Netflix's household sharing setting lets you control whether people outside your home can watch from your account

Netflix lets you turn off household sharing, which is the feature that allows people in other locations to use your account. When you disable it, only devices on your home network can stream — anyone trying to watch from a different address will get a message saying they need their own account or permission from the account owner.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use a phone, computer, or TV, but the setting lives in the same place: your account settings. You do not need to cancel your subscription or remove anyone from your account to do this — you are just turning off the feature that lets Netflix detect and allow out-of-home viewing.

Key Takeaways

  • Disabling household sharing means only devices connected to your home network can stream on your account.
  • You can turn off household sharing from any device by going to Account Settings and finding the Household Sharing section.
  • People who were already watching from outside your home will lose access immediately once you disable the feature.
  • Turning off household sharing does not delete profiles or remove people from your account — it only blocks out-of-home streaming.

How to disable household sharing on a computer or phone

Open Netflix in a web browser or the Netflix app and sign in with your account. Go to your account menu — on a computer this is usually in the top right corner, and on a phone it is the profile icon at the bottom or top of the screen.

Select Account or Settings from the menu. Look for a section called Household Sharing, Manage Access and Devices, or Settings and Privacy depending on your Netflix version. Once you find it, you will see a toggle or button to turn household sharing off. Click or tap it, and Netflix will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, the feature is disabled.

How to disable household sharing on a TV

On a TV, the process is similar but the menu navigation is different because you are using a remote. Open Netflix and go to your profile icon, usually in the top left or top right corner of the screen. Navigate to Account or Settings using your remote's arrow buttons.

Find Household Sharing or Manage Access and Devices in the menu. Select it and look for the toggle to turn sharing off. Use your remote to select the option to disable it, then confirm when Netflix asks. The change takes effect immediately.

What happens after you disable household sharing

Once you turn off household sharing, Netflix stops allowing anyone to stream from a different location than your home network. If someone outside your home was actively watching, their stream will stop and they will see a message saying the account owner has disabled out-of-home viewing.

People who live with you and are on your home network will not be affected — they can keep watching normally. If you want to let someone outside your home watch again later, you can turn household sharing back on by following the same steps and toggling it back to on.

If you want to let specific people watch from other locations

Netflix offers an alternative to turning off household sharing entirely: you can add members to your account instead. Members are people who have their own login and their own profiles, and they can watch from anywhere — not just your home network.

To add a member, go to Account Settings and look for Add Member or Manage Access and Devices. You will enter their email address and they will get an invitation. Once they accept, they have their own profile and can watch from any location. This costs extra per month depending on your plan, but it gives you control over exactly who has access and keeps their viewing separate from yours.

Troubleshooting if the setting does not appear

If you cannot find the household sharing setting, you might be on an older version of Netflix or using a device that does not support this feature yet. Netflix rolls out features gradually, so some accounts and devices get the option before others.

Try signing out completely and signing back in, or update the Netflix app if you are using a phone or TV. If the setting still does not appear after updating, your account may not have access to it yet — Netflix will make it available to you over time. In the meantime, you can still manage which devices are signed in by going to Account Settings and looking for Devices and Activities or Sign Out of All Devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling household sharing delete anyone's profile?

No. Disabling household sharing only blocks out-of-home streaming. All profiles stay on your account, and people who live with you can still watch normally. If you want to remove someone completely, you would need to delete their profile separately in Account Settings.

Can I turn household sharing back on later?

Yes. You can turn it back on anytime by going to the same Household Sharing setting and toggling it on again. There is no penalty or waiting period — Netflix will immediately allow out-of-home viewing again.

What if someone outside my home is still watching after I disable it?

Their stream will stop within a few minutes of you disabling the feature. They will see a message saying household sharing is off. If they keep trying to watch, they will need to either be on your home network or have their own Netflix account.

Does disabling household sharing affect my subscription cost?

No. Your monthly bill stays the same whether household sharing is on or off. Disabling it only changes who can watch — it does not change your plan or what you pay.