Smart TVs & Netflix: 22 Answers (For Beginners)

Netflix has a long history of providing users with home entertainment. From its humble beginnings as a DVD-rental service, it has since evolved into a top-tier, on-demand entertainment giant.

It has fully embraced streaming and is a staple in the entertainment industry.

As part of adapting to the evolving formats of home entertainment, it has adopted the app format for devices, most notably on the smart TV.

About Smart TVs and Netflix:

Netflix is one of the most popular entertainment apps out there. It comes pre-downloaded on many newer smart TVs, and if it is not on your TV upon purchase, it can easily be downloaded from your smart TV’s app store. All you need is a Netflix account and an Internet connection.

Table of Contents

1. How Do I get Netflix on My Smart TV?

If Netflix is not on your smart TV out of the box, you can get Netflix by installing it from the app store of your smart TV.

Modern smart TVs come with their own app store where you can download apps like Netflix.

You will need to sign in to an existing Netflix account to access Netflix.

Check here what Smart TVs that works with Netflix.

2. Can You Sign Up for Netflix on Your Smart TV?

You cannot sign up for Netflix directly from your Smart TV.

You will need to log into a browser and apply on their site, from either your computer, your smartphone, or a tablet.

3. Is Netflix Free on Smart TVs?

You can install Netflix for free on your smart TV, but Netflix itself has a monthly subscription fee to use.

Netflix does offer a one-month free trial, but you still need to enter your payment credentials to proceed with the free trial.

The basic plan of Netflix costs $8.99 a month and lets you watch on one screen.

You can also get many other services on your TV via apps: Here’s how to get ITVX on your Smart TV.

4. What Are Screens on Netflix?

Screens refer to the number of screens that you can have Netflix running on at the same time.

If your plan has four screens, it means you can have up to four devices using a single Netflix account at the same time.

That means that you can share your account with four family or friends if you choose, and you can all watch Netflix separately.

The Basic Plan of Netflix comes with one screen, while the Standard Plan comes with two. The Premium, or the highest plan on Netflix, allows a total of four screens.

5. What Happens if the Devices Exceed the Number of Screens?

If you exceed the number of screens allowed for your plan, the person trying to watch will be notified that they cannot watch Netflix until another user on your plan exits Netflix.

You won’t be able to watch any content and will be limited to browsing, and you will need to wait until a screen slot becomes vacant.

We have a full article also with the most common Netflix problems.

6. Can You Remove Devices Using Netflix?

To remove devices that are using Netflix, you must log in to your Netflix account through a web browser.

Go to your Profile and look for the Account Menu. Under the Settings option in the Account Menu, click on logout for all devices.

This option comes in handy, especially if you suspect unauthorized usage or if you left your account logged in on another device.

This is not unique to Netflix. If you’re in Australia and use Foxtel Now, you can check our guide to Foxtel Now.

7. Are All Smart TVs Compatible with Netflix?

Not all smart TVs are compatible with Netflix.

Early smart TVs do not have Netflix or app stores pre-installed in their system.

But that does not mean you cannot use those TVs to watch Netflix programs.

As long as the TV has an HDMI port, you can use it to host a compatible device that can access Netflix.

8. My Smart TV Will Not Connect to Netflix.

There are a few troubleshooting tips you can try when your smart TV will not connect to Netflix.

Here is what the Netflix Help Guide suggests:

Restart the Netflix app. If it still does not work, you can try checking other apps on your smart TV that connect to the web, such as YouTube or Spotify. If they also aren’t connecting, you need to check your Internet connection.
If your other apps work and Netflix does not connect, you can try signing out of Netflix and signing back in.

If the issue persists, you may want to reset Netflix.

If you are on the error screen, click on More Info or More Details. You can sign out or reset Netflix from there.
If you are on the Home screen, you can click on Settings or the Gear icon, select sign-out, and click on Reset.
If you are on any other screen, you can press the following sequence using the remote control of your smart TV: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Up, Up, Up, Up. From here, you can choose to reset Netflix at the sign out screen.

If that does not work, you can try restarting your home network.

Turn off your smart TV and router.
Unplug both devices.
Wait for 30 seconds and reconnect everything.
Once your Internet connection is restored on the router, turn on your smart TV and wait for your TV to reconnect with your connection.

If that does not work, your network may not have Netflix whitelisted. You can try contacting your Internet service provider for help.

9. Why is Netflix Not Working on My Smart TV?

The most common reason Netflix stops working is due to your Internet connection.

Internet issues related to Netflix include not having enough bandwidth or your local network not allowing access to Netflix.

10. Why is Netflix Pixelated on My Smart TV?

Netflix usually begins streaming at low resolutions when it first begins playing.

According to their help guide, it should settle at your preferred resolution after a minute of streaming.

If the resolution is still pixelated after playing for a minute, you can opt to check your resolution settings. Netflix subscribers who use at least the Standard Plan have the option to stream at high definition (HD).

If you have access to HD streaming based on your plan, you can make sure these settings are on by logging into Netflix on a desktop browser.

Go to your Profile then select Account.
Look for Playback Settings under My Profile.
Select High under Data Usage, then Save your settings.

You should now be able to watch Netflix in HD.

If you do not have HD privileges, you should check your Internet connection. It is recommended to have an Internet speed of at least 3 Mbps, which lets you watch Netflix on Standard Definition (SD).

11. Why is Netflix Buffering on My Smart TV?

Buffering on Netflix is often a connectivity issue, which involves your Internet connection.

You need at least 3 Mbps to watch in SD resolution. If you want to watch at higher resolutions, you need at least 7 Mbps to watch at HD resolutions. And when applicable, you need around 25 Mbps to watch titles at 4K resolution.

If your Internet speed cannot meet the requirements of these resolutions, you might want to throttle down your settings or set it to Auto so that it can adjust based on your connectivity.

12. Why Does My Smart TV Not Have a Netflix App?

Not all smart TVs come with the Netflix app installed upon buying.

In this case, you will need to install it on your TV by downloading it from your TV’s default app store.

Note that older smart TVs do not have app stores, hence cannot have Netflix installed.

13. Can I Download Netflix Shows to My Smart TV?

According to the Netflix Help Guide, only the following devices can download Netflix shows to the device for offline viewing:

iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running iOS 9.0 or later
An Android Phone or Tablet running Android 4.4.2 or later
Amazon Fire tablet running Fire OS 4.0 or later
Windows 10 tablet or computer running Version 1607 (Anniversary Update) or later

Note that not all shows on Netflix are available for offline viewing.

14. Do You Need a Smart TV to Watch Netflix?

You don’t need a smart TV to watch Netflix, and there are other ways to access Netflix without using a smart TV.

The most common way of watching Netflix without a smart TV is through your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

If your TV has an HDMI port but is not considered a smart TV, you can opt for Digital Media Players like Roku, the Fire TV stick, or Chromecast. If you have a compatible gaming console, you can use it as a set-top box to host Netflix.

15. How Do you Watch Netflix on a Non-smart TV?

If your TV has an HDMI port, you can use HDMI-compatible devices to watch Netflix on. Here are two devices to consider.

Digital Media Player or Digital Media Receivers

This option is for those who do not have a smart TV but do have an ordinary TV or Monitor with HDMI ports.

Digital Media Players are small devices that plug directly into the HDMI port of your TV or Monitor.

These devices have their remote control for navigation and usually have an option for a Remote App that you can install on your smartphone.

Installation of Netflix on these devices is very much like smart TVs. You only need to go to its app store and download Netflix from there.

Popular Digital Media Players are the Apple TV, Roku Stick, and the Fire TV stick. The last two plug directly into the HDMI port.

There are also Digital Media Receivers like Google Chromecast, which let you watch Netflix and other streaming services on your non-smart TV screen.

Unlike Digital Media Players like Apple TV, Digital Media Receivers like Chromecast need another device, such as a smartphone or computer that will send the data for streaming.

If you have Netflix on your smartphone, you can have the Chromecast mirror your screen onto your TV.

Gaming Console

Believe it or not, some gaming consoles support Netflix!

Modern gaming consoles now connect to the Internet and your TV via HDMI.

Consoles such as the Xbox 360 and One, Nintendo Wii U, the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS4 Pro, and the latest PS5 can stream Netflix to your TV or Gaming Monitor.

You can find the Netflix app for these devices in their respective app stores.

16. My Smart TV Goes Blank When I Select Netflix

Should this happen, select back on your remote control, then open the Netflix app again.

If it does not work, restart your smart TV. Make sure to unplug it and turn it on after a minute.

Should the problem persist, you can try reaching out to the manufacturer of your smart TV.

17. How Do I Sign In and Out of Netflix on My Smart TV?

Assuming you already have an account on Netflix, open the app and click sign in. You will be asked to enter the email address associated with your Netflix account and password.

To sign out, click on the Settings or Gear icon on the home screen of Netflix.

Under the Settings Menu, you will see Sign Out at the bottom. Click on it to sign out from Netflix.

18. My Smart TV Keeps Kicking Me Off Netflix

Here are possible fixes for if you keep getting ejected from Netflix.

Turn off your smart TV and unplug it. Leave it unplugged for three minutes before turning it on again. Turn on your smart TV again and open Netflix.
If the option does not work, you can try signing out of Netflix and logging in again, or try using another account.
You can also turn off your Internet router or modem and give it 30 seconds before turning it on. Make sure you also restart your smart TV.

Should that fix not work, you might have to check the proximity of your router to your smart TV. Try moving your router closer to the smart TV in case using a cable connection to the Internet is not possible.

If you can use an ethernet cable to connect your smart TV, consider doing so.

Should you be using a VPN, disconnect it and connect to your default Internet connection. If you changed DNS settings, restore it to the default setting.

If the issue is still not resolved, it would be best to get in touch with the manufacturer of your smart TV.

19. How Can I Watch Netflix Without a Smart TV?

The nice thing about Netflix as an on-demand service is that you can access it while away from the TV.

If you are not at home, here are some ways to get your Netflix fix.

Smartphones

Phones and tablets that run at least iOS 9, Android 4.4.2, or Fire OS 4.0 have access to the Netflix app, which lets you watch and even download your favorite shows for offline viewing, in some cases.

Just download the app from the app store of your device and sign in to Netflix to use.

Note that downloading titles for offline viewing will take up space on your device, especially when saving in HD resolution.

Desktop or Laptop

If you are running Windows 10 with at least version 1607, you can download the Netflix app for your computer.

You can also run Netflix through your browser by logging into your Netflix account on your browser.

Netflix can run in the newer versions of the most common browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Internet Explorer 11, and Microsoft Edge.

On the hardware side of things, you need at least 512 MB of RAM and a 1.6 GHz processor for Windows or a 1.8 GHz processor to play Netflix on your Mac. That should not be much of a problem, since most modern computers now have at least 4 GB of RAM and 1.8 GHz of processor speed.

20. Netflix Says My Account Is in Use When I Try to Use It.

That is when logging out all your devices after using Netflix helps.

You can log into your Netflix account and look up your Viewing Activity. If you see suspicious locations and devices, you can opt to remove them.

But sometimes, the problem may persist after doing this. You can try logging out of your account and give it a few hours before trying again.

21. Can I Block Netflix Access on My Smart TV?

If you want to restrict access to Netflix on your smart TV, you can do so in the parental controls of your smart TV.

The process for this depends on the model of your smart TV, so it is best to check with the user manual of your TV.

If you want to know more about blocking Netflix on your smart TV, you can read this article.

If your primary concern is about the possible content that children may view on Netflix, you can also choose to create a dedicated profile with restricted access.

You can create a New Profile by logging into Netflix on a desktop browser and clicking on Manage Profiles in the upper right corner. Here, you can set the age restriction of content available for viewing.