How to transfer a profile on Netflix - Part 2: The Netflix Password Crackdown

Welcome to part 2 of our Netflix Password Crackdown trilogy. If you want a bit more information of why it all came to pass, have a read of Part 1 of The Netflix Password Crackdown: How to set up your Primary Location.

For those of you who were using the Netflix account of a friend or family member who is not part of your household, you may find yourself logged out of the account and unable to access your profile. Do not worry – all the long hours you dedicated to binge watching series or completing movie marathons, all to craft the perfect algorithm, is not lost! You do not have to start completely from scratch; you have 2 options going forward.

You can either transfer your profile to a new or existing account – which is what we will be discussing in this blog – or, you can become an extra member on the current account your profile is on for an additional fee. You can read about how to do the latter in Part 3 of The Netflix Password Crackdown: How to Add an Extra Member.

What is a profile transfer?

A profile transfer is exactly what it says it is. A Netflix member — or the people using the member’s account — can transfer a/their profile to either a new account, existing account or an extra member slot.

When you transfer a profile to a new or existing account, it gets copied. That means the profile still exists on the old account, but obviously with the new rules cannot be accessed so is rendered redundant.

The information that gets copied to the new or existing account is as follows:

• Your profile name and icon
• Recommendations
• Viewing history
• My List titles 
• Game saves and game handle (this is the only feature that is automatically removed from the original profile)
• Settings
• Other miscellaneous items

Netflix has made it clear that NO payment information will be transferred.

Why can I not transfer my Netflix profile?

Not all Netflix profiles can be transferred — there are exemptions.

A profile CANNOT be transferred if it is:

• on an inactive account
• a Kids profile
• PIN protected (although there is a workaround — remove PIN and then transfer)
• attached to the profile email address i.e. the primary profile

Before transferring your Netflix profile

Before you transfer your Netflix profile, you need to ensure the profile transfers feature is turned on for the current Netflix account. To do that:

• Go to the Do you want to allow profile transfers? page. If you are not already, you will need to sign into the Netflix account your profile is currently on.
• Select “Allow.”

A confirmation email will be sent to the inbox of the account holder. The subject heading reads “Account update: Profile transfers will be available soon.” You can either:

• Wait 2 days for the profile transfer feature to be made readily available.

or

• If you want to start viewing on your new account ASAP, you will need the account holder to go into the confirmation email and select “Enable Instantly.”

How to transfer a profile to a new account

These instructions are for those looking to set up their own account whereby they are the account holder. If that is you, before you start the profile transfer, you can check out the latest payment plans / subscriptions and what they include here.

• Open up a web browser and go to www.netflix.com.
• Sign into the Netflix account that your profile is currently on.
• Go to the “Account” page. You can access the link to this page by clicking on the profile icon in the top right-hand corner on desktop view, or by clicking the hamburger menu icon (3 vertically stacked horizontal lines) on mobile.
• Either:
• Scroll down to the “Profile and Parental Controls Section” and select the profile you want to transfer. 
• Click Profiles and select the profile you wish to transfer.
• Click Transfer > Start Profile Transfer > A New Account.
• Enter the email address you would like to use for your new account.
• Create a password.
• Work through the remaining prompts to complete the setup of your new account.

You will be automatically signed into your new account, once the transfer of your profile is complete.

How to transfer a profile to an existing account

You can also transfer your profile to an existing account. Perhaps you were using your parents account but are moving into a house share where you all pitch into one account or moving in with your partner and decided to keep theirs, save funding 2 accounts.

To transfer your Netflix profile to an existing account:

• Open up a web browser and go to www.netflix.com.
• Sign into the Netflix account that your profile is currently on.
• Go to the “Account” page. You can access the link to this page by clicking on the profile icon in the top right-hand corner on desktop view, or by clicking the hamburger menu icon (3 vertically stacked horizontal lines) on mobile.
• Either:
• Scroll down to the “Profile and Parental Controls Section” and select the profile you want to transfer. 
• Click Profiles and select the profile you wish to transfer.
• Click Transfer > Start Profile Transfer >  An Existing Account
• Enter the email address and password for the existing account you are transferring your profile to.
• Click “Transfer Profile.”

You will be automatically signed into the account you transferred to, once the transfer of your profile is complete.

How to delete transferred profiles

As we mentioned above, when a Netflix profile has been transferred to a new or existing account, it is copied rather than moved. The same profile will still exist on the original account. It can be deleted. To do this, the original account holder can:

• Go to “Manage Profiles.”
• Select the now obsolete, transferred Netflix profile.
• Scroll down and click the “Delete Profile” button.
• You will be asked to confirm whether you would like to “Delete Profile?”
• Click the “Delete Profile” button.
• Returning to the Manage Profiles screen, press “Done.”

How to transfer a profile to an extra member slot

Alternatively, members can continue to have access to your account as an Extra Member for an additional fee. We cover how to do this in part three of our blogging tale.