Netflix subscribers are spending less time watching content and opening the streaming app less frequently, with the decline continuing years after the company’s controversial password-sharing crackdown.
According to a new Bloomberg report, Netflix customers are using the platform on fewer days each month than they were just a couple of years ago, raising concerns among executives about declining engagement.
The company reportedly tracks usage through a metric called ‘qualified play days,’ which measures how frequently subscribers use the service.
While Netflix‘s total viewing time increased slightly during the first half of 2026, that growth came from attracting more subscribers. On an individual basis, customers are actually watching less.
The decline reportedly began after Netflix started cracking down on password sharing in 2022, before expanding restrictions more widely in 2023.
Executives initially believed the drop would be temporary because fewer people were accessing each account. However, the downward trend has continued, raising questions about whether subscribers are finding enough content worth watching.
Netflix viewing hours have dropped significantly since 2023
The decline is backed up by research from financial firm Jefferies, which estimated that average monthly viewing time per Netflix member fell from 66 hours in the first half of 2023 to just 49 hours in the first half of 2026, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, data from Apptopia found that the share of US subscribers who didn’t open Netflix increased 16.6% in the third quarter compared to the previous year.
Unsplash: Mathieu ImprovisatoNetflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos acknowledged the company’s struggles during an October earnings call, saying US viewership was “just not growing as fast as it could or as fast as we’d like.”
Despite the decline, subscribers aren’t abandoning Netflix entirely. The company’s US cancellation rate has remained steady at around 2%, according to research firm Antenna.
The findings also come after Netflix users threatened to cancel their subscriptions following another price hike earlier in 2026.
In its third-quarter shareholder letter, Netflix acknowledged concerns surrounding viewing hours but maintained that subscriber engagement remained healthy.
The streaming giant has since increased its investment in programming, including live sports and podcasts, as it looks to keep customers watching.
Netflix isn’t the only platform tightening its grip on subscribers, either. In October, Spotify introduced new account-sharing restrictions that could leave unverified Premium Family members facing ads and a 12-month ban from joining another shared plan.
