Skip to main content

    Sharing Netflix With Family Under the New Rules

    Netflix changed its sharing rules — learn the right way to add a household member or set up a new account without paying more than you need to.

    3 min read · 5 steps · Checked April 2026

    1. Step 1. Understand what changed

      Netflix now allows sharing only with people in your household (same home address). Sharing with family or friends at other addresses requires an "Extra Member" add-on or a separate account.

    2. Step 2. Check your current plan

      Go to Netflix.com → click your profile picture → Account. Under your plan name, you can see if your plan supports an Extra Member slot.

    3. Step 3. Add an Extra Member (if available)

      In Account settings, look for "Add an Extra Member." This costs a small monthly fee and gives someone at a different address their own profile on your account.

    4. Step 4. Set up a separate account for family

      For children or family members who need their own account, visit Netflix.com and sign up. The Standard with Ads plan is the most affordable option.

    5. Step 5. Transfer your watch history

      If you need to start a fresh account, go to AccountPrivacy → "Download your personal information" to get a copy of your viewing history before leaving the old account.

    Netflix updated its rules about sharing accounts with people outside your home. If you used to share your password with a grown child in another city or a close friend, you may have received notices saying that is no longer allowed. This has confused a lot of people. And it is worth understanding exactly what changed so you are not paying for something you do not need — or accidentally locked out of your own account.

    Here is how Netflix now defines a "household": everyone who watches Netflix at your primary home address. Your partner, children living with you, and roommates all count as your household. If someone in another home wants their own access, Netflix offers an "Extra Member" add-on on some plans that lets you add one person outside your home for a small monthly fee. To check your plan and see if this option is available to you, go to Netflix.com on a computer, click your profile picture in the top right, click "Account," and look under your plan details.

    If you have children or grandchildren in college or living on their own who need Netflix, the most cost-effective solution is usually for them to start their own Netflix account. Netflix often has promotions for new subscribers. If you are the one whose access was cut off, you can set up your own account quickly at Netflix.com — choose a plan (the Standard with Ads plan is the most affordable) and enter a payment method. Your watch history and preferences can also be transferred to a new account using the Netflix data transfer feature found in your account settings.

    Official sources

    Still stuck?

    A real person can walk you through it over the phone.

    Get help from a person

    Related guides