Being able to control Netflix via Google Assistant is a great feature, but it’s not without its limitations, with one of the biggest issues being that it can only access your main account profile. At least, that used to be the case. Now, not only can you control multiple profiles using a single device, like the Google Home, but it’s handled automatically using Google Assistant’s Voice Match feature.
This didn’t come as a big announcement, but instead was quietly added to Google’s support documentation, which was spotted by Android Police. “For Netflix, if you have a personal profile on a Netflix account, you can link your personal profile and set up Voice Match to play content where you left off,” the documentation reads.
In case you’re not familiar, Voice Match allows up to six different people to have their own personalized experience on a Google Home device. This lets you hear different commute times and daily briefings in addition to linking various video and music services like YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora.
To get started in the Home app, go to settings, then More Settings, then Videos and Photos. There should now be a Manage Profile option for Netflix. This allows you to choose which profile will be used when your voice is matched. Other members of your household will need to set up their own profiles as well.
Once this is set up, Netflix should automatically pick up where you left off, so if you’re in the middle of a series, the next episode should be ready to go. Instead of having to manually navigate to the right profile, a simple “Hey Google, play Netflix” should get you there. Of course, if you want to watch something else, a phrase like “OK Google, play Stranger Things on Netflix” will do the trick.
In general, Voice Match seems to work well for people, so you shouldn’t have to worry much about getting someone else’s profile. That said, some Google Home owners have reported that people with especially similar-sounding voices may have problems getting the right match.
If you’re itching to try out this new feature but can’t figure out what to watch, be sure to take a look at our always-up-to-date guide to what’s new on Netflix.
