Netflix iOS AirPlay Doesn’t Work Anymore ‘Due to Technical Limitations’ [u]

In a sudden change of events, Netflix for iOS no longer supports Apple’s AirPlay protocol.

According to a Netflix support document spotted by MacRumors, the streaming media company now says “Airplay is no longer supported for use with Netflix due to technical limitations,” under the section “How do I use my mobile device to watch Netflix on my TV?”.

Netflix doesn’t go into details as to why AirPlay is no longer supported, but this feature ends after being supported for six years on iOS. If a user tries to use AirPlay, they get an error message which reads, “Cannot play title. Please try again later.”

For those using Netflix and AirPlay frequently, this is bad news for you. But for those who haven’t touched AirPlay with Netflix in a while, it doesn’t mean much.



Back in December, Netflix removed the ability for iOS users to use iTunes as a payment method, a move seen to remove Apple’s 30% cut (for the first year) when it comes to in-app subscriptions.

These moves by Netflix come ahead of Apple’s launch of its own media offerings, Apple TV+, coming sometime this fall.

Update April 6, 2019: Netflix told The Verge the following statement on why this is happening–it’s related to AirPlay 2 and its expansion to TVs:

We want to make sure our members have a great Netflix experience on any device they use. With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn’t a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn’t) or certify these experiences. Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met. Members can continue to access Netflix on the built-in app across Apple TV and other devices.