Netflix Drops Mobile Casting to Most TVs

Netflix has made a big change. It no longer lets you cast shows from your phone to most TVs and streaming devices. This includes newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. Users first noticed this change on Reddit. Netflix then updated its support page to confirm it. Now, the streaming service says it doesn't support casting from mobile devices to most TVs and streaming devices. Instead, Netflix wants you to use the remote that came with your TV. You should use the Netflix app that's built into your TV. There's one exception. Older Chromecast models without remotes can still cast. So can TVs with built-in Google Cast support. But even on these devices, casting is only for people on the more expensive ad-free plans. It's not available for those on the cheaper ad-supported plan. Users say Netflix started removing the Cast button from its mobile apps in mid-November. But the company didn't warn users in advance. One Reddit user said customer service explained that devices with remotes can't cast anymore. They claimed this was to improve the customer experience. This isn't the first time Netflix has done something like this. In 2019, it removed AirPlay support from its iOS app. At the time, Netflix said it couldn't tell the difference between different AirPlay-enabled devices.