Skip to main content

Netflix is canceling old, unused accounts

Netflix announced Thursday that it will begin deactivating long-dormant accounts, helping customers who no longer use the service cancel their subscriptions.

The announcement came from Director of Product Innovation Eddy Wu, who said “the last thing we want is people paying for something they’re not using.”

It’s an unusual move for a subscription-based service, which normally relies on long-time subscribers.

How does this initiative affect you? Netflix lists two situations in which they’ll flag an account for removal: If someone signed up for their account a year ago but haven’t watched anything, or accounts that haven’t watched anything for more than two years.

So odds are, your Netflix account won’t be affected. According to Wu, the dormant accounts add up to “less than half of one percent of our overall member base.”

But if you are one of these rare subscribers who never use Netflix but want to keep your account active, you can still do so. Netflix will send dormant members an email or in-app notification asking if they still want to keep their account active. Simply reply yes and your account won’t be closed.

If you do close your account but decide to return later, Netflix will save your preferences and account information for up to 10 months.

Editors' Recommendations

Will Nicol
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Nicol is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends. He covers a variety of subjects, particularly emerging technologies, movies…
Netflix is now streaming one of 2023’s best thrillers. Here’s why you should watch it
missing best 2023 thriller reasons why you should watch the movie netflix 2

Only a few months after it debuted in theaters, Missing is now the most popular movie on Netflix. Anyone who has seen the movie, which focuses on a teenage girl who discovers that her mother has been kidnapped while on vacation and races to figure out what happened, understands why it's managed to climb so high on the streaming service's charts.

It's a mystery worth watching, and many Netflix viewers seem to have figured that out. Here are five reasons the movie has managed to become such a Netflix phenomenon, and why you should watch it right now.
It has a unique storytelling structure
MISSING - Official Trailer (HD)

Read more
Heat is one of the best movies ever. Here’s why you should watch it on Netflix right now
Three men stand and get ready to fight in Heat.

There's a reason why Netflix has a reputation as being the best streaming service out there. It consistently streams some of the best TV shows around, with this year alone bringing such wonderful and diverse programs as Beef, The Night Agent, The Diplomat, and Queen Charlotte. It's movies, however, are more hit-or-miss. For every Oscar-nominated The Power of the Dog, there are a half-dozen Extractions or Red Notices, bland, forgettable movies that don't have any lasting effect on the viewer beyond their initial debut.

That probably explains why Heat, a movie made nearly 30 years ago, is one of the most popular movies on Netflix right now, ranking in the top 10 for the last two weeks. The Al Pacino/Robert De Niro action drama, which was praised when it was first released in December 1995, has stood the test of time not only due to its stellar acting, pitch-perfect direction, beautiful cinematography, and moody score, but also because it's simply one of the best movies ever made. That's a lofty claim to make, sure, but it's one that is justified. If you've already watched Heat, or have not ever heard of it and are curious to watch the Michael Mann film, here are a few reasons why it's worth a stream.
Heat has a great story that is both simple and sprawling

Read more
Everything leaving Netflix in June 2023
A man holds a child in The Mist.

Everything must come to an end, and that includes some of your favorite movies and TV shows on streaming services. Netflix is not immune to losing content, even if it more than makes up for it with originals like The Night Agent or The Diplomat.

In May 2023, Netflix will be losing series like Chappelle's Show and The Mole. In addition, horror movies like The Darkness and the Stephen King adaptation The Mist and comedies like The DUFF and Jerry Maguire will be leaving the popular streaming service. Find out if one of your favorites is leaving Netflix in June so you can watch it before it disappears.
Leaving 6/1/23
Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On: Season 1

Read more