How Netflix works on Sky Q: Your questions answered

Netflix is coming to Sky Q in November and we've had a sneak preview of how it will be integrated into the general Sky Q experience.

You will be able to launch Netflix from the Sky Q menu or even just jump straight into shows.

Here then is our handy guide on what to expect when Netflix arrives on Sky Q.

• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?

Do I have to have a Netflix account?

To be able to access Netflix content on a Sky Q box you will need a Netflix account, either existing or new. However, you can sign up for Sky's own Ultimate On Demand package, which includes full Netflix access.

Indeed, if you sign up through Sky you actually get more integration with the Sky Q platform than if you use a separate Netflix account.

All Netflix accounts can access content through Sky, but depending on your package you get different benefits:

Existing or new Netflix account through Netflix itself (or another provider)

If you use a separate Netflix account you will be able to use the dedicated Netflix app on the Sky Q platform. It works and looks exactly like a Netflix app on many other platforms, including Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.

New or existing Netflix account through a Sky Unlimited On Demand package

If you pay for Netflix through Sky's new all-in-one payment package, you can still access the Netflix app on Sky Q as before, but with the added bonus of Netflix content being integrated with the overall Sky Q experience too.

For example, some Netflix shows will appear on the Sky Q home screen along with other "Top Picks" from Sky's channels and box sets. You click on them and they will instantly open the relevant section on Netflix and play.

The same is true with the "Continue Watching" section, which will include Netflix shows you are part-way through.

A new On Demand menu section has a dedicated area for Netflix, which gives you the ability to switch Netflix profiles or start content from numerous recommendation bars.

Text search on Sky Q will also include results found on Netflix.

This is the same whether you sign up for Netflix for the first time through Sky or if you switch your existing account over. In the latter case, you only need to tell Sky the email address that accesses your Netflix account and the two companies will switch you over automatically and instantly. You won't lose any profiles or Netflix history.

Do I need Netflix Premium?

If you have an existing Netflix account and don't wish to swap it to Sky's version, you can access the Netflix app no matter which type of Netflix subscription you have: Basic, Standard or Premium.

The resolution and number of simultaneous streaming devices allowed on each of those is the same as listed on the Netflix site (ie. two concurrent streams up to HD for Standard, four up to 4K for Premium).

If you sign up to Sky's Ultimate On Demand package the type of Netflix subscription you get depends on your Sky Q subscription.

If you have a Sky Q Entertainment subscription and the 1TB box you will get Netflix Standard membership (two streams in HD). If you have a Sky Q Experience (formerly known as Q Multiscreen) subscription with the 2TB box, you get Netflix Premium membership (four streams in up to Ultra HD).

The package is identical in price no matter which Sky Q subscription you have.

How much does Netflix on Sky Q cost?

Sky's Ultimate On Demand package costs £10 per month.

For that, you get Netflix (with either Standard or Premium access depending on your overall Sky Q subscription - as above). And you also get access to Sky Box Sets, which currently costs £5 per month.

That effectively means you get Sky Box Sets for free if you have a Sky Q Experience subscription as standalone Netflix Premium is usually £10 per month. Although it is worth remembering that the Sky Q Experience package itself is an additional £12 for multiroom access to Sky Q services.

The non-4K version is good value too, considering that would normally cost you a combined £13 per month.

You can pre-register your interest prior to its November release here: sky.com/netflix.

Does a Sky Unlimited On Demand Netflix account also work on other devices?

Even if you pay for your Netflix through Sky it still works like a standalone subscription. That means you can log into and enjoy Netflix on any device with the Netflix app, plus PC or Mac through a web browser.

Can I get Netflix through a Sky+ box?

Sadly, there are no plans for a Netflix app or integration for the older Sky+ box

Sky hopes it will encourage Sky+ subscribers to upgrade.

Do Netflix shows appear in my recommendations?

If you have a Sky Ultimate On Demand subscription you will get Netflix content appearing in several places on your Sky Q home pages.

Even when you press the Home button and open the Sky Q hub you'll see Netflix shows, such as The Crown and Stranger Things, appear in the Top Picks rail at the top, alongside Sky's own content.

In addition, Netflix shows will appear in the "Continue Watching" rail.

Recommendations will also appear front and centre on a dedicated Netflix hub in the On Demand menu.

Are shows streamed in 4K HDR?

While Sky Q Experience customers with a 2TB set-top-box will be able to view supported content in 4K Ultra HD, there is no HDR support at launch.

Sky Q will get HDR support in future, most likely 2019 and using the HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) standard adopted by the BBC too, for its iPlayer streaming tests. It will work with Sky content as well as Netflix.

• What is HDR? Why HDR will improve your movie watching
• What is Hybrid Log Gamma and why should you care?

Can I search for Netflix content by voice?

Sky plans to add the ability to search for Netflix content by voice in the near(ish) future but it won't be available for launch.

You will be able to open the Netflix app using your voice, however. Voice start for all apps is coming soon.

Can I download Netflix shows to the Sky Q box?

Unlike Sky Box Sets, you do not download Netflix shows or movies to your Sky Q box. There isn't much point, to be honest, and streaming saves your storage space for recordings and other downloaded content from elsewhere.

Will the Sky Q app offer Netflix access too?

There are no current plans to offer Netflix access through the Sky Q app for iOS or Android. It might happen in future, Pocket-lint was told, but there is less urgency to integrate the service considering the Netflix app already exists on all relevant mobile devices.

Are my Netflix profiles still active?

Not only are your Netflix profiles still active, they are incorporated into the Sky Q experience if you subscribe to Ultimate On Demand.

Recommendations of Netflix shows throughout the Sky Q pages are based on the last profile signed into through the Netflix Sky Q app. And you can even see the current lead profile in the top rail on the dedicated Netflix section of the On Demand area.

Click on that and you can change the profile to another - including a child's profile which will then only recommend Netflix shows throughout Sky Q that are appropriate to their age group.

Does Sky share my viewing details or preferences with Netflix?

Sky will soon launch its own personalisation options on Sky Q and already has its own algorithms to promote programming based on your viewing habits. Netflix does the same.

But those worried about their data need not worry. The two companies will keep your respective viewing habits to yourself. In fact, the only information about you they will share is your Netflix account email address when first switching from a regular, standalone subscription to Ultimate On Demand.

Even that will not be shared if you don't switch your account over.

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