Netflix lets you create separate profiles within one subscription, each with its own watch history and recommendations

When you add an account on Netflix, you are creating a new profile under the same subscription — not a separate Netflix membership. Each profile has its own login credentials, watch history, and personalized recommendations. This is useful if you share a subscription with family members, roommates, or a partner, because it keeps everyone's viewing separate and prevents one person's choices from affecting another's suggestions.

Netflix allows up to four simultaneous streams on a Standard plan and six on a Premium plan, depending on your subscription level. Each person can watch different content at the same time, and Netflix will not mix their viewing history together.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add a new profile to your existing Netflix account from the home screen by selecting your current profile icon and choosing "Add profile".
  • Each profile needs a unique name, but all profiles share the same Netflix subscription and billing — you are not creating a separate membership.
  • You can set a PIN on any profile to prevent others from accessing it without permission, which is useful for parental controls or privacy.
  • Netflix allows up to four simultaneous streams on Standard and six on Premium, so multiple people can watch at the same time on different profiles.

How to add a profile on your TV, phone, or tablet

On any device where you watch Netflix, go to your home screen and look for your profile icon — usually a circle with your name or a picture in the top right or top left corner. Select it, and you will see a menu with options including "Add profile" or "Manage profiles". Choose "Add profile".

Netflix will ask you to name the new profile and choose an avatar image. The name can be anything — a person's name, a nickname, or a description like "Kids" or "Guest". Once you confirm, the profile is created and ready to use. You can switch between profiles by selecting the profile icon again and choosing the one you want.

Setting a PIN to protect a profile

If you want to prevent others from accessing a specific profile without permission, you can set a PIN. Go to your account settings (usually found by selecting your profile icon and choosing "Account" or "Settings"), then look for "Profile Lock" or "Parental Controls". Select the profile you want to protect and create a four-digit PIN.

Once a PIN is set, anyone trying to open that profile will need to enter the PIN first. This is useful if you share your Netflix subscription with people you do not want accessing certain content, or if you want to keep your watch history private from roommates or family members.

Changing profile names and pictures

You can edit a profile's name or avatar at any time. Go to your account settings, select "Manage Profiles", and choose the profile you want to change. You can update the name to something different and pick a new avatar from Netflix's library of images. These changes take effect when ready.

If you no longer need a profile, you can delete it from the same menu. Deleting a profile removes its watch history and recommendations, but does not affect other profiles or your Netflix subscription.

Understanding what each profile shares

All profiles on one Netflix account share the same subscription and billing. You cannot have different subscription levels for different profiles — if one person upgrades to Premium, everyone on that account gets Premium. The billing address, payment method, and account email are shared across all profiles.

What does not get shared is viewing history, recommendations, and saved content. Each profile maintains its own list of watched shows, ratings, and "My List" items. This separation is why adding profiles is useful for households where people have different viewing preferences.

Switching between profiles on shared devices

If multiple people use Netflix on the same TV, phone, or tablet, each person should switch to their own profile before watching. Select the profile icon, choose your profile name, and enter your PIN if one is set. Netflix will then show recommendations and continue playback from where that profile left off.

If you forget to switch profiles, your viewing will be added to whoever's profile was active. You can remove individual titles from a profile's history by going to account settings, selecting the profile, and choosing "Viewing Activity" or "Watch History", then removing the titles you do not want saved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a separate email address for each profile?

No. All profiles on one Netflix account use the same email address and password to log into Netflix. The email is tied to the subscription, not to individual profiles. Each profile is just a way to separate viewing history within that one account.

Can I change which profile is the main account owner?

The account owner is whoever created the Netflix subscription and controls the billing. You cannot transfer ownership to another profile, but you can change the email address and password associated with the account through account settings if you want someone else to manage billing.

What happens to a profile's watch history if I delete it?

Deleting a profile removes all of its watch history, ratings, and saved content permanently. The other profiles on the account are not affected. If you think you might want that history back, you can instead just stop using the profile and leave it inactive.

Can I use the same profile on multiple devices at the same time?

Netflix limits how many streams can play simultaneously based on your subscription level — Standard allows four, Premium allows six. If you exceed that limit, Netflix will pause playback on the oldest stream. This applies across all profiles, not per profile.

Is there a way to prevent someone from creating new profiles?

Netflix does not have a setting to lock down profile creation itself, but you can set a PIN on your account settings to require a PIN before anyone can access the account menu where profiles are managed. This prevents unauthorized profile creation without your permission.