Why Do Streaming Services make you Select Who's Watching Even If You're the Only Profile on Your Account?

Making users select their single user profile every time you open a streaming app is nonsensical

Profiles on streaming services are great, and with multiple users in your household of different ages watching they can be very helpful. But what makes absolutely no sense and is just plain dumb, is needing to select your profile every time you open a streaming app when your profile is the only one there.

HBO, Netflix, and Others Make You Select Who's Watching Every Time You Open the App

The biggest problem with the way they designed the profile function for most popular streaming apps, is you have to select a user profile each time, even if you're the only one using your device. This seems like such a big waste of time.

This makes about as much sense as logging into your computer and then needing to select yourself before you can use your email every time you open the app.

There needs to be a better way. It seems like such a waste of time to select "Who's Watching" every single time when you are the only one watching. They should let you check a box to make profiles optional. Or they could let the end user disable profiles completely, so when you open the app, you then would go right to your own saved or showcased content.

How to Delete Unused Netflix Profiles

If you're the only one watching Netflix and you don't need multiple profiles, you can't completely disable profiles on your account, but you can delete the additional profiles:

Go to Netflix.com and log in to your account.

Click on your profile icon in the top right corner.

Select "Manage Profiles."

Click the pencil icon next to the profile you want to delete.

Click "Delete Profile" and confirm.

Repeat steps 4-5 for any additional profiles you want to delete.

After deleting all additional profiles, you will only have one profile left.

How to Delete Unused HBO Max Profiles

If you're the only one watching HBO Max and you don't need multiple profiles, you can delete the additional profiles or simply ignore them:

To delete additional profiles:

Open HBO Max and go to the profile switcher screen.

Select the profile you want to delete.

Click on the gear icon to access the profile settings.

Select "Delete Profile" and confirm the action.

To ignore additional profiles:

Open HBO Max and go to the profile switcher screen.

Simply choose to always use the main profile, and don't create or use any additional profiles.

After deleting all additional profiles or ignoring them, you will only have one profile left.

How to Delete Unused ApplTV+ Profiles

If you're the only one using your Apple TV+ account and you want to disable profiles, follow these steps:

Open the "Settings" app on your Apple TV.

Select "Users and Accounts."

Choose "Apple TV App."

Turn off the option for "Up Next and Channels."

Return to the main menu and select the Apple TV app to confirm that the profiles are no longer visible.

Note that if you decide to re-enable profiles, you will need to create a new profile before they can be used again.

Other than allowing users to disable profiles altogether, maybe another option would be as simple as using a cookie that remembers the last user's profile. This could be an opt-in option letting single profile users select this in settings.

Whichever method is used, enabling more user control over profile settings would be viewed favorably by subscribers. So for now Apple TV+ does it right, and hopefully, HBO Max and Netflix along with any others who make their users select their single profile each time can take a hint.

If you have a minute, take a look at our Free Streaming Web App. It will help you find some great streaming sites and channels.

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