As Netflix prepares to crack down on password-sharing, the company is debuting a new feature that promises to make it easy for freeloaders to set up their own paid Netflix accounts.
On Monday, the streaming provider launched a “Profile Transfer” feature to all subscribers globally. It lets a user transfer their profile—which includes all their personalized recommendations, viewing history, and lists—to a new paid Netflix membership.
“We’ve been testing Profile Transfer in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru since March and have learned that it’s a really valuable feature for members who are starting new accounts during times of change,” Netflix said in a statement.
The company is marketing the much-requested feature for users experiencing an event like moving to a new location or a break-up. But it’s clear the same function provides a pathway for freeloaders to preserve their Netflix recommendations while switching to an account they pay for themselves.
The company released a GIF of the feature in action. As you can see, the transfer process works by asking the user to create a new Netflix membership by submitting a separate email address and password.
In April, Netflix estimated over 100 million households across the globe, including 30 million in the US, are freeloading off the streaming service. At the time, the company said it’ll crack down on password-sharing in a “year or so." How that'll happen remains unclear, but in March, Netflix began testing one way that involved requiring subscribers in Latin America to pay an extra $3 to have someone outside their household access their account.
Netflix says it's enabling the Profile Transfer feature automatically for all countries except South Korea and the US. Users in these markets will need to enable the feature in the settings section. The company plans on using email to notify users about when the Transfer Profile function becomes available.
“To transfer a profile, go to the ‘Transfer Profile’ option when you hover over your profile icon in the drop-down menu on the homepage—then simply follow the instructions,” the company added. Users will be able to turn off the Transfer Profile function as well.