What Must Match Before a Cross-Device Handoff Can Work?
Verify supported devices, account, profile, authorised source access, item, version, progress, tracks, and target output before a viewing handoff.
In short: Five core states must be viable before handoff: a supported target, the intended account and profile, access to the same authorised media source, the same item or episode, and the intended version. Progress, audio, subtitles, and output must then be checked and may be corrected locally. Stop at the first core mismatch.
Handoff troubleshooting becomes inefficient when users start with subtitle size or speaker output while the target is signed into the wrong profile or cannot access the source. Work in dependency order.
Core prerequisite 1: supported target
The target must be able to open Norva through a currently supported web, mobile, or TV route. “Has a screen” or “uses the same network” is not enough. Verify the current product experience and any required update.
Do not infer support for a specific device brand, store, receiver protocol, or browser without an official source.
Core prerequisite 2: intended account and profile
Sign in to the intended account and select the profile that owns the viewing context. Norva can preserve progress, history, favourites, and preferences under the same account on supported devices.
A profile allowance is not a simultaneous-playback entitlement or device limit. Check current terms and source conditions for the intended use.
Core prerequisite 3: authorised source access
The target must reach the compatible media source the user owns or is authorised to use. A title visible in cached history does not prove current access to its media version.
If the source is unavailable, stop. Changing audio, subtitles, or progress will not repair the dependency.
Core prerequisite 4: exact item identity
Match title plus year for a film. For a series, match series, season, and episode. Use the cross-screen identity procedure when metadata is truncated or artwork is similar.
The target's first continuation card is a clue, not proof.
Core prerequisite 5: intended version
Grouped variants can differ in source label, duration, tracks, availability, or progress. Match the intended variant before comparing the timeline. If the same version is not available, decide whether another authorised version is acceptable rather than silently switching.
Correctable target states
Once the five core prerequisites pass, inspect:
- approximate playback position;
- audio language;
- subtitle language and on/off state;
- audio output;
- volume;
- orientation or display layout;
- control method.
These states matter to the experience, but many can be adjusted on the target. Available tracks still depend on the source and media.
Run the gate in order
- Open the supported target route.
- Verify account.
- Verify profile.
- Confirm source access.
- Find and verify the item.
- Match the version.
- Compare progress.
- Select available audio and subtitles.
- Verify output at a low comfortable level.
- Resume once.
The state-by-state handoff guide explains each layer and its recovery path.
Original evidence: prerequisite gate
| State | Blocker if absent? | Source evidence | Target evidence | Pass? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supported target route | Yes | |||
| Intended account | Yes | |||
| Intended profile | Yes | |||
| Authorised source access | Yes | |||
| Exact item/episode | Yes | |||
| Intended version | Usually; decide explicitly | |||
| Approximate position | Investigate difference | |||
| Audio/subtitles | Correct when available | |||
| Output/layout | Correct locally |
“Source evidence” and “target evidence” should describe visible fields, not assumptions.
If one prerequisite fails
Do not skip ahead. For a wrong account, sign out through the documented control. For a missing source, verify authorisation and current availability. For a missing item, search by stable identity fields. For a version mismatch, compare source label, duration, and tracks.
During episodic handoff, use the mid-episode wrong-item prevention routine.
Common mistakes and limitations
Avoid refreshing repeatedly without recording the first state, selecting by artwork, treating a saved preference as proof a track exists, confusing profile count with use permission, and changing progress before matching the version.
This checklist cannot guarantee source availability, network performance, media quality, or support for every target. Product and source conditions can change.
Frequently asked questions
Must both devices use the same network?
Do not assume that from cross-device continuity. Follow current product, source, and device requirements for the specific route.
Is an exact timestamp match required?
A manually recorded time may differ slightly. Investigate a substantial difference by checking profile, episode, and version before seeking.
What if the target has the item but not the preferred subtitles?
The track may be absent from that version. Review other authorised variants or continue with an available choice; a saved preference cannot add a track.