Netflix has removed the ability to cast shows and movies from a mobile device to most TVs and streaming devices.
The exception is when using an older Chromecast device that doesn't have its own remote, but you will need a non-ad supported plan.
When Google released the Chromecast back in 2013, it was excellent for making an older TV much smarter. Being able to "cast" whatever was on your mobile phone was great for watching things like Netflix without having to upgrade to a new fancy TV that had streaming apps built in.
The original Chromecast has since been replaced with Chromecast with Google TV and, more recently, the Google TV Streamer, but if you have either of those and you’re still looking to cast Netflix from your phone, well you would be out of luck.
As reported by Android Authority, Netflix has removed the ability to cast content from its mobile app to streaming devices and TVs.
A help page on the Netflix website says: “Netflix no longer supports casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and streaming devices. You’ll need to use the remote that came with your TV or streaming device to navigate Netflix.”
The report also says that a Netflix customer care representative told a user that if a device has its own remote, like Chromecast with Google TV and the Google TV Streamer, you won’t be able to cast.
If you have an older Chromecast device or a TV that works with Google Cast, then you should still be able to cast Netflix from your mobile device. But you'll only be able to do this if you are on a non-ad supported plan. For those on an ad-supported plan, casting from your mobile device won’t be possible for you either.
There's a chance Netflix thought taking away the casting feature for devices like Google TV Streamer wouldn’t be too much of a big deal given there is a built in Netflix app, but if casting from your phone is something you have gotten used to over the years, this decision probably won’t be welcome.
