remote to navigate within the Netflix app instead of streaming from the phone.
However, the feature still works for some subscribers who own an “old Chromecast device,” without specifying what “old” means, or a “Google Cast-enabled TV.”
If one of these options is not available, the user will have to launch the native Netflix app on the TV or streaming box to get the full experience.
This update comes at a time when streaming services are tightening their restrictions on the way subscribers consume the content they pay for. With decisions such as Sony deleting previously purchased content due to contractual disputes, and ever-rising subscription prices, trust and respect for consumer rights in the streaming world is declining by the day.
