Netflix has discreetly removed one of its most helpful features, and consumers are not taking it lightly. In recent weeks, users have noticed that their Netflix mobile app no longer has the recognizable cast button. There was no announcement, no warning. Nothing. Just silence. Reddit users have reported that the icon vanished around November 10, causing a great deal of confusion and rage.
Netflix has already updated its help page to confirm the change, adding that it “no longer supports casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and TV-streaming devices.” In simple terms: if your TV or streaming gadget has a remote control—and that covers nearly all modern devices—you can no longer cast Netflix directly from your phone. You must open the Netflix app on the TV itself and navigate with the remote.
Only the most expensive ad-free plans, which start at $17.99 per month (or about KES 1,100 in some regions), support casting on those legacy devices. This effectively locks out anyone using a more recent Chromecast with Google TV, newer Google TV streamers, or smart TVs running Google TV, Android TV, Roku OS, Fire TV, or similar platforms. In other words, if you purchased any streaming hardware in the last few years, you’ve lost access to a feature that used to work perfectly.
Netflix’s formal rationale hasn’t satisfied everyone. The tool had “low usage,” according to a corporate representative who spoke to WIRED, and Netflix would rather concentrate on features that provide “more value.” They neglected to state how many users actually relied on casting or why it apparently required substantial resources.
However, online reactions tell a totally different story. Many users describe relying on phone casting because their smart TV apps are slow, outdated, or buggy. One Reddit user commented, “The Netflix app on my smart TV is so laggy it’s basically unusable. Removing casting means I’ll just quit using Netflix entirely.” Some didn’t want to or couldn’t log into Netflix on every TV they used, so they cast from their phones.
This isn’t Netflix’s first time pulling the plug on a popular convenience. In 2019, the company terminated AirPlay support, claiming it could no longer guarantee viewing quality. Since then, Netflix has steadily shifted from favoring accessibility to tightening control, visible in price increases, password-sharing crackdowns, and now the removal of casting.
Netflix claims this latest step has nothing to do with deterring account sharing, stating the decision is simply based on low consumption stats. The company also recommended that consumers “check if their TV supports adding an old Google Cast device.” However, such a suggestion is not very helpful given that Google has essentially phased out traditional Chromecast dongles.
There you have it, people. Netflix now wants users to rely on the app built directly into their TVs or streaming devices. But for those who depended on casting because it was fast, simple, or their only practical option, this change feels like another blow to convenience. The kind of change that could push some subscribers away entirely.
