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“Netflix skipping episodes” can mean several different things: it may start the next episode when you do not want it to, fail to start one when you expect it to, jump during playback, or resume the wrong episode. The fix depends on which is happening. Use the symptom guide below before changing settings or resetting a device.
- It starts the next episode on its own: turn off Autoplay Next Episode for the profile you are watching.
- It stops instead of playing the next episode: check autoplay, mobile data, the app, and the device.
- The picture jumps or stutters during an episode: test another title, then troubleshoot the device and its video connections.
- It opens an episode you already watched or skips ahead in a series: check the selected profile and its viewing activity.
- Only one episode has a fault: report that title to Netflix.
Stop Netflix from automatically playing the next episode
If Netflix starts another episode without your choosing it, turn off Autoplay Next Episode in the settings for the profile you use. Netflix manages this preference at the profile level, so changing it can affect that profile on supported devices. Select the right profile before editing it.
Change the setting in a browser
- Open Netflix in a web browser and go to Account.
- Under Profiles, select the affected profile.
- Open Playback settings.
- Turn off Autoplay Next Episode, then save if prompted. Netflix’s instructions are at Netflix Help: How to change autoplay settings.
Change the setting in the Netflix app
- Select a profile, then tap My Netflix in the lower-right corner.
- Tap the profile name at the top, then tap Manage Profiles.
- Select the affected profile and turn off Autoplay Next Episode.
- On iPhone or iPad, tap Done if it appears.
If Netflix keeps autoplaying after the change, first verify that you edited the profile currently in use. Then switch to another profile and back, or sign out of Netflix on the viewing device and sign back in. Netflix recommends refreshing the preference this way. If the problem remains, fully close and reopen Netflix, restart the device, and test the same profile on another device. If it happens on only one TV, streaming stick, or console, update the Netflix app and the device software; persistent device-specific trouble may need help from the device manufacturer.
Get Netflix to start the next episode automatically
If an episode ends and Netflix stops at the credits or returns to the title page, check that Autoplay Next Episode is enabled for the active profile in Account → Profiles → [profile] → Playback settings. Netflix’s current instructions for the setting are at Netflix Help.
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On an Android phone, iPhone, or iPad
- Connect to Wi-Fi and try again. Netflix says next-episode autoplay may not work over a mobile network because it is designed to avoid unexpected data use.
- Update the Netflix app, then retry playback.
- If the phone or tablet is connected to a TV with a video cable or adapter, disconnect it and test playback directly on the mobile device. That connection may not support automatic next-episode playback.
These mobile troubleshooting steps are described by Netflix Help: Next episode won’t play automatically.
On a TV or another device
Restart the device completely rather than leaving it in standby: turn it off, unplug it if it has a power cable, wait 15 seconds, then turn it back on and try Netflix again. If the next episode still does not start, update the Netflix app and device software, and check the active profile’s autoplay setting.
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Fix playback that jumps, skips, or stutters during an episode
A jump in the middle of an episode is different from autoplay between episodes. Netflix says skipping, stuttering, and distorted playback can involve the device or the video cable connected to the TV. Start by testing another show or movie; that helps separate a single-title fault from a problem affecting playback more broadly. See Netflix Help: Video skips, stutters, or plays distorted.
If several titles are affected on a TV or TV-connected device
- Restart the TV or streaming device. Unplug it from power, press its power button once, and wait one minute; alternatively, leave it unplugged for three minutes. Plug it back in and reopen Netflix.
- Sign out of Netflix and sign back in.
- Inspect the full video connection path: HDMI cable, adapter, receiver, soundbar, or HDMI switch between the streaming device and TV. If possible, test without intermediary equipment or with a direct connection.
- Install available updates for the device’s operating system or firmware.
- Use a factory reset only if less disruptive steps fail and the manufacturer recommends it. A reset can remove apps, saved data, and preferences; have your Wi-Fi details and Netflix sign-in information available first.
If several titles are affected on an Android device
- Turn the phone or tablet fully off, then turn it back on; locking the screen is not a restart.
- Update Netflix through Google Play.
- Install an available Android update.
- If playback still skips, contact the device manufacturer.
If several titles are affected on an iPhone or iPad
Turn the device off completely and restart it. On current models, press and hold the side button and one volume button until the power slider appears; button steps vary by Apple model. Try Netflix again after the device starts.
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- Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1.5 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
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Check the profile when Netflix opens the wrong episode
If Continue Watching opens a later episode or episodes appear watched unexpectedly, check the selected profile before changing device settings. Another person using the same profile, or viewing on another device, may have changed its progress.
- Confirm that Netflix is using the profile you intend to watch.
- Ask whether someone else has been using that profile or another device signed in to it.
- Review the profile’s Viewing Activity in your Netflix account. If an incorrectly watched title can be removed there, remove it and check whether the series progress corrects itself.
- Use separate profiles for people who watch different shows, so their viewing progress stays distinct.
Know when “Are you still watching?” is the cause
A prompt asking whether you are still watching is a continuous-playback check, not proof that Netflix skipped an episode. Netflix says the prompt appears on TVs and TV-connected devices after three episodes and 90 minutes of uninterrupted watching. On other devices, it appears after three episodes without using the video-player controls. Dismiss the prompt to continue, or turn off next-episode autoplay if you want playback to stop between episodes. See Netflix Help: Are you still watching?.
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- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
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Report an episode that is the only one with a problem
If other Netflix titles play normally but one episode repeatedly skips, glitches, or has another playback defect, report the title instead of resetting every device. In a browser, open Viewing Activity, find the affected show or movie, choose Report a Problem, and follow Netflix’s prompts. Netflix’s guides cover playback problems and reporting title problems.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsInclude details that help distinguish a title issue from a device or connection issue:
Quick Recap
- The show, season, and episode number.
- The device and operating system or software involved.
- Whether other Netflix titles work, and the approximate timestamp of the fault.
- Whether it happens repeatedly and whether you were using Wi-Fi, mobile data, or both.
- Whether a cable, adapter, receiver, soundbar, or external display is part of the setup.
Quick fixes by symptom
| What happens | First step | Next step if it persists |
|---|---|---|
| Next episode starts when you do not want it to | Turn off Autoplay Next Episode for the active profile. | Switch profiles or sign out and back in to refresh the preference. |
| Next episode does not start | Enable autoplay; on a phone or tablet, test over Wi-Fi. | Update Netflix and restart the device; disconnect a mobile device from its TV cable or adapter and test directly. |
| Video jumps or stutters during an episode | Play another title to see whether the issue is title-specific. | Restart and update the device; inspect the HDMI/video connection path. |
| Netflix resumes at the wrong episode | Check the active profile and Viewing Activity. | Separate profiles between viewers and report persistent title or progress problems to Netflix. |
| Playback pauses for a viewing prompt | Dismiss “Are you still watching?” | Turn off autoplay if you prefer to stop between episodes. |
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