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Last week, Netflix announced that it has ended password sharing in the United States and other countries. Subscribers had been able to share their passwords with friends and family outside of their households. However, the company has been losing subscribers for the past two years and hopes that ending password sharing will help to increase revenue.
After all, shows such as Stranger Things and The Diplomat don’t create themselves…
How Netflix’s New Policy Works
Under the new policy, Netflix subscribers will be prevented from sharing their accounts with users outside their households unless they pay an extra fee. And even that comes with certain restrictions.
Netflix currently has four plans:
- Standard with Ads ($6.99 per month)
- Basic ($9.99 per month)
- Standard without Ads ($15.99 per month)
- Premium ($19.99 per month)
Subscribers who have Standard with Ads or Basic plans cannot add users outside their households. For $7.99 per month, subscribers who have the Standard without Ads plan can add one user outside the household. And subscribers who have the Premium Netflix plan can add up to two users outside their households for $7.99 per month per user.
Unfortunately for fans of Netflix, the company has not made an exception for people living away from home temporarily, such as college students, military personnel, and employees on extended work assignments away from home. Under Netflix’s new policy, people in those circumstances would have to play the extra fee or wait until they return home to watch Netflix.
Blockbuster couldn’t resist poking fun at Netflix:
Adding A User Outside Your Household
If you currently share your Netflix password with someone outside of your household and have a subscription plan that allows password sharing for a fee, you’ll need to buy an extra member slot if you want them to continue using your account. You can do this by visiting the Netflix website and going to your Account Settings.
Under the Extra Members section, click Buy an Extra Member Slot. If you have a plan that doesn’t allow an extra member outside your household, Netflix will offer to upgrade your plan for an additional fee.
Transferring Netflix Profiles
If you have people outside your household who had been using your Netflix account but won’t be doing so under the new rules, they can set up a new Netflix account while keeping their profiles. By keeping their profiles, Netflix users can retain their Watch Lists and viewing history, pick up watching shows where they left off, and get Netflix recommendations according to their viewing preferences.
But to transfer their Netflix profiles, the subscriber to the original Netflix account must first allow the transfer of profiles. To allow the transfer of profiles from your Netflix account, go into Account Settings => Settings => Turn on Profile Transfers => Allow.
You’ll see a confirmation of profile transfers becoming available from your account.
You can confirm allowing the transfer of profiles from your account immediately by clicking on a link in your email. Or the transfer of profiles from your account will be available in two days if you don’t click the link in the email.
Your Thoughts
Have you been affected by Netflix ending password sharing? Will you be adding people outside your household to your Netflix account? Do you think this is a good or bad move for Netflix?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
