New Netflix ‘watch timer’ lets you fall asleep in peace – how to set it up

NETFLIX is trialling a viewing timer feature that can pause an episode for you if you fall asleep.

The Netflix timer has started rolling out globally for Android users.

The timer will appear for Android users in the right hand cornerCredit: Netflix

It lets you pick a period of time that Netflix will run for before shutting down.

This will be useful for people who fall asleep to Netflix and lose their place in a episode.

It will also be good for people trying not to waste data or those on a mission to limit their Netflix consumption.

Parents may want to use the timer if they’re trying to set limits on screen time for children.

There's no word yet on when it's coming to Apple — There’s no word yet on when it’s coming to AppleCredit: Alamy

How to use the Netflix viewing timer

Android users with an updated Netflix app should now see a timer icon in the right hand corner of their screen when they’re watching something.

Click it and you can select to keep watching for another 15, 30 or 45 minutes.

There’s also the option to “Finish Show”.

Whichever you select is how long the app will keep showing the series or movie before shutting down.

If you find you want to keep watching then you can always turn the timer off or just not use it.

According to Trusted Reviews, a spokesperson for Netflix said: “We’re always looking for new ways to improve the Netflix mobile experience.

“This test is the latest example – a new timer that gives members more control over their viewing experience by simply choosing their favorite show or movie and setting a timer without having to worry about pausing it before it’s over.

“We experiment with these types of tests and will only roll the feature out more broadly if we find it improves the member experience.”

There’s no word yet on when the feature could be coming to Apple users or Netflix on TVs.

Use Netflix on a computer or laptop? Try these useful shortcuts

Here are some handy keyboard shortcuts…

Spacebar – toggle play / pause
Enter – toggle play / pause
F – full screen
Esc – exit full screen
Left Arrow – rewind 10 seconds
Right Arrow – fast-forward 10 seconds
Up arrow – volume up
Down arrow – volume down
M – mute toggle
Shift-Alt-Left Click – adjust the streaming bitrate (to improve or reduce the quality of the video)