Securing your Netflix account isn’t complicated and keeps it safe from unauthorized access. You can protect your private Netflix data and payment information with a few simple security measures. Here’s what you need to do.
Use a Strong, Unique Password
The password is your first line of defense when protecting your Netflix account from unauthorized access. It’s particularly crucial as the streamer doesn’t offer two-factor authentication support. So, whether you’re making a new Netflix account or updating it, it’s best to avoid re-using a password from your other products or services and choose a strong, unique password. Strong passwords include a mix of numbers, symbols, lower-case letters, and upper-case letters and are at least 12 characters long.
You can also take the help of a password manager to generate a good password. A password manager is a nifty app to have, as it remembers all your passwords for you. A good password manager will also tell you when your account credentials have been leaked in a data breach or you’re using them on multiple services.
Add a Phone Number
Although Netflix doesn’t include traditional two-factor authentication, it can use your saved phone number to verify if you are indeed trying to sign in when it notices suspicious login attempts. So, adding a phone number to your Netflix account is a good idea.
You can add a phone number by navigating to Account > Security > Mobile phone on the Netflix website or the Windows app. On its mobile app, Netflix will show a message to add a password recovery number when you navigate to the account page if there isn’t a phone number present in your account.
This phone number will also be used when you’ve forgotten your Netflix password and are trying to recover the account.
Be Careful of Phishing Scams
Phishing emails are one of the most commonly used tactics by malicious parties to acquire access to your online accounts, including Netflix. So, it’s essential to ensure that you are only clicking on links coming in official Netflix emails. Phishing emails have become quite sophisticated these days, and it can be hard to identify them at a quick glance. Don’t get scared by emails about the potential deactivation or deletion of your account or some other made-up scare tactic, and keep a cool head and think about what’s happening.
When in doubt, it’s best to avoid clicking on any links and open Netflix by logging into a browser and then see if anything is wrong.
Always Sign Out of Public Devices
It’s easy to forget to sign out of your Netflix account in a hurry to check out from your hotel room or Airbnb. But if you leave the account signed in, it can be misused by the next guest. So, it’s vital to make it a part of your checkout routine to log out of any account you have signed into on a public device. However, if you still end up forgetting to sign out, you can always use the Netflix app or website to sign out from any logged-in device. You can find the option to do this by navigating to Account > Security > Manage access and devices. Changing your password after logging out from any such device will also be a good idea.
Besides devices in hotels and Airbnbs, it’s also best to sign out of any devices you’ve signed in while visiting a friend. As much as you would want your friend to have access to your Netflix account, the streamer has become quite strict about account sharing, and you may end up drawing its ire.
Keep Your Devices Safe
Even with a strong password and proper sign-out practices, your Netflix account can still be at risk if your personal devices are not secure. If your computer or mobile device on which you use Netflix becomes infected with malware, the attacker can use it to gain access to your online account, including Netflix. So, it’s essential you take all the precautions you can with your personal devices.
Some of the good ways to keep your personal devices safe include keeping the OS up to date, installing malware protection, downloading software from trusted sources, don’t leave them unattended, and don’t click on unknown links.
Monitor Your Netflix Account Activity
Keeping an eye on your Netflix account activity can help you spot if your Netflix account is being used on unknown devices or by unauthorized folks. This is particularly handy when you accidentally leave your Netflix account logged in on a public device or if someone has accessed your Netflix account.
You can then use this information to boot them off your Netflix account and then change the password to make your account secure again.
As mentioned, the “Manage access and devices” option shows all the devices and browsers you’re currently logged in. It also indicates which profile is being used and when that device was last used to access Netflix. It can be your TV, computer, smartphone, tablet, or streaming stick. You can use this information to identify and sign out of unfamiliar devices.
The profile selector screen when you open Netflix is also an easy way to know if there are any unfamiliar profiles using your Netflix account. Plus, you can use the “Continue Watching” section to spot any unfamiliar titles that you aren’t watching.
All of these things can let you know if someone has access to your Netflix account when they shouldn’t. Then, you can sign out from specific devices or all devices using the “Manage access and devices” option and reset your password.
With your Netflix account safe, here are a few ways to make the most of it. And if you often end up wasting time looking for something to watch, we know of a service that can help.
