Adding a profile takes less than a minute and lets each person in your household have their own watch history and recommendations

Netflix profiles are separate accounts within a single Netflix subscription. Each profile has its own watch history, saved shows, recommendations, and viewing restrictions. You create them directly in the Netflix app or website — there's no separate sign-up or payment involved. If you're the account owner or have admin access, you can add profiles for anyone in your household.

The process is the same whether you're using Netflix on a phone, tablet, computer, or TV. You'll see a "Profiles" or account menu option, select "Add Profile," give it a name, and choose whether to set parental controls. That's it — the new profile is ready to use immediately.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add up to five profiles per Netflix account, and each one keeps separate watch history and recommendations.
  • Only the account owner or someone with admin access can add new profiles, but anyone can switch between existing profiles without a password.
  • You can set maturity ratings and content restrictions on individual profiles to control what appears for younger viewers.
  • Profiles are tied to your Netflix account, not to specific devices, so the same profile works on any device you sign into.

How to add a profile on a phone or tablet

Open the Netflix app and tap the profile icon in the top right corner (it looks like a circle with a person inside). You'll see a list of existing profiles. At the bottom, tap "Add Profile" or the plus sign. Enter a name for the new profile — this can be a person's name, a nickname, or anything you want to call it.

Netflix will ask if you want to set maturity restrictions. If this profile is for a child, toggle on "Restrict Maturity Levels" and choose the highest rating you want to allow (Little Kids, Older Kids, Teens, or Adults). You can also lock the profile with a PIN so someone can't switch to it without entering a code. Once you've made your choices, tap "Continue" or "Create Profile," and you're done.

How to add a profile on a computer or smart TV

On a computer, go to netflix.com and sign in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner, then click "Manage Profiles." Click "Add Profile" and enter a name. Check the box for "Restrict Maturity Levels" if needed, choose your settings, and click "Create Profile."

On a smart TV, open Netflix and navigate to your profile icon using the remote. Select "Manage Profiles" or "Add Profile" — the exact wording depends on your TV model and Netflix app version. Enter the profile name using the on-screen keyboard, set restrictions if you want them, and confirm. The new profile will appear in your profile list immediately.

Setting up parental controls and maturity restrictions

When you create a profile, you can restrict what content appears based on maturity rating. Netflix uses four levels: Little Kids (ages 4–6), Older Kids (ages 7–12), Teens (ages 13+), and Adults. If you select "Little Kids," only content rated for that age group will show up — the profile won't even display titles above that rating.

You can also lock a profile with a PIN so that switching to it requires a code. This prevents someone from accidentally or intentionally accessing a restricted profile. To change these settings later, go to "Manage Profiles," select the profile you want to edit, and adjust the maturity level or PIN. These controls are separate from your main account password.

Switching between profiles and managing who uses what

Once profiles are set up, anyone in your household can switch between them without entering a password — unless you've locked a specific profile with a PIN. On the home screen, tap or click your profile icon and select the profile you want to use. Your watch history, recommendations, and saved shows will load immediately.

Netflix remembers which profile you were using last, so if you always watch on the same device, it may default to your profile. If multiple people share a device, you'll need to switch profiles each time someone new wants to watch. There's no way to automatically log out after a period of time, so you'll need to manually switch if you want to keep viewing separate.

What to do if you've hit the profile limit or need to remove one

Netflix allows up to five profiles per account. If you've created five and want to add another, you'll need to delete an existing profile first. Go to "Manage Profiles," select the profile you want to remove, and choose "Delete Profile." This removes the profile and its watch history permanently — you can't undo it.

Deleting a profile doesn't affect the main account or other profiles. If you delete a profile by mistake, you can create a new one with the same name, but the watch history and saved shows will be gone. Before deleting, consider whether you might want that profile back later — if someone in your household might watch again in the future, you could rename it instead of deleting it.

Troubleshooting common profile problems

If you can't see the "Add Profile" option, you may not have admin access on this account. Only the account owner or someone with admin permissions can create new profiles. If you're not the account owner, ask them to add the profile for you.

If a profile isn't appearing on one device but shows up on another, sign out of the Netflix app completely and sign back in. Sometimes the app cache needs to refresh to show all profiles. If you're still not seeing it after signing out and back in, restart the device or app and try again. If a profile is locked with a PIN and you've forgotten it, the account owner can reset it by going to "Manage Profiles" and removing the PIN.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than five profiles on one Netflix account?

No, Netflix limits accounts to five profiles. If you need more, you would need a separate Netflix subscription. For most households, five profiles is enough for family members plus a guest profile.

Do I need a password to switch between profiles?

Not unless you've locked a specific profile with a PIN. By default, anyone with access to your Netflix account can switch between profiles without entering anything. If you want to protect a profile, you set a PIN when you create it or edit it later in "Manage Profiles."

What happens to a profile's watch history if I delete it?

The watch history is deleted permanently along with the profile. You can't recover it. If you think someone might use that profile again, consider renaming it instead of deleting it.

Can I use the same profile on multiple devices at the same time?

Netflix's terms allow simultaneous streams based on your plan — Standard allows two at once, Premium allows four. This means two people could watch on the same profile at the same time, but they'd share watch history and recommendations. It's better to create separate profiles so each person has their own viewing record.

How do I change a profile's name or maturity settings after I've created it?

Go to "Manage Profiles," select the profile you want to edit, and you'll see options to change the name, maturity level, and PIN. Changes take effect immediately on all devices.