The Basics

To rent and watch films and programs on our streaming platform, you will need:

1. To create an account – you must create an account to access the NFSA Player platform (even if you are already a subscriber of the NFSA). See the creating an account section below for details on creating a free account or resetting your password.
2. A valid credit or debit card – you can use a Visa, Mastercard or debit card.
3. An internet connection – broadband and fibre are supported. However, if your connection is poor or inconsistent you may experience problems during streaming. Users on basic ADSL plans should limit the number of devices on their network and consider 720p or Auto resolution to improve performance. (Click the icon in the bottom right corner of the player to select the streaming quality of a film.)
4. A screen to watch on – stream films directly to your computer or smart device via the website; cast from your device to a TV via Chromecast or Apple TV; or connect from your computer, laptop or smart device to a TV via an HDMI cable.

Creating an account

• It’s free to create an account and browse, and you simply pay for the films or programs you want to watch. To create an account, head to Create Account in the top right corner and enter your details.

I am an existing account holder

• You can sign in using your existing account details.

I am an account holder but can’t remember my password

• If you can’t remember your password or account details, head to Reset Your Password.

General FAQs

How long do I have to watch?

• In general, rental periods are for 30 days with unlimited views. This may vary depending on the content.

Can I watch NFSA Player anywhere in the world?

• NFSA Player is geoblocked to Australia due to agreements with the films’ rights holders. VPNs cannot be used to bypass geoblocking.

How do I rent a film?

• To rent a film, hover over the thumbnail and click 'Rent'. Enter your credit card number in the pop-up window. If you have a promo code, it can be entered in this window. You will be emailed a link to watch your rental, and it will also appear in 'My Library' shortly.

Where can I find the film I rented?

• Your films and rental history can be found in 'My Library'.

Can I start a film and come back to it later?

• Yes. Films can be paused and resumed at any point within your watch window.

What is the difference between 'My List' and 'My Library'?

• 'My List' allows you to bookmark titles to rent later. Films that you’ve already rented will appear in 'My Library'. To remove a film from your List, hover over the title and click the checkmark next to 'My List'.

How do I add to 'My Devices' and is there a limit?

• When you sign in on a device it is automatically registered to 'My Devices'. Users may have up to three registered devices.

Are titles available to watch in HD?

• Whenever possible, absolutely. While high-definition versions of many classic and archive films sadly don’t exist yet, we make our films available in HD when we can. NFSA Player will try to offer you the best quality depending on your internet connection and the device you are watching on.

Are Closed Captions available?

• Not all of our titles include closed captions, but we will endeavour to provide them whenever possible.

Is there an App for NFSA Player?

• Yes, currently we offer the NFSA Player app for Apple, Android and Amazon. You can download the NFSA Player app via the App Store of your choice. Please note, you must create an account and rent titles via the NFSA Player website before viewing content on the app.

Is there any Bonus Content that comes with my rental?

• Some titles may include bonus content like introductions or Q&As with filmmakers. To watch them, click on a title and scroll down to 'Bonus Content'. You must rent a title in order to watch its bonus content. Some bonus content is available for free and appears as a separate rental. Bonus content that is part of a paid rental is available for the same rental window as the film it is attached to.

Is there any content I can watch for free?

• Yes, we are offering a variety of titles for free through NFSA Player. They can be rented individually from the front page under the package heading 'Enjoy these titles for free'.

What is your refund and exchange policy?

• NFSA Player has a no-refund and no-exchange policy on digital NFSA Player rentals.

TECHNICAL FAQS

What are the system requirements?

• You can watch on PCs running Windows 7+, and Intel-based Macs running OSX 10.12+. You can also watch on Android tablets and phones using Chrome and on iPhones and iPads using Safari. Linux devices are not supported and will not work. You will need a broadband or fibre internet connection – dial-up will not work. You’ll find a complete list of requirements below.

What are the requirements for Windows computers?

• NFSA Player is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, using Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Opera. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported. Internet Explorer is no longer supported. You will need a broadband or fibre internet connection – dial up will not work.

What are the requirements for Mac computers?

• NFSA Player is compatible with Mac OSX 10.12 or later, using Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Opera browsers. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported. You will need a broadband or fibre internet connection – dial-up will not work.

Can I watch on my Linux device?

• No, unfortunately due to the level of protection on the content, our player doesn’t support playback on Linux platforms.

Can I watch content on my iPhone/iPad?

• Yes, you can watch content using iOS 11.2 or later and Safari browser. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.

Can I watch content on my Android Device?

• Yes, you can watch content using Android 6.0 or later and Chrome browser. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.

Can I share my account with a friend?

• No. Sharing accounts is not permitted.

I can’t stream any of the content, what’s going on?

• Check your minimum system requirements above. We recommend that you update to the latest version of your browser. We use adaptive bitrate streaming which means the streaming quality will automatically adjust based on your internet speed. For High Definition (HD) streaming we recommend an NBN connection as we cannot guarantee consistent HD streaming on ADSL.

What happens if I forget my password?

• Simply click 'Forgotten your password?' on the Sign In page, enter the email address you used when you created an account, and a link to reset your password will be sent to you.

Why does video playback stall or not play smoothly?

• If your internet connection is poor or inconsistent you may experience problems during playback. Try lowering the playback bitrate.

Can I Chromecast content?

• You can Chromecast from a Chrome web browser on PC and Mac computers as well as Android devices.

How do I watch content using Chromecast from Chrome?

• Make sure you have connected your Chromecast to your TV and wi-fi network then follow the steps below. Your device must be connected to the same wi-fi network as your Chromecast. For information or assistance connecting Chromecast to your TV and/or wi-fFI network, see Chromecast Help.

1. Make sure you’re using the latest version of Chrome by navigating to Settings > About Google Chrome and update your Chrome browser to the latest version, if necessary. If you’re having trouble, here’s how to update Google Chrome.
2. In Chrome browser go to the film or TV page and start playing the content.
3. Select the Cast icon in the bottom right hand corner.
4. Select your Chromecast device.
5. The film or TV episode will now start playing on your Chromecast device.

Who do I contact for help?

• If your question has not been answered on this page, please email player@nfsa.gov.au for assistance. Please provide us with as much information as possible, including what device(s) you are using, the type of error occurring and other applicable information. Our service team will reply to you as soon as possible.

Main image: Mabo (Rachel Perkins, 2012)