Netflix guide
Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
On a TV, choose Add Profile on the screen that asks who is watching. In the phone app, tap My Netflix, then the profile name at the top and Manage Profiles, then Add Profile. In a browser, open Manage Profiles and select Add Profile. Type a name and save.
Up to five profiles: one Netflix account holds five profiles, and each keeps its own watch history, recommendations and settings.
Below: the steps on each device, setting up a Kids profile, and what a profile does and does not separate.
How to create a new Netflix profile, on any device
To add a profile on Netflix, open the profile list on whatever you watch on. The first group covers the three kinds of device; the second covers choosing a Kids profile and the settings to check.
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Add the profile
On a TV, choose Add Profile on the profile screen
Open Netflix on your TV or streaming device. On the screen that asks Who’s watching?, move to Add Profile and select it. If Netflix opens straight into a profile, go back to the profile screen from the menu first.
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In the phone app, go to Manage Profiles
Open the Netflix app on an iPhone, iPad or Android device. Tap My Netflix at the bottom right, tap your profile name at the top and choose Manage Profiles. Tap Add Profile.
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In a browser, open Manage Profiles
Sign in at netflix.com, open the profile menu and go to Manage Profiles, then select Add Profile. In a browser you cannot pick an icon while creating the profile; edit it afterwards to change the icon.
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Type a name and save the profile
Enter the person’s name. If Netflix asks for the main profile’s PIN, type it; this happens when the account owner has locked their profile. Select Continue or Save, and the new profile appears on the profile screen.
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Set it up for the person using it
Turn on Kids for a child’s profile
While creating the profile, select Kids to make it a Kids profile. It shows only titles suitable for children and has a simpler home screen. You can set the exact maturity level later in the profile settings.
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Check the profile’s settings
Open Manage Profiles and choose the new profile to set its language, maturity rating and autoplay. Maturity ratings cannot be changed on a TV or streaming device; use the app or a browser.
A family of four sharing one account: a profile for each parent, one for a teenager and a Kids profile for a seven-year-old. Each person’s recommendations come from what they watch, and the youngest only sees titles rated for children.
Give everyone their own profile, even on a small account: one shared profile mixes everyone’s viewing into one set of recommendations that suits nobody.
More about Netflix
Subscription streaming for films, series and games, shared within one household.
If you cannot add a Netflix profile
- There is no Add Profile option
The account already has five profiles, the limit. Delete one you no longer use from Manage Profiles; the main profile cannot be deleted.
- Netflix asks for a PIN you do not know
The account owner has locked the main profile. Ask them to enter the PIN or to add the profile for you.
- You cannot choose an icon
Browsers do not offer icons when creating a profile. Save it, then edit the profile from Manage Profiles to pick one, or create it in the phone app instead.
What each Netflix profile keeps separate
A profile is a separate space inside one account. It changes what Netflix shows you, but not what the account can do.
| Separate for each profile | Shared across the account |
|---|---|
| Watch history and recommendations | The plan and the monthly bill |
| My List and Continue Watching | How many screens can watch at once |
| Language, subtitles and autoplay | The account email and password |
| Maturity rating and profile lock | Downloads limit for the plan |
Profiles separate taste, not access: anyone who knows the account password can open any profile unless it has a lock.
Kids profile or a normal profile with a rating
A Kids profile is the quickest way to give a child their own space. It has its own home screen, shows only children’s titles and hides the account settings.
For an older child, a normal profile with a lower maturity rating can be a better fit. It looks like an adult profile but filters titles above the rating you choose. Set it from Manage Profiles in the app or a browser, since TVs cannot change ratings.
Profiles are not for people outside your home
A Netflix account is for one household. Adding a profile for a relative who lives elsewhere does not get around that: when their TV is used away from your home, Netflix may ask it to verify or join as an extra member.
What to do after adding a profile
Once the profile exists, hand it over: the more the person watches on their own profile, the better its recommendations get.
Add a profile for each person, turn on Kids for children, and check the maturity rating in the app. If the household changes later, a profile can be deleted from Manage Profiles along with its history.
Netflix profiles: what households ask
- How many profiles can one Netflix account have?
- Five. Each profile keeps its own history, list and recommendations, but they share the plan, including how many screens can watch at once.
- Does adding a profile cost extra?
- No. Profiles are included in every plan. An extra member, for someone outside your household, is a separate paid option.
- Can I lock my profile so others cannot use it?
- Yes. Netflix lets you set a profile lock with a PIN in the profile settings, which stops others in the household opening your profile.
- Can I delete a profile I added?
- Yes, any profile except the main one. Open Manage Profiles, choose the profile and delete it. Its viewing history goes with it.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Marta Kowalczyk and Elias Brandt Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 10 days ago
When you need this
If you want each person in your household to have their own Netflix recommendations and history, add a profile for them. One account holds up to five profiles.
- Describes
- Netflix on smart TVs and streaming devices · Netflix app for iPhone, iPad and Android · Netflix in a web browser
- Takes
- About a minute
- Platforms
- Web · iOS · Android
- Published
- 14 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Marta Kowalczyk and 
Elias Brandt
on
- Marta Kowalczyk: the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1).
- Elias Brandt: the Android steps on a Galaxy S25 (Android 17) and the web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
Limits quoted here come from Netflix’s documentation and were not tested.
Source: Netflix Help Center, How to create, edit, or delete profiles
Netflix