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Netflix gets a facelift. What's changing?

Netflix announced on Wednesday that the website's user interface will be getting an update for the first time since 2011.

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Paul Sakuma/AP/file
This March 2012 file photo shows signage at Netfilx headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif.
  • By Meredith Hamilton Staff writer

Netflix announced on Wednesday that the website will be getting a makeover. Gone are the days of content carousels and endless arrow-clicking.

This is the first major interface update Netflix has made since 2011.

According to Tech Crunch, many users have complained about the slow-moving carousel browsing system. When searching for a movie or TV show, users have to sort through the content by clicking on arrows. 

The new update will feature a game-console-style screen similar to Netflix's TV interface, completely eliminating the carousels. Titles will be displayed as large thumbnails that can be clicked on to reveal further information. 

Critics say that the new setup's horizontal thumbnails limit the number of titles on one screen. Many users are concerned about the amount of content available on the main page. There is actually a bookmarklet-based "God Mode" hack that lets you see all the movies and TV shows without having to click around, a sign that users are looking for easier ways to navigate the Netflix site. 

Updates made in 2011 focused on expanding accessibility to content and simplifying the interface. The new interface brings the experience more in line with what users of tablets and set-top boxes see, making moves away from what Tech Crunch's Matt Burns described as an "addiction to brevity."

Tech Crunch reports that, on the new interface, "you're able to see a movie or episode's title, description, running time and more, and can add the title to your watch list." All of this will be done without switching between multiple screens.

Some users are already reporting seeing the new interface, which means the rollout is already underway. 

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