Netflix for Android update adds new ability to lock screen

Netflix has just updated its Android app with a helpful feature that will allow users to lock their phones' screens to avoid accidental touches. Aimed at Netflix users who are watching streams on their smartphones, the new “screen lock” button makes it impossible to interact with the touchscreen until it's unlocked.

Certainly among the most requested features by Netflix users, the new “screen lock” button is only available in the Android version of the app for the moment (via 9to5Google). The button should now show up among the on-screen controls once you start to watch a TV show or movie in the Netflix app.

Once you press it, the entire Netflix UI will disappear. If you touch the screen by accident or on purpose, the button will pop up again, but you will have to press it twice to bring back the Netflix UI once again.

Keep in mind that this is a staged roll-out, so not everyone will get the new “screen lock” button at the same time. However, the new feature should be available to all Android users in the next couple of days.