Netflix launches ‘audio only’ mode so that people can watch shows without seeing them

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Netflix has launched an audio-only mode, allowing people to watch shows without actually seeing them.

The new feature has appeared for some Android users before presumably rolling out more widely.

It does not yet bring with it any devoted content meant for only listening to. Instead, users will be able to switch it on for the other content in the Netflix catalogue.

Netflix does produce its own audio content, in the form of podcasts – some discuss its content, while others are scripted shows in themselves. But they cannot actually be listened to in Netflix, but only through external podcast players, even with the new update.

The feature is presumably intended for users who want to concentrate on the audio, or to save data if they are only intending to listen to the show.

The update has been pushed out from Netflix’s servers, meaning that no update is needed. But it is only available to some Android users, it appears, meaning that not everyone will have access to it.

If someone does, it should appear while watching a video. There will be a “Video Off” button at the top of the player, which when clicked will make the screen go black.

Users can also to click into the app settings and choose the “Audio Only” setting. It can be turned on their, or switched on only when the phone is plugged into external speakers.