Netflix has been one of the most popular services on the internet since its inception. People all over the world, whether they are teenagers or adults, have an intense liking and passion for watching movies and TV shows, and Netflix brings both of these to the users. It is a single destination for people to watch their favorite TV shows and movies in high-quality print anytime and anywhere. All they need is a subscription with Netflix and they have access to one of the biggest and most precious repositories of popular TV shows and movies.
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There is one problem, however, that has been haunting many users all over the world regarding Netflix. It does not support Ubuntu. Now, Ubuntu is a Linux operating system used by many people all over the world. However, the fact that these users are not able to watch Netflix on Linux was causing some distress to Ubuntu users. However, there is a way you can unblock Netflix on Ubuntu.
How to Watch Netflix on Ubuntu
Previously, the best method for Linux users to watch Netflix on their systems was to go for a virtual machine. However, there is now a better solution in the form of the Netflix Desktop app which allows people to watch Netflix on Ubuntu.
The Netflix Desktop app is essentially a complete package which has a patched version of Wine, Firefox’s Windows build and Microsoft Silverlight, all with some enhancements to make the package work with good efficacy. It must be noted that this solution, although a working one, is not an official solution since it relies on Wine, which is not officially supported by Netflix.
How to get the Netflix Desktop App
Developers of the app have, in addition to taking care of putting the necessary software into an efficient package, have provided a PPA (Personal Package Archive) to help users install the Netflix package without a hassle. Just enter the following commands in the Terminal window:
- sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ehoover/compholio
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get install netflix-desktop
You can find the Netflix Desktop app in your dash after successfully installing it. Launching it will result in the app asking you to download other software that is related to its proper functioning. The software will be downloaded automatically and the app will then open in full-screen mode. You can use F11 to switch it to Windows mode to use it easily.
To access Netflix content, you would need to sign in with your Netflix account credentials. If you don’t have Netflix account, please read our guide on how to create Netflix without credit card. A Silverlight DRM prompt will come on your screen. You simply need to agree on it and then sit back and stream all you want!
The performance of this package depends on the hardware of your system. People all over the world have reported different performance metrics for the package. But one upside is that the developers have released an update for the package recently which has apparently resulted in users getting much better results. So it is safe to assume that further updates will only reinforce the quality of this package to watch Netflix on Ubuntu
Final Word
Netflix is a service that is admired by millions of people, and with the solution provided in this article, you can unblock Netflix anywhere and stream your favorite TV shows and movies on your Ubuntu system.
