Netflix has removed casting support from its mobile apps for most smart TVs and streaming devices, a change that many users first noticed when the familiar Cast button disappeared in mid November. An updated help page now states that the service no longer supports casting shows from a phone to most TVs or TV streaming devices and tells subscribers to open Netflix directly on their TV hardware instead.
The rollback affects common setups that use Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, and other modern Cast compatible hardware. For these devices, pressing the Cast icon in the Netflix app no longer starts playback on the television and, in many cases, the icon no longer appears at all after recent app updates. Reports from users on Reddit indicate the change started rolling out around November 10th, with no in app warning or announcement from Netflix.
There are limited exceptions. Netflix says casting remains possible on older Chromecast dongles without remotes and on some TVs that have Google Cast built in. Even there, however, it imposes plan based restrictions. Subscribers on ad supported tiers cannot cast from their phones at all, while users on more expensive ad free plans retain access on supported legacy hardware.
Netflix has not provided a detailed explanation for why it removed broad casting support. The company has only directed customers to use the native Netflix app on their TV or streaming device, which aligns with its earlier decision in 2019 to drop AirPlay support rather than maintain compatibility with every combination of casting hardware. Support pages also emphasize device specific troubleshooting for older Chromecast models and Google Cast TVs, suggesting that limited casting functionality will continue for now on those products.
For viewers, what this means is that phones and tablets can no longer serve as a universal remote for starting Netflix on many big screens, even though other streaming services still support casting on the same hardware. Users who relied on casting from Android or iOS devices will now need to sign in and navigate Netflix separately on each TV, using that device’s own remote and interface.
