The new UI is borderline unusable: Netflix subscribers are still complaining about the app re-design, and Im 100% with them

Date:
Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Description:
Is the 'new' Netflix as bad as some users say? We gave it a close look to
find out.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Fear of change is a real thing. Theres even a name for it: metathesiophobia .

Netflix subscribers are apparently a metathesiophobic bunch, because when the streaming service made an overhaul to its app interface with an upgraded TV experience back in May 2025, the online forums lit up, with one Reddit user condemning the updated interface as borderline unusable.

TechRadar readers, too, joined the chorus of complaints. When my colleague
Tom Powers reported on the Netflix UI kerfuffle , his post drew comments such as the interface is such a disaster it actually makes me feel rage. Also: My wife has motion sickness issues and the new UI made her dizzy and nauseous.

Im an on-and-off Netflix subscriber, and thats mainly because theres a wealth of things to watch on the best streaming services , and I tend to burn
through the good stuff on Netflix fairly quickly. But the picture and sound quality of Netflix originals is excellent, with many getting Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and as someone who regularly tests the best TVs , I tend to let my subscription linger so I can use Netflix shows as a source for my reviews.

It had been a while since I had logged on to Netflix. As you might imagine, when I re-upped my subscription earlier this summer, I was in for a big surprise. Borderline Unusable Program tiles in the Netflix interface now
swell to an enlarged size when browsing and automatically play previews
(Image credit: Future)

I dont exactly find the updated Netflix interface to be borderline unusable. It is annoying, however, and reminds me most of the Amazon Prime Video interface, which is equally user-unfriendly, though not as bad as the new Netflix.

Here are the main things that I dislike about the new interface. When you
fire up the Netflix app on your TV, the homescreen is fully dominated by a recommended program based on your recent viewing history (see image at top
for an example). You dont even get a chance to choose anything a full-motion preview clip automatically starts playing, with a loud soundtrack in some cases.

Once you recover from the trauma of that experience (Im only half-joking),
get your bearings, and scroll down the screen to browse the horizontal rows
of program categories such as Continue Watching, My List, etc., the first
tile in each row blows up to an enlarged size and also automatically plays a preview clip for that program.

Motion sickness? Dizzy and nauseous? I cant say Ive felt any of those things when navigating the new Netflix interface, but there is now an awkward and overly kinetic quality to browsing it that I find unappealing. More problematic, the ballooning process cuts down the number of tiles in any row from six to four, effectively reducing the amount of information you can access visually onscreen.

Find a program that looks interesting? Selecting any tile in the Netflix interface quickly fills the screen with a full-motion preview, as if to shove your selection in your face.

Also, the earlier version of Netflix let you easily add a program to your library by clicking a Plus button onscreen. That button is now hidden in the new interface, and you need to scroll down to access it. Im not sure why, but for some reason, I find this minor change to be the most egregious element of the new Netflix. I will cancel my subscription Image 1 of 2 1) The Apple TV+ and 2) The Criterion Channel app interfaces both offer a more pleasing and informative browsing experience than Netflix (Image credit: Future) Image 2
of 2 (Image credit: Future)

Yes, I will eventually cancel my Netflix subscription, most likely after I finish the new Spike Lee Hurricane Katrina documentary and re-watch 28 Years Later (coming Saturday, September 20), and I wont miss looking at that
updated interface while Im gone.

In the meantime, Id recommend the Netflix UI designers take a look at Apple TV+, HBO Max, and especially The Criterion Channel to get an idea of what a pleasing, informative, and user-friendly app interface looks like.

In the case of Apple TV+ and The Criterion Channel (see examples above), maximum screen space is devoted to program tiles when browsing, and those tiles are fully readable. More importantly, they dont aggressively kick into autoplay of a preview when you hover over them. The sidebar menu on the HBO Max app provides a range of alternative browsing options. A similar feature
is available on Apple TV+ (Image credit: Future)

The main HBO Max homescreen does lean into previews, but there is more information to take in when browsing, and theres none of that ballooning, jump-scare auto-play when hovering over a tile. There is also a vertical menu bar on the left side of the screen that gives you more browsing options a useful feature HBO Max shares with Apple TV+.

Netflix has apparently pushed back at subscribers complaining about its updated interface, characterizing them as a vocal minority. For Netflix, this is an improved interface that highlights what matters most to you.

Ill grant that there are some updates I like, such as the expanded program information for each title, and the improved My Netflix hub. But for the most part, I miss the old Netflix, and I am clearly not alone. You might also like Netflixs auto-play feature is the absolute worst Charlie Brooker teases new Netflix show that contains blood and frowning Your Netflix home page is getting its biggest update ever, and yes, it includes generative AI



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/streaming/the-new-ui-is-borderline-unusable-netflix- subscribers-are-still-complaining-about-the-app-re-design-and-im-100-percent-w ith-them


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