How to View Netflix Movies With Windows Vista
By Chris Hoffman
Netflix is a Web service best-known for renting DVDs by mail. In addition to shipping physical DVDs to its customers, Netflix also streams movies and TV shows over the Internet to customers with broadband connections. You can watch Netflix movies and TV shows directly in your web browser on the Netflix website or by using Windows Media Center, an application included in the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Windows Vista. Unlike most other websites on the Internet, Netflix streams movies using Microsoft's Silverlight browser plug-in and not Adobe Flash.
Download and install Silverlight from Microsoft's official website (see Resources.)
Open Netflix's website in your Web browser (see Resources.)
Click "Member Sign In" at the top-right corner of the Netflix web page.
Type your Netflix email address and password into the "Email Address" and "Password" boxes and click "Continue."
Click the "Watch Now" tab on the Netflix website.
Search for a movie you want to watch by typing its name into the search box and pressing "Enter."
Click the "Play" button under a movie's box art picture on the web page. Note that some movies can't be watched online; you'll have to order them on DVD if you want to watch them.
References
Tips
- Watch Netflix movies in Windows Media Center if you have Vista Home Premium or Ultimate by clicking "Start," "All Programs," "Windows Media Center" and "TV + Movies" in the Windows Media Center window and then clicking the "Netflix" tile.
Writer Bio
Chris Hoffman is a technology writer and all-around tech geek who writes for PC World, MakeUseOf, and How-To Geek. He's been using Windows since Windows 3.1 was released in 1992.