Netflix quietly drops support for casting to most TVs
Struggling to cast Stranger Things from your phone to your TV? It's not your TV's fault. Netflix has recently made a change that's causing this issue, and it's a deliberate move. The streaming app has updated its support for Google Cast, effectively disabling the feature in most situations. This means you'll need to pay for one of the company's more expensive plans, and even then, Netflix will only cast to older TVs and streaming dongles.
The Google Cast system first appeared in apps around the time the original Chromecast launched in 2013. Since then, Netflix users have been able to start video streams on TVs and streaming boxes from their mobile app. This was a game-changer for streaming targets without their own remote or on-screen interface. However, times have changed.
Google has moved beyond the remote-free Chromecast experience, and most TVs now have their own standalone Netflix apps. Netflix itself is also cautious about anything that could allow password sharing or watching in new locations. Over the last couple of weeks, Netflix updated its Android app to remove most casting options, mirroring a similar change in 2019 when they ended Apple AirPlay support on iOS.
The company's support site now clarifies that casting is only supported in a limited set of circumstances. You need to be on one of the ad-free service tiers, which start at $18 per month. Those on the $8 ad-supported plan won't have casting support at all.
Even then, Casting is only available for devices without a remote, like earlier generations of Google Chromecasts, as well as some older TVs with Cast built in. For example, the Google 3rd Gen Chromecast from 2018 still supports casting video in Netflix, but the 2020 Chromecast dongle (with a remote and full Android OS) will force you to use the TV app. Essentially, anything running Android/Google TV or a smart TV with a full Netflix app will require you to log in before you can start watching.
