To set or change the main location for a Netflix account, update its Netflix Household from a TV connected to the home internet you want Netflix to recognize. On most TVs, open Get Help or Settings → Manage Netflix Household → Update Netflix Household, then verify the change by email or text. Netflix does not call this a “primary location” setting in Account settings.
What Netflix means by “primary location”
Netflix’s official term is Netflix Household: the devices connected to the internet at the main place where the account is used. It is not an address you enter or a phone location setting. Netflix says it uses signals such as the internet connection’s IP address, device IDs and account activity to associate devices with a household; it says it does not use GPS to determine their precise physical location. Netflix explains how a Household works.
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Netflix accounts are intended for use within one household. Someone outside it may need a separate account or, where available, an officially supported extra-member arrangement. The Household setting identifies the main home connection; it does not increase the number of screens that can stream at once, which depends on the membership plan.
Update your Netflix Household from the TV at home
Do this only from the home you want Netflix to recognize as the main household. Before starting, connect the TV to the preferred home internet connection. This is especially important if you have more than one Wi-Fi network, use a guest network, recently changed providers or routers, or connect the TV by Ethernet.
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- Open Netflix on the TV or TV-connected streaming device.
- From the Netflix home screen, press Back on the remote to open the menu. On Apple TV, use the Menu button. If the menu is across the top, move left to the profile icon; if it is on the left, move to the bottom.
- Select Get Help or Settings.
- Select Manage Netflix Household, then Update Netflix Household.
- Choose Send Email. If offered, you can choose Send Text instead.
- Open the message sent to the account’s email address or phone. Select Yes, This Was Me, then Confirm Update.
- Wait for Netflix to refresh on the TV. Netflix says the process takes about eight minutes; message delivery can add time. The verification link expires after 15 minutes.
Netflix’s official household-update instructions say the TV should refresh after confirmation and that Netflix will send a confirmation email.
If “Manage Netflix Household” is missing
The control is available on most, not all, TVs. Try another TV or streaming device connected to the intended home internet. Netflix also says an account issue, such as an invalid email address, can prevent the update option from appearing; resolve the account issue first.
If you do not watch Netflix on a TV and do not have one, Netflix says you do not need to establish a Household. A phone or computer is useful for checking that it is on the same Wi-Fi as the household TV, but the standard update is initiated on the TV.
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- Unlimited movies, TV shows, and more. Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime.
- Give the gift of entertainment so your friends and family can stream unlimited films and Netflix original series. Whether your loved one already has a Netflix account or they will be creating a new account, they can use a Netflix gift card toward their membership.
- No credit card is required to redeem a gift code.
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If Netflix says a TV or device is not part of your Household
The message means Netflix could not associate that device with the established Household. It may be on a different network, the home router or ISP may have changed, or the device may be at a hotel, rental, second home or another location. A previous Household update or a device left signed in elsewhere can also contribute.
- At home: Check that the TV is connected to the intended home network, then perform the update from that TV. A different ISP account or external IP address may trigger another verification request.
- On a phone or computer: Connect it to the same Wi-Fi as the Household TV. If the warning persists, update the Household from the TV, then restart the Netflix app or refresh Netflix in your browser.
- Check devices: Review recently active devices and sign out of ones you do not recognize. You can also use Sign out of All Devices, then repeat the update from home. This is a security step, not a guaranteed substitute for the TV-based update.
- If the message does not arrive: Choose Resend Email, check the account’s current email address, and look for a text option if no email address is on the account.
- If the TV cannot connect to home internet: Some blocked-device screens offer Troubleshoot This TV. Follow the on-screen QR-code steps, connect your phone to the home Wi-Fi when prompted, and select Start Watching after verification.
See Netflix’s troubleshooting guidance for Household errors for the options available on your device.
Traveling or using a second home
Do not change the Household just because you are away temporarily. On a hotel or rental TV, choose I’m Traveling or Watch Temporarily if shown, then request a temporary access code. The option may disappear after that TV reaches its limit for code requests; Netflix does not publish a universal number for that limit. Phones, tablets and computers can generally be used while traveling as usual.
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- Give the gift of entertainment so your friends and family can stream unlimited films and Netflix original series. Whether your loved one already has a Netflix account or they will be creating a new account, they can use a Netflix gift card toward their membership.
- No credit card is required to redeem a gift code.
- Codes are applied to your account as a gift balance. Gift codes can be added to any plan, regardless of the amount.
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For a second home or a place you visit regularly, Netflix advises connecting a mobile device or computer to the internet at your main home, opening Netflix or Netflix.com, and streaming a title for a few seconds. Repeat after arriving at the second location. This is Netflix’s guidance for maintaining access, particularly on mobile devices and computers; it is not a guarantee that every TV at a second address will stay authorized.
Changing the Household is appropriate when your main home has genuinely changed. Updating it from a hotel, rental or someone else’s Wi-Fi may cause Netflix to recognize that location instead. If you do that by mistake, repeat the TV update process from the intended home and connection.
If you have moved
Moving within the same country
After moving, update the Household from a TV on the new home internet connection. In the United States and Canada, Netflix also advises updating billing information so the correct tax rate can be applied.
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- Unlimited movies, TV shows, and more. Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime.
- Give the gift of entertainment so your friends and family can stream unlimited films and Netflix original series. Whether your loved one already has a Netflix account or they will be creating a new account, they can use a Netflix gift card toward their membership.
- No credit card is required to redeem a gift code.
- Codes are applied to your account as a gift balance. Gift codes can be added to any plan, regardless of the amount.
- Redemption: Online
Moving to another country
A Household update does not change the country associated with your Netflix account. Netflix says to cancel the membership, wait until it ends, then restart it while physically in the new country. Prices, billing currency, payment methods, available titles, audio and subtitle options, maturity ratings and downloads can differ by country. Netflix says viewing activity, recommendations, ratings and account details are saved for 24 months after an account closes. See Netflix’s guidance for moving with your account.
If you have not recently moved, Netflix says you cannot change the account’s country. Do not use a Household update as a workaround for a country change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set my Netflix Household from my phone or computer?
The standard update is started on most TVs connected to the home internet you want Netflix to recognize. A phone or computer can help verify the network or open the confirmation message, but it is not the usual place to initiate the update.
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- Unlimited movies, TV shows, and more. Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime.
- Give the gift of entertainment so your friends and family can stream unlimited films and Netflix original series. Whether your loved one already has a Netflix account or they will be creating a new account, they can use a Netflix gift card toward their membership.
- No credit card is required to redeem a gift code.
- Codes are applied to your account as a gift balance. Gift codes can be added to any plan, regardless of the amount.
- Redemption: Online
How often can I change my Netflix Household?
Netflix does not publish a universal number of Household changes allowed across all accounts and devices. Update it for a genuine change of main home, not for temporary travel.
Does Netflix track my exact location to set the Household?
Netflix says it uses signals including IP address, device IDs and account activity, and does not use GPS to determine a device’s precise physical location.
Will updating my Household delete profiles or watch history?
A Household update changes the recognized main home connection; it is not an account-country change. Netflix’s cited update guidance does not say that changing the Household deletes profiles or viewing history.
Can someone outside my Household use my account?
Netflix says accounts are intended for use within one household. Someone outside it may need their own membership or an extra-member option if one is available for that account and country.
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