In 2025, Netflix (NFLX) made several major moves, some of which frustrated subscribers and some of which pleased them. The year began with a move that angered users, as the streaming giant increased its prices after revealing its last quarter of 2024 brought in 18.9 million new subscribers.
With this increase, Netflix’s subscription base surpassed 300 million, and the company raised its prices: The Standard Plan without ads increased from $15.59 to $17.00, the Ad-Supported Plan jumped from $6.99 to $7.99, and the Premium Plan shot up from $22.99 to $24.99 per month.
Then in April 2025, Netflix launched a significant upgrade to its language options on TV apps, focusing on its global reach. With this move, the company enabled viewers to choose from an expanded range of subtitles and dubbing languages, reported NASDAQ.
More recently, Netflix surprised subscribers once again with a move beyond streaming. The streaming company brought its mobile games to smart TV, enabling users to play the following games on TV, solo, or with friends:
- Pictionary
- Boggle Party
- Tetris
- LEGO Party
- Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends
In the most recent news, Netflix quietly eliminated a popular feature, frustrating a number of subscribers.
Netflix has quietly removed the option for its subscribers to cast content from its mobile app to most TVs and streaming devices.
Netflix removes casting from its mobile app to most TVs, including Chromecast
Netflix has quietly removed the option for its subscribers to cast content from its mobile app to most TVs and streaming devices, including Chromecast with Google TV and Google TV Streamer, according to Android Authority.
It appears that the update rolled out over the last few weeks, and subscribers noticed that the “Cast button” was no longer available in the Netflix app, reporting the change on Reddit. The option to cast content from a phone is no longer available for subscribers who have modern smart TVs and streaming devices.
Netflix still supports casting to:
- Chromecast 3rd gen or older (did not come with a physical remote)
- Google Nest Hub Smart Display
- Select cast-enabled Vizio TVs
- Select cast-enabled Compal TVs Source: Netflix help page
It is important to note that even on those compatible devices, casting will be available only for certain subscription plans. More precisely, subscribers with an ad-supported plan cannot use their TV as a display for Netflix content playing from their mobile device (via casting or mirroring).
In a Reddit thread sharing the news about the change, user freetherabbit wrote that a customer care representative shared: “If the device has its own remote, you can’t cast.” The representative reportedly also said the change was made to improve user experience.
“I asked him to tell me how it makes a single users experience better… he had nothing for me lol,” user wrote.
A number of users confirmed they lost casting support weeks or months earlier and thought it was a bug, not realizing it was a slow rollout.
Consumers are frustrated, threaten to cancel Netflix subscriptions
Many users prefer browsing Netflix content on their phones and then playing it on TV from there. Removing this option appeared to frustrate a number of subscribers, according to their comments on Reddit. The overall sentiment appears negative, with users sharing anger and confusion.
User techie1980, who started the thread sharing the news said, “I’m annoyed, as chromecasting is the main way that I watch streaming. It gives me all of the control to use my phone as a remote control and searching for stuff is so much easier.” The user added that they don’t know why the change was made and that Amazon Prime still supports Chromecast.
Techie1980 hopes that if enough people complain about the removal, perhaps Netflix will bring it back.
User DavidinCincinnati seconded that thought, asking other subscribers to contact Netflix and tell them they’ll cancel the service if the streamer doesn’t bring back the feature.
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User ADHD2343 also said they plan to cancel their Netflix account (of 14 years) over this.
User Alvnunez pointed out another reason why this is such a big problem for subscribers. “You are right and this sucks [big] time. How are people supposed to cast to hotel rooms, Airbnb, and any other places besides your home?”
Based on various threads, a significant number of users don’t use the TV remote at all, are used to only casting from their phones, and don’t appreciate using built-in TV or Google TV apps, making this change very disruptive for their entire viewing experience.
Why did Netflix remove casting options from its mobile app to most TV?
Some subscribers speculated about the reason behind this move, suggesting Netflix might be intentionally forcing certain devices or plans.
User Adora_belle2019 wrote, “I just discovered this and i was more furious when netflix agent told that i need to change to the more expensive plan 16ish $CAD if I want to cast so i asked him to cancel my plan. Goodbye netflix. I hope everybody cancel their netflix, scammers!”
While Netflix hasn’t issued any official statement on why it made the change, reporters and experts have shared their thoughts. One possible explanation for the removal, according to Forbes, is that Netflix is attempting to ensure users follow its household rules, which require accounts to be shared by people living in one household.
“Casting removal also helps Netflix crack down on password sharing between different households,” wrote Antonio Pequeño IV for Forbes.
Ars Technica made a similar argument (i.e., Netflix has good reason for urging people to log into its TV apps).
“After years of cheekily promoting password sharing, the company now takes a hardline stance against such things. By requiring people to log into more TVs, users are more likely to hit their screen limits. Netflix will happily sell you a more expensive plan that supports streaming to this new TV, though.”
Ars Technica also suggests that Netflix’ major focus is engagement, and it is challenging to maintain a good engagement score when people only watch a single item at a time via casting sessions.
Related: YouTube TV drops generous offer for its subscribers