Netflix is rolling out a new Profile Transfer feature that makes it possible to switch to a new account without losing access to a personalized profile. In spite of Netflix being one of the services with the most subscribers, it has been having some issues of late. This has resulted in a number of changes seemingly designed to increase its subscriber base.
Just last week, Netflix confirmed the final details surrounding the launch of its ‘Netflix with ads’ plan. Now officially called Basic with ads, the new plan is set to go live in select countries, including the US, in early November. At which point, new users will be able to sign up for a Netflix plan from as little as $6.99 per month.
Ahead of that launch, and after initial testing in a few countries, Netflix has also announced the rolling out of Profile Transfer. This feature is designed for those that are starting their own subscription but don’t want to lose access to their individual profile. After transferring a profile to a fresh membership, the new subscriber will still have access to their personalized recommendations, viewing history, watchlist, and any other settings that may have been changed.
The act of actually transferring a profile seems to be fairly straightforward. The owner of the profile to be transferred simply logs in to Netflix, accesses their profile, and then clicks on the Profile Transfer option that’s now visible in the drop-down menu. After which, the user will be able to create a new Netflix subscription and have all of their profile details automatically migrated over. According to Netflix, Profile Transfer is rolling out to all members globally starting today
For any accounts that are not seeing the new option yet, Netflix does explain that its members will be notified by email when the new feature has been added to their individual account. As Netflix accounts are only linked to the account holder’s email address, those sharing someone else’s account shouldn’t expect to be notified by email. Netflix also explains that even though the profile is being transferred to a new account, a copy remains available via the old account. As a result, profile owners will need to manually delete the profile if they no longer want it to be accessible through the old account.
Although a convenience feature, and one that Netflix says has been “much requested” by users, it is clear that Profile Transfer will also benefit Netflix. After all, the feature is tailored-made to help people who were sharing an account start their own, increasing Netflix’s subscriber base with every use.
