What time do movies and shows leave Netflix? (last time to watch)
Netflix became famous not only because it was the first major streaming service of its kind, but also because it has always had a huge catalog of new and old content. Every month, Netflix adds content to its catalog and removes content that has been streaming for a while.
Content changes often to keep subscribers engaged and provide them with different options. Usually, the first of the month brings 10-20 new movies and a few older TV seasons, while the last day of the month marks the release of several items.
Why are things leaving Netflix? Well, unless it was produced in-house by Netflix, the company doesn’t own the content available on the app, so it has to pay licensing fees to stream stuff.
For example, if Netflix wants to add an old Universal Studios movie, it will cost them money, and they make a deal to stream the movie for a while, maybe a few months or even years. After the agreement ends, Netflix is obligated to remove the content or renew the agreement to keep it longer.
What time do movies and shows leave Netflix?
Netflix content is leaving the streaming service as new stuff arrives, 12:00 p.m. PT/3:00 a.m. ET. So if a movie says the “last day to watch” is January 31, that means the last day you can watch it is 11:59 p.m. PT on January 31.
Technically, due to the time difference, the content is available overnight on the East Coast, so the movie that comes out on January 31 can be viewed until 2:59 a.m. ET on February 1.
However, even though this is the standard general rule for Netflix, there are always occasional exceptions to the rule. Occasionally, content is removed before the aforementioned time. But generally, you want to watch anything you plan to watch before midnight on the day listed as the last day to watch it.
Usually, Netflix notifies viewers when something is about to expire. Once the expiration date is a few weeks away, the item in question will receive a note on its catalog entry indicating when it’s leaving the streaming service so you can plan accordingly.