How to Bypass the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban: Easy Guide

Netflix banning password-sharing was disappointing for many people as those who shared their friends’ or family’s accounts have lost access to the streaming site. From college students borrowing their parents’ accounts to friends splitting subscription costs, this change has left many scrambling for solutions. Are you one of those? Don’t fret. We have good news: The ban isn’t the end of shared streaming.

Do you want to know how to bypass the Netflix password sharing restrictions? Keep reading to learn how the Netflix password-sharing ban works and how you can navigate around it to stay connected to your favorite movies and shows.

How to Bypass the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban Using a VPN: Quick Guide

ExtremeVPN is one of the best tools for bypassing Netflix’s password-sharing restrictions. Thanks to its reliable location masking, high-speed servers, and ability to bypass VPN bans. Just follow these steps and enjoy uninterrupted streaming while staying one step ahead of Netflix’s limitations:

How Does the Netflix Password Sharing Ban Work?

Before the ban, you could share your Netflix password with friends and loved ones, regardless of their location. However, with the new policy, you can only use an account for one to four streaming devices or smart TVs simultaneously. There’s also a catch: all the devices must be in the same house.

If you want to share your Netflix account password with someone outside your household, it will cost an additional $7.99 monthly payment per user. You may wonder how Netflix knows when you’re in the same household with someone you share your account password. The simple answer is that the streaming platform assesses your digital footprints to detect activities that violate their site usage.

Netflix monitors several details, such as your account’s activities, location, IP address, and device ID. It collects information through this and can tell when a user shares their password with someone outside their household. If multiple logins occur from locations outside the primary household, Netflix flags the account and displays a prompt asking for verification or an extra fee for additional users.

As Netflix collects much of your personal information when you use their services, its crucial to use a VPN that can help you maintain your online privacy. ExtremeVPN keeps you protected while enjoying your favorite Netflix content from different locations like Canada, the USA, Spain, and other countries with password sharing bans.

Why is Netflix Limiting Password-sharing?

Why is Netflix limiting password-sharing? It has financial, strategic, and operational reasons for doing so. The company has struggled to grow revenue while staying atop the competition. Sharing your password with nine other people means Netflix is making only one-tenth of its potential revenue.

The site estimates that more than 100 million households globally share accounts, which isn’t great for its revenue. To counter this, the company set up password-sharing restrictions that will help convert freeloaders into paying subscribers or pay extra for shared access. It has to remain competitive against Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, among other services.

In turn, with revenue coming in regularly, Netflix can finance its original content and maintain its market leadership. It also recuperates lost revenues through restrictions on password-sharing so that enough resources would be there for the development of content. After all, high-quality content is not cheap to produce, so they need their revenue to be constant with their services.

For instance, Netflix invested over $17 billion in producing content in 2023. As production costs continue to rise, the website requires more paying customers in order to justify its budget and satisfy investors. Indeed, Netflix’s subscriber growth slowed down dramatically in many markets, such as Europe and the US, but the company shifted its attention to monetizing those existing users more effectively.

Password sharing runs against Netflix’s business model, which is to be fair to paying customers. The site has claimed that shared accounts burden the paying subscribers and make them pay higher prices. By enforcing such limits, the website makes the system fair, where everybody pays for what he uses.

Ways to Bypass the Password Sharing Ban on Netflix

Here are different ways you can continue streaming your favorite shows on Netflix without any limits on password sharing:

1. Buy Extra User Accounts

If you’re particular about not going against Netflix’s terms and conditions for password sharing, paying extra charges for additional user accounts may be the best way. The streaming service offers “extra member” slots for individuals outside the primary households so that you can enjoy content with users outside your household without worry.

These accounts function independently but remain linked to the main account, ensuring separate login credentials and personalized viewing profiles for each user. To enjoy this additional service, you must pay $7.99 monthly for each user outside your household for whom you share your password.

The catch here is that the amount you spend on purchasing sub-accounts may be enough for you to get a complete subscription plan on alternative streaming sites like Hulu.

You must also know that the sub-account option is unavailable for all subscription plans. It’s for more expensive subscriptions like the Standard and Premium plans. Standard plan members cannot add more than one sub-account, while Premium plans may offer up to two slots. This makes it seem like Netflix encourages you to get a new plan and pay full price.

According to the website, the extra member must live in the same country as the account owner. Plus, there are some other restrictions. For instance, you can only stream on one device at a time, and adding more accounts or devices will cost more.

On the bright side, you won’t break any Netflix policy if you add more members, so your account won’t be flagged. The extra members will enjoy the same benefits, like creating their watchlist and checking their viewing histories. Buying extra user accounts may be a worthwhile solution for smaller groups rather than larger ones in different countries.

2. Use a VPN

A VPN masks your location and makes it seem like all the users are accessing the account from the same location. Premium VPNs like ExtremeVPN offer obfuscated servers that make it impossible for streaming sites to detect your VPN usage.

As Netflix actively works to block VPNs, you can bypass these efforts with the obfuscated feature that disguises your VPN traffic as regular traffic. Plus, keep your VPN location similar to that of the household. The platform tracks usage patterns, and you might trigger restrictions with frequent location shifts.

It’s always a great idea to coordinate with other users. If multiple users share the Netflix account, ensure you’re all connected to the same ExtremeVPN server. This helps create the illusion of a single household accessing the account.

3. Don’t Stream Using Smart TVs and Streaming Devices

Netflix uses device tracking and geolocation to identify password sharing. Because smart TVs and streaming devices don’t move around much, it’s easier for the platform to track their precise location. When the same smart TV repeatedly signs into the streaming service outside the main household, that account might be tagged for suspicious use.

Unlike smart TVs that are less mobile, cellphones or laptops frequently change locations. They can also connect to various IPs through mobile networks or public Wi-Fi, making it much harder for Netflix to track or restrict access. You can also use these devices and stay connected in different locations, whether in a coffee shop, office or on the road.

While watching your favorite shows on a smaller screen may not provide the premium viewing experience you desire, it helps you bypass Netflix’s password ban. If you still want the same viewing experience, you can cast your phone or computer screen onto your smart TV. Another alternative is using a HDMI cable.

Another helpful tip is to clear your device history. If you’ve previously used Netflix on a smart TV outside the primary household, log out and remove the device from the account settings.

4. Login with the Netflix Owner’s Wi-Fi

Netflix’s updated password-sharing policy works by identifying a “household” based on the primary Wi-Fi network associated with the account. The site considers devices that frequently log in using the same Wi-Fi network as household devices of the account. So, you might get away with the ban by frequently logging in via the account owner’s Wi-Fi.

Logging in with the account owner’s Wi-Fi resets location-based restrictions because Netflix counts the device as part of the household. If you want to share an account with a friend, you can visit them and physically connect your device to the Wi-Fi network at their house. Then log in to Netflix to access all your favorite shows.

While on the primary Wi-Fi, you can download content for offline viewing to watch later if you’re away or offline. Just make sure to reconnect to the account owner’s Wi-Fi every few weeks or as Netflix directs through its revised verification schedule.

Some users configure travel routers with their Wi-Fi settings in advance, making it easier for remote users to log in from the primary household. This method allows you to use Netflix’s location verification system without being too technical.

5. Share the Access Code

The streaming platform allows users to verify their identity via email or text using the platform’s temporary access codes. You can use this verification system to bypass the restrictions and log in without triggering Netflix’s password sharing alerts outside the household. But how does it work?

When Netflix detects a login attempt from a device outside the primary household, it prompts the account owner to verify the login. This verification involves sending them an access code. Once you enter this code on the new device, it temporarily grants you site access.

Netflix’s intent for sharing verification codes is to ensure only authorized users can access the account, but this can serve as a workaround for account sharing. However, the platform grants access to the device for a limited time, usually seven to thirty days, depending on the policy in place.

Once the temporary access expires, you can repeat the process. To make the process smoother, notify the account owner when you expect a verification prompt and ensure you receive the code through trusted channels or private messaging. This helps prevent unauthorized access.

6. Auto-forward Verification Email

When Netflix sends out an access code, the account owner has a few minutes to use it for verification. If they are away from their phone when it comes in, the code may expire before they even get to the phone. To prevent this from happening, you can set up auto-forwarding to make the password-sharing process easier.

Auto-forwarding is a feature most email services offer, allowing incoming messages to be forwarded automatically to another email address. If enabled, a Netflix verification email sent to the account owner redirects to a trusted secondary user who must log in.

To set it up, the account owner can log in to the email linked to the Netflix account and navigate to the settings. For example, in Gmail, they can go to settings, click See all settings, and then select Forwarding and POP/MAP. The same process works on other email services.

Now, enter the email address of the person where the verification email should be forwarded. It’s also possible to set up a filter that allows users to forward only Netflix emails. For example, in Gmail, use Create a filter > forward it to. While in Outlook, Use rules > create rule > forward to.

What better way to use auto-forwarding than sharing with people you trust? Remember to secure both email addresses with strong passwords. You can always monitor account activity to ensure there’s no misuse.

How Does Netflix Define Household?

Netflix’s password ban doesn’t apply to members of the same household, so how does the streaming site define household? “You and the people who live with sharing a single internet connection” is how Netflix confirms a household.

If you’re going by Netflix’s household definition, using the same subscription for several devices and people living in that household shouldn’t pose any problem. The streaming platform allows account usage while traveling as long as you stay within the allowed number of simultaneous streams based on your subscription. You can also download movies and TV shows for offline viewing.

When traveling, you can still share your Netflix account and password with your household. To do this, log into your account occasionally when connected to the primary account’s Wi-Fi. This helps reset Netflix’s location tracking and avoid restrictions.

Key Points of the New Netflix Password Sharing Policy

What important details about Netflix’s updated password sharing ban do you need to know? First, the streaming service has put stricter control over account access to ensure you only share accounts with your household alone.

You’re already violating the company’s terms if you share your account with people outside the household. So, to avoid these terms, let’s look at top highlights:

• Definition of a household: Netflix defines a “Household” as all devices connected to the same internet connection as the account owner’s Wi-Fi. If you log into an account with an internet connection different from the primary user’s, the site will flag the account for password sharing.
• Primary location setup: Netflix requires all account owners to set up a primary location using their streaming device or TV. Through this, you can establish the account’s home base.
• Device verification process: If you attempt logging in from a new device or outside the primary household, the site may send a verification code to the account owner’s email or phone. This is because the password sharing ban does not cover traveling users who may need to log into their accounts from a different location.
• Paid sharing options: You can add extra members outside the household for an additional fee. This feature is available in select regions and only applies to Standard and Premium.
• Profile transferring: If having a sub-account doesn’t seem like a fair option, you can get your subscription. Netflix let’s you transfer your existing profile to a fresh account.
• Device monitoring: The streaming service uses device IDs, IP addresses, and account activities to monitor usage and identify devices that aren’t part of the household. It may block and remove account access from devices that don’t connect to the primary location for an extended period.
• Expanded enforcement: Netflix began rolling out the password sharing restrictions in mid-2023 across several countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, and parts of Asia and Latin America.
• Enforcement transition period: Initially, Netflix issued users warnings and reminders about the new policy. Over time, devices outside the primary household that didn’t meet the criteria lost access unless they were added as paid members.

Is Sharing Your Netflix Password Illegal?

Technically, sharing your Netflix password is not illegal, although it does go against the company’s terms of service. According to Netflix, an account is for personal, non-commercial use and should be operated by members of the same household. In light of this scenario, sharing login details with anyone outside this household is against these terms and gives Netflix grounds to take action.

The streaming site, however, has a mild take on this situation— you can’t face jail time or legal consequences for sharing passwords with a friend since Netflix doesn’t want to sue thousands of its own users for violating its terms of use. It only suspends or restricts the accounts.

So, what are the legal ramifications of sharing passwords? While against the rules of Netflix, it can hardly be classed as a crime to the general user. Sharing credentials without permission does fall under digital privacy laws in some countries, although this is hardly ever enforced.

While sharing passwords may not be illegal, it does raise ethical questions. The streaming site feels that this practice weakens the platform’s potential to invest in quality content for all users. If you want to share an account ethically, it’s best to stick with the paid sharing options provided by the platform.

Can You Access Other Countries’ Libraries Using a VPN?

Yes, a robust VPN like ExtremeVPN lets you access other Netflix libraries by avoiding geographical blocks. However, you may wonder how Netflix libraries work. The streaming giant makes available content that is geographically specific due to licensing arrangements with production companies.

For example, the library offered by Netflix in the US contains some pretty well-known television serials and movies that are not included in Netflix UK. You can even stream local shows that are only relevant for some territories. With ExtremeVPN, you will be able to enjoy whatever entertainment you want, even when you’re not in a region where they’re available.

ExtremeVPN helps you mask your IP address and routes your connection through servers in other locations. Usually, Netflix can determine your library based on your IP address tied to your physical location. But with our VPN, if you choose a US server, Netflix thinks you’re browsing from the US, unlocking the US library.

Moreover, the streaming service identifies and blocks various VPNs, which unfortunately results in error messages. However, the good news is that top-notch VPNs, like ExtremeVPN, update their servers regularly to bypass the Netflix detection systems. Our secure servers mask VPN traffic and eliminate buffering, so it looks like you’re using a normal internet connection.

How Do I Access Other Countries Libraries?

You can follow these steps to access various libraries with ExtremeVPN:

Which Countries Does Netflix Password Limitation Affect?

Netflix’s password-sharing restrictions are geographically based. Before expanding to its broader audience, Netflix tested and made the changes in some areas first. It first tested the anti-password-sharing measures in Latin America, starting with countries such as Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru.

By 2024, it had employed password-sharing restrictions in major markets, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, India, and Japan. The new restrictions touch almost all places where the service is available, making it a global policy. But there are several countries that experience some sort of leniency.

Netflix is coming on strong and has its eyes set on major markets where password sharing has become the order of the day, with subscriber growth reducing. As expected, the restrictions are quite controversial in regions where people have long shared accounts with family members and friends. Canadian and US users are not left out, as they’ve also complained about the surcharges.

Who is Negatively Impacted by the Password-Sharing Ban?

You most likely know someone who’s not pleased with Netflix’s password-sharing ban because it has had a ripple effect on its users. Yes, the company has increased its revenue, but households are getting hurt by it. The next question is how.

Let’s start with college students who depend on their family’s Netflix account. Now, they have to stop using the service whenever they go to college. Most of these students are already struggling with staying on budget and monitoring their spending, so Netflix is just an addition to their expenses.

What about family members who live apart? If your family members live apart, you may understand why working parents or traveling spouses are disappointed about this password-sharing ban. They must pay for extra accounts or find alternative access solutions to catch up with their favorite entertainment.

Even housemates who use a Netflix account together in shared living situations, like dorms or apartments, are also on the negative side of this policy. The password-sharing ban messes with their movement because they always have to be in the primary location and may find it hard to stream on smart devices.

At the short end of the stick are low-income households who are already budget-conscious. They now have to get separate subscriptions for their kids in college or a partner who works away from home. With other pressing financial issues, they may end up canceling their Netflix account, depriving themselves of the comfort of entertainment.

Conclusion

You can either criticize Netflix’s ban on password sharing or you can outsmart the system. Whichever way you decide to go, the way we approach streaming is changing, thanks to the various options we’ve discussed. Be it unblocking content streaming with ExtremeVPN or sharing access codes responsibly and safely, users can always find a way.

We understand that, for some, streaming is much more than content. It’s a way to create shared experiences that bring people closer, no matter the miles between. That’s why you deserve the uninterrupted streaming experience. While you do this, remember to safeguard your privacy with a top-notch VPN like ExtremeVPN.

FAQs

Can I share my Netflix account with my family, who live in a different household?

You can, but with Netflix’s new rules around password sharing, you can expect it not to be as easy as it was. It’s better that they come home frequently to browse the site so Netflix knows they belong to the household. This way, the family won’t be banned.

How many users can use one Netflix account?

The number of people who can share a Netflix account ultimately depends on the subscription plan. The basic plan allows you to stream on one screen at a time, while you get two screens if you’re on the Standard plan. If you choose the ultimate Premium plan, then you can stream comfortably on up to four screens.

Does Netflix charge for account sharing?

Netflix certainly charges for account sharing, but you must have either the Standard or Premium plan before you can even think about it. If you like shortcuts and want to get away with account sharing without paying extra, a VPN is the solution. You can also check out other options we’ve discussed above.

How will Netflix know who shares their password?

Just like every other company, Netflix has its ways. This involves a touch of advanced technology and a ton of data collection. Because of this, your account is always under scrutiny. So, the minute it’s used outside your household, there will be triggers followed by the error message.

How will Netflix ban password sharing?

Netflix’s way of banning password-sharing is grouping people together under the term, household. They’ve been very busy and were creative enough to introduce Mandatory Primary Location, which forces you to set up your location using your home Wi-Fi network. Let’s not forget the repeated verification prompts that make it frustrating to access accounts you aren’t authorized to.

When did Netflix stop account password sharing?

Netflix had likely been considering restrictions on password-sharing for some time, but it became clear in February 2023. By May 2023, the company introduced the idea of a primary location for accounts, a smart move to ensure each account is used by only one household.

Can my child use my Netflix account when away at college? 

Yes, your college kid can use your Netflix account. However, they have to come home occasionally and log on to the home Wi-Fi. This helps Netflix to know that they are a part of your household.