Netflix gives its home screen a makeover

Netflix’s homepage is getting a makeover.

The streaming giant announced Wednesday that it is revamping its look to make the platform “more personal” and improve its interface. It marks the streamer’s first major redesign since 2013.

“We’ve been constantly improving it over the last 12 years, mostly behind the scenes, but now, thanks to a combination of new technology and the expansion of our entertainment offerings, we think it’s time to take a giant leap forward,” Eunice Kim, Netflix’s chief product officer, said in a presentation about the update.

The new layout is designed to increase Netflix’s ability to tailor its suggestions to each viewer, make navigation easier and create a Netflix Hub, which will be personalized to each user, according to Netflix’s publication, Tudum.

The news comes as Netflix continues to double down on its offerings to its subscribers, including live events programming. The streaming giant already hosted its first NFL games, and weekly World Wrestling Entertainment “Raw” shows that began streaming earlier this year.

The homepage updates are “simpler, more intuitive and better represents the breadth of entertainment on Netflix today,” Kim said, noting that Netflix “reaches a global audience of more than 700 million people with incredibly diverse tastes.”

“Our current TV experience was built for streaming shows and movies,” Kim said. “This one is designed to give us a more flexible canvas now and in the future.”

The new TV Experience “will start rolling out to members later this month,” Netflix said in its announcement.

The company said it will also be testing a vertical feed for mobile users, which will feature clips from users’ “top picks for you” and allow users to tap to watch a show or movie immediately, add it to their lists or share the title with their friends.

Netflix is also planning to roll out a generative artificial intelligence search tool for mobile that will allow users to ask Netflix for recommendations using more conversational language, such as “I want to watch something funny and upbeat.”

“Everything starts with great shows and movies that people love,” Elizabeth Stone, Netflix’s chief technology officer, said in a statement. “But if you think about all of the areas where Netflix has a big advantage, our reach, our recommendations, our fandom, technology enables all those things. That technology includes AI.”

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