Katarzyna Petru
Netflix has officially confirmed that it is withdrawing support for Google Cast (Chromecast). If your TV or device has its own remote control, you can no longer send a movie 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 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 a home network – the effect was identical. Netflix states directly in its support documentation:
“Netflix no longer supports casting from mobile devices to most televisions and streaming devices. You must use the remote control that comes with your TV or streaming device to access Netflix.”
Furthermore, the company is conveying 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 TVs with built-in Google Cast. However, it’s only 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 toward 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the casting system is becoming outdated and problematic for them,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 to use the native Netflix interface on TV, instead of treating the phone as a remote.
What do you need to do as a user?
If you have used casting, you currently have only one option: launch Netflix directly on your TV or set-top box and control the app with the remote. Casting from your phone is no longer supported and will be disappearing from more devices. This is a significant change in how the platform is used – Netflix is just closing one of the most convenient ways to stream content. How long will casting work on older Chromecasts? Probably not for long. Netflix makes it clear: the future is the remote, not the phone.
