Netflix Adds Vertical Video in Major Mobile App Update

Netflix has added vertical video to its mobile app, according to a report by The Verge describing a major update to the service's phone experience. The change brings the format popularized by TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts directly into a platform that built its business on horizontal, long-form programming.

The Verge characterizes the move as a major mobile app update rather than a limited test. Netflix has not yet published full rollout details, such as which markets receive the feature first or which titles qualify. Readers should treat scope and timing claims from social media commentary as speculation until Netflix confirms them.

Why is a horizontal-video company going vertical?

The answer lies in where watching happens. A large share of Netflix viewing already occurs on phones, and short vertical clips are the dominant format for that screen. Competitors have moved first: TikTok, Meta's Reels and YouTube Shorts have all trained mobile audiences to swipe through vertical feeds.

For years Netflix tested ways to hook into that behavior. The company previously experimented with comedic clips from its shows on TikTok and trialed a fast-laugh feature inside its own app. The new update appears to consolidate that direction into a core product change.

What does this change for creators and marketers?

The immediate implications are limited, because Netflix remains primarily a licensing and subscription business rather than an open creator platform. Three practical points stand out:

• Promotion surface. Vertical clips inside the app give Netflix shows a native discovery channel, potentially reducing dependence on third-party platforms for trailer distribution. -- Format signal. A vertical commitment from a major streamer confirms the format as a default for mobile entertainment, not a niche. -- Ad context. Netflix's ad-supported tier could eventually pair vertical feeds with short-form ad placements, though the company has announced nothing specific on that front.

Any claim that the update includes a creator upload system or revenue-sharing program lacks confirmation. The Verge report frames the change as a viewing-experience update, not a creator-marketplace launch.

Context from the numbers Netflix has disclosed

Netflix reported more than 300 million paid memberships as of late 2024, and the company has repeatedly said mobile is a significant share of viewing hours in growth markets. A vertical feed aimed at that base is a retention play: keep casual, phone-first subscribers scrolling inside Netflix rather than opening a rival short-form app.

The move also follows a wider industry pattern. YouTube expanded Shorts monetization; Instagram pushed Reels into default feeds; TikTok pushed longer uploads. Every major video platform is converging on hybrid formats, and Netflix has now joined them.

What comes next

Expect Netflix to confirm rollout markets, eligible titles and any advertising tie-ins in the coming weeks. If vertical video performs on retention and discovery metrics, the feature will likely move from an app update to a core part of how the service presents its catalog on phones.