Katarzyna Petru
Netflix has officially confirmed that it is withdrawing support for Google Cast (Chromecast). If your television or set-top box has its own remote, you can no longer cast a film or series directly from the Netflix app on your phone, tablet, or computer. This is another stage in the "killing off" of casting – the same feature that Netflix abandoned for Apple AirPlay back in 2019.
Netflix disables Google Cast – what does it mean?
In recent weeks, users have noticed that after the Netflix app update, the casting icon has disappeared. The websites The Verge and Android Authority have confirmed that the feature has stopped working on Google TV devices and Chromecast with Google TV. FlatpanelsHD tested the same on multiple receivers in their home network – the result was identical. Netflix states directly in its support documentation:
“Netflix no longer supports casting from mobile devices to most TVs and streaming devices. You must use the remote control that came with your TV or streaming device to use Netflix.”
Furthermore, the company is passing on a simple rule to users:
“If the device has its own remote, you cannot cast.”
Why is casting disappearing?
Casting still works – but only temporarily – on classic Chromecast sticks and on some televisions with built-in Google Cast. However, it's just a matter of time, as Google ceased production of classic Chromecasts back in September 2022. Netflix has apparently decided that it's time to move towards full applications on devices, where the operation is done via a remote control rather than a phone. In practice, this means that:
Netflix wants to unify the way applications are operated,
the casting system is becoming outdated and problematic for them,
users are expected to use the native Netflix interface on TV, instead of using their phone as a remote.
What do you need to do as a user?
If you have been using casting, you currently have only one option: to run Netflix directly on your television or device and control the application with the remote. Casting from your phone is no longer supported and will disappear from further devices. This is a significant change in the way the platform is used – Netflix is now closing one of the most convenient ways to play content. How long will casting work on older Chromecasts? Probably not for too long. Netflix makes it clear: the future is the remote, not the phone.
