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Netflix just got a big redesign – here’s your first look

Published Aug 31st, 2020 9:00AM EDT
Netflix Redesign
Image: JorgeEduardo/Adobe

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  • Netflix is among the most popular sources of streaming entertainment in the world, and the company’s website just got a big redesign that is rolling out now.
  • There have been major changes made to the site’s behavior while browsing through movies and TV shows.
  • The biggest change is the way the site now displays movie and TV series pages, offering users access to all episodes, trailers, similar content, and cast/rating/genre information without having to click between tabs.

Netflix has grown into one of the biggest entertainment platforms in the world, and it has undergone plenty of big changes along the way. In fact, many of the site’s biggest fans might not even have been subscribers long enough to realize that Netflix got its start as a DVD rental-by-mail service. The company’s transition to online streaming giant had plenty of twists and turns along the way, but the biggest change came back in 2013 when Netflix began producing and releasing its own original content. These days, Netflix originals are obviously the service’s biggest draw.

Netflix just announced its September 2020 releases list, and you’ll find a whopping 62 new original movies, shows, and specials on the calendar for next month. Of course, August 2020 isn’t yet over and there are 60 different Netflix originals on the slate this month. If you tend to watch your favorite Netflix movies and shows on the company’s website as opposed to a smart TV app or mobile app, you’re going to notice something different in the coming days and weeks. That’s right, the Netflix site just got a fairly substantial redesign that we think users are going to love.

Many people reading this may already have access to the new design, which began rolling out earlier this month. If you want to see it for yourself, just head over to Netflix’s homepage on your computer. Many more people still haven’t seen the changes though, especially in international markets outside the US.

The biggest changes pertain to the way content pages are displayed. In fact, content isn’t even displayed on its own page anymore — instead, movies and TV shows appear in an overlay above your main timeline.

On the old site, clicking on a thumbnail on the main browse screen, your list, or a genre page would trigger a drop-down style animation that showed a bigger thumbnail and some basic info. Clicking on the title would then open the movie or show’s main page, and clicking the thumbnail would play the title.

With the new design, clicking on a thumbnail opens the overlay you see in the image above. You can play the title, rate it, and add or remove it from your list. If you’re looking at a series, you can scroll down and you’ll see all the episodes — like so:

Scroll a bit more and you’ll arrive at an awesome new section that displays similar titles in a tile layout. If you’re looking at a show or movie you enjoy, this new section is a great way to discover similar content that you might have missed otherwise.

Last but certainly not least, you can scroll down to the bottom where you’ll find the two final sections. First, there’s a collection of content like trailers, special features, and more that you can click on to watch. Beneath that, you’ll find all the info you need about the movie or show, such as the case, genre information, maturity ratings, and more. The old tabbed design is now gone, as you can see in these screenshots.

We’re big fans of the new design so far, and we think our readers will be as well. Definitely check it out if you already have access to the redesign, otherwise is should start to roll out in your region soon.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.