Netflix now lets you remotely log out of specific devices

Netflix subscribers will now be able to check out all the devices that have access to their accounts and remotely sign out of them with a single click using the company’s new Manage Access and Devices feature.

The feature, which is now available to all Netflix members around the world, could be highly useful for those who want to kick their exes or friends out of their accounts, who once logged in at a different place like a hotel but forgot to log out, or who use the company’s cheaper Basic and Basic with Ads plans that can be used only one device at a time.

‘’With the busy holiday season just around the corner, many of our members will be on the move and watching Netflix wherever they are traveling to see family and friends,’’ said Charles Wartemberg, a Product Manager at Netflix, in a blog post. ‘’Logging in to your account while at a hotel or even your friend’s house is easy and intuitive, but occasionally people forget to log out,’’ he added.

How to log out of Netflix remotely

In order to sign out of Netflix from a remote location, you need to head to your Account Settings first and choose the new Manage Access and Devices option there. Then, Netflix will show you all the devices where your account has been active recently along with details like their IP addresses and when they last accessed your account. 

After selecting the device you want to be disconnected from your account and clicking Sign Out, Netflix will also offer you the option to quickly change your password so that they can’t log in again if they have your credentials.

Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown

The new feature arrives at a time when Netflix is cracking down on password-sharing with others. After losing 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter and nearly 1 million in Q2, the company now wants to generate extra revenue by requiring members to pay an additional fee to be able to share their accounts with others outside their household.

Also Read: Netflix Revenue and Usage Statistics

During an earnings call with investors in October, the company announced that it would launch an ‘’extra members’’ feature early next year, which was initially tested in Chile, Peru and Costa Rica. 

It also recently launched a new feature called ‘’Profile Transfer’’ to enable users who use a shared account to create their own accounts and transfer their profiles there without losing their personal recommendations, view history, etc.

The new Manage Access and Devices feature also could help the company turn users kicked out of other accounts into paying customers.