Although Pd-capped Mg-Ni alloy switchable mirror thin films have potential applications in smart windows and optical switches, they degrade quickly and cannot be switched after about 150 cycles. This must be improved for practical use. In this study, we tested several polymer coatings on the surface of Pd/Mg4Ni switchable mirror thin films as a protective membrane and evaluated the optical switching property and durability. The polymer membrane is able to suppress the oxidization of Mg because it has an excellent gas separation characteristic. Polymer coating extended the switching durability of samples to about 1000 cycles. In addition, the transmittance of the thin film in the transparent state is improved by the coating. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.