No more YouTube Premium if you don't live in the same house: YouTube begins Netflix-style crackdown

YouTube is taking a firmer stance against password sharing on its Premium Family plan, echoing a move popularised by Netflix. The platform has started warning users that Premium benefits will be paused if family members are found to be living outside the same household.

Several users have reported receiving emails from YouTube with the subject line: “Your YouTube Premium family membership will be paused”. The notice explains that all members of a Premium Family subscription must reside at the same address as the family manager. Accounts flagged as non-compliant are given 14 days before their access is suspended. Once paused, affected members will remain in the family group but will revert to the ad-supported version of YouTube.

The Premium Family plan, priced at ₹299 per month in India, allows up to five additional members to enjoy ad-free videos, YouTube Music, offline downloads and background play. While the requirement that all members live together has long existed, YouTube had until now been relatively lenient in enforcing it, allowing friends and relatives in different households to benefit.

YouTube verifies eligibility through an “electronic check-in”, which typically occurs every 30 days. This process checks location and account data to confirm that all members are under one roof. In the past, failing this check had little consequence, but the platform is now beginning to act on the results.

The timing is notable. Just weeks ago, YouTube started testing a two-person Premium plan, designed for couples or flatmates who don’t meet the strict “family household” definition. By making the family plan more restrictive while offering smaller, cheaper alternatives, YouTube appears to be nudging users towards legitimate tiers rather than shared accounts.

The company’s motivation is straightforward: revenue. Much like Netflix, which has restricted password sharing, YouTube stands to gain significantly if users who previously relied on shared access are pushed towards their own subscriptions.

For now, the enforcement seems limited. Reports are scattered across Reddit and other forums, suggesting that the crackdown has not yet been rolled out globally. However, users are being advised to prepare, as this could soon expand more widely.

Those affected will have three choices: join a legitimate family plan with household members, switch to an individual or smaller plan, or return to the free, ad-supported version of YouTube.