Netflix has been experimenting with vertical videos, a la social media platforms, since 2018, when it first introduced mobile previews that offered 30-second snapshots. Three years later, the streaming giant rolled out Fast Laughs, an endlessly-scrolling feed of clips from Netflix content.
These features, however, have only been available in limited capacity, and the rollout has been a bit haphazard. As of 2025, I don’t have access to any of those features on Android or iOS, despite living in one of the platform’s biggest markets.
It seems Netflix is giving the concept another go. Earlier today, the company announced a massive overhaul for the Netflix home experience, including upgrades to the Search and recommendation systems. Additionally, the company revealed a TikTok-inspired vertical video feed featuring highlight clips from TV shows and films.
Why does it matter?
A video feed of short clips is an interesting way to keep users hooked briefly, but this is no social media where you can comment or invite a whole community to interact with it. Netflix knows that all too well, and it isn’t pitching the feed as its own social media universe, either.
The core pitch is to give users a preview of content, and if they find it interesting, they can go straight to streaming it on the device of their choice. It’s no secret that users spend a heck ton of time just scrolling through the catalog or discussing with watch buddies on what to stream.
With the vertical feed, users can scroll through a few carefully-cut clips and decide if they want to dig in further. Unlike the Fast Laughs, which focused on “hilarious series and films to laugh-out-loud stand-up specials,” the new vertical video feed is going to show content from different genres and categories.
What’s the plan?
Nudging users into watching the full movie or TV series is one of the core objectives of the vertical video feed. It will appear prominently on the home page, though Netflix is still calling it a limited test. It will, however, be available to users across the globe and will roll out gradually over the next few weeks.
Of course, it’s also a clever way to nudge others into signing up for Netflix. The streaming platform says users will be able to share the clips with friends and family members directly, just the way you do it on other social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
The vertical video feed will be available to users across all subscription plans. When asked whether the company will also inject ads between the vertical videos, Netflix executives told the press that there are no immediate plans for it, but the company is always looking forward to new advertising avenues without hurting the streaming experience for users.
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