By India McCarty
Changes are coming to Netflix — the streamer just quietly restricted its popular screencasting feature.
“If you’re looking to cast from your mobile device to your TV or a device connected to your TV, check the list of compatible devices below,” an article on Netflix’s support page reads. “If it isn’t listed, you’ll need to use a physical remote to navigate the Netflix app.”
Now, the only devices subscribers can screencast from are “Chromecast 3rd gen or older, Google Nest Hub Smart Display, Select cast-enabled Vizio TVs, and Select cast-enabled Compal TVs.”
The streamer now says you’ll have to use your remote if you want to watch Netflix on TV. https://t.co/ErxDVhpbew
— The A.V. Club (@TheAVClub) December 1, 2025
Related: Why Netflix Holds to its Streaming First Mentality
Missing from that list? Smartphones and tablets, which were popular devices used to broadcast Netflix from phones and other smart devices directly to a television.
Luckily, most smart TVs come with Netflix already built-in these days, and there are other methods to get the streamer on your television, but many are bemoaning the removal of one of the simplest ways to screencast.
Netflix hasn’t given a reason for this change, but Reddit users have said “customer service representatives indicated that casting was removed from devices with dedicated remotes to ‘improve the customer service experience,’” per Dagens.com.
The streaming service made a similar move in 2019 when they removed the AirPlay feature from their site.
“We want to make sure our members have a great Netflix experience on any device they use. With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn’t a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn’t) or certify these experiences,” an official statement from Netflix explained.
The statement continued, “Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met. Members can continue to access Netflix on the built-in app across Apple TV and other devices.”
While Netflix insisted the removal was down to a “technical limitation,” The Verge hypothesized “that Netflix is intentionally snubbing Apple for some reason, perhaps to build a wall around its subscribers, or perhaps to gain more negotiating leverage.”
However, Netflix denied this, stating, “It’s not a business competition play.”
The streamer isn’t the only service that has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to their service being used on competitors’ products. For example, Amazon stopped stocking Google’s Chromecast tech for three years while it worked on its own streaming product, Fire TV.
Whether it’s truly a technical limitation or Netflix just marking their territory, Netflix subscribers will have to figure out a new way to play their streaming favorites on their televisions.
Read Next: Did Netflix Just Bring Your Favorite Party Game to Your TV?
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