How to Disable Netflix “Are You Still Watching”? [2023]

Have you ever been in a situation while watching your favorite TV series on Netflix when a message asks, “Are you still watching?” Although it might feel bothersome or like it’s interfering with your watching habits, this feature appears for those who enjoy marathon-watching sessions.

This guide will show the reasons behind this Netflix prompt and guide you through the steps to turn it off. Whether you’re using a laptop, mobile device, a streaming TV box, or you prefer browsing through the Netflix app, we’ve got you covered.

Why Netflix asks, “Are you still watching?”

Netflix asks, “Are you still watching?” for two main reasons. They want to ensure you don’t leave your place in your show or movie and help you save internet data if you’re not watching.

You’ll see this message if:

• You watch 3 episodes of a TV show back-to-back without using any of the video controls.
• You’ve been watching something non-stop for 90 minutes.

This is important for people with limited data they can use each month because going over that limit could mean extra charges. Also, it keeps your device’s battery from running out too quickly by stopping the video if you’re not watching.

Other streaming services, like YouTube, have similar features. They all want to ensure users have a good experience, save money, and stream responsibly to help the environment.

Turn off Netflix’s “Are you still watching?”

The “Are you still watching?” message on Netflix might be annoying, but unfortunately, the app cannot turn it off. Conversely, if you’re watching through Google Chrome or any other browser, you can add a particular extension to eliminate it.

You can turn off the “Autoplay” feature for those using the Netflix app. This change means you’ll have to tap play yourself when you’re ready for the next episode after finishing one.

Turn off Autoplay on Desktop/Laptop

One simple method is to turn off autoplay to stop seeing the “Are you still watching?” message on Netflix when using your laptop.

This makes all the episodes of a show stop playing one after the other, with no messages asking if you’re still watching. You can change this setting directly in your Netflix account settings. Here’s how you do it:

1. From the edit profile page

1. Sign in to your Netflix account and select your profile icon.
   

   

2. Choose “Manage Profiles” from the options.
   

   

3. Click on the Pencil icon over profile you use most.
   

   

4. Look for “Autoplay next episodes on all devices” and make sure you uncheck it by clicking on the small box.
   

   

5. Click “Save” to keep these changes, and that’s it.
   

   

2. From settings page

1. Open your Netflix “Account” page in a web browser by click on drop down menu next to your profile picture in top right.
   

   

2. Go to the “Profile & Parental Controls” section and choose the profile you want to edit.
   

   

3. Scroll down and click “Change” next to Playback settings.
   

   

4. Select “Autoplay next episodes in a series on all devices” and ensure the box beside it is not marked.
   

   

5. Click “Save” to apply these changes.
   

   

You might need to refresh your device to see the changes take effect. With this setup, Netflix won’t automatically play the next episode in a series, and you won’t see the “Are you still watching?” message.

Turn off Autoplay on Mobile

This is simple when streaming on a smartphone, as the device is always within reach. Simply touch some of the controls for Netflix to recognize your presence. Or you can disable Autoplay. The steps are the same for iOS and Android:

1. Tap “My Netflix” at the bottom right corner of your screen.
   

   

2. In the top right corner, tap the three vertical lines.
   

   

3. Choose “Manage Profiles.”
   

   

4. Select the profile you’d like to change settings for.
   

   

5. Find “Autoplay Previews” and toggle the switch to turn it off.
   

   

You might have to refresh your app by signing out and signing back in again to ensure your new settings are saved.

Read More: Here is What TV-MA Means on Netflix – Adult Content Breakdown

Turn off “Are you still watching” using browser extensions

If your preferred way of watching Netflix is on your computer, browser extensions can help greatly. These tools give your browser extra abilities, ensuring you can watch shows without any breaks.

Some popular extensions for Netflix include Never Ending Netflix and Auto Skip Netflix Intro and Outro for Firefox. These tools work in a very similar way across different browsers. To use one of these on Google Chrome, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Chrome browser on your computer. Search “Never Ending Netflix” on Google or go directly to the Chrome web store link above.

   

2. Select the “Add to Chrome” option.
   

   

    
3. Once it finishes downloading, click on “Add Extension.”
   

   

4. Go to the top right of your browser where the extensions are, and click on the Never Ending Netflix icon.
   

   

5. Select the option that says, “Don’t prompt Are you still watching.”
   

   

Now, you should be ready to watch Netflix on your computer without getting interrupted. This extension helps with the “Are you still watching?” message and lets you further skip intros, credits, and title sequences for a smoother watching experience.

Turn off “Are you still watching” on TV Boxes

Streaming TV boxes like Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, and Fire TV Stick are known for popping up with “Are you still watching?” messages while using Netflix. The only way to get rid of this prompt on these devices is either turn off the autoplay for all devices from Netflix settings or use their built-in feature to stop autoplay. Here’s how you can do it:

⤷ On Roku TV

Take your remote control and press the “Home” button. Move down to find the “Settings” menu and select it. Inside there, locate the Netflix app and choose it. You should see an option labeled “Auto Play.” Click on that.

The last step is to turn off the setting that says “Next Episode in Series on Autoplay.” Now, you can watch your favorite TV shows without annoying pauses asking if you’re still there.

⤷ On Chromecast

Open the “Google Home” app on your phone or tablet. Tap on your Chromecast device and go to “Settings” at the top right of your screen.

Once you’re in settings, find “Ambient Mode” and select it. Here, you can turn off Ambient Mode completely. This will stop Netflix’s are you still watching prompt.

⤷ On Fire TV

To turn off Autoplay on your Fire TV, go to ‘Settings,’ then select ‘Preferences,’ and click on ‘Featured Content.’ Within the ‘Featured Content’ menu, you’ll find the options to disable autoplay. First, disable ‘Allow Video Autoplay,’ and then proceed to disable ‘Allow Audio Autoplay.’

After making these changes, simply navigate back to the Home Screen, and you’ll find that autoplay has been successfully disabled.

⤷ On Apple TV

There are currently no specific settings for Apple TV that you can use to disable autoplay on Netflix. The only way to disable autoplay is to change the autoplay settings for your Netflix profile on a web browser or mobile device. This will disable autoplay for all devices that you use to watch Netflix, including Apple TV.

There have been some reports that disabling the “Auto-play video previews” setting in the Accessibility > Motion menu on Apple TV may also disable autoplay in Netflix. However, this setting does not seem to work consistently for everyone.

Read More: How to Log Out of Netflix on Any TV or Streaming Device 

Final Thoughts

When you just want to relax watching some Netflix without having to think about anything else, Netflix hits you with the “Are you still watching?” message. Armed with the steps provided above, you can get rid of this annoying pop-up for good and enjoy an uninterrupted Netflix session. If you have any other questions, feel free to drop them down below!