Of course you love Netflix — we all do. But are there ways to make the entire Netflix experience even better than it already is? You bet there are, and in this post you’ll find some Netflix tricks and hacks that you’ll wonder how you ever binge-watched without.
MUST SEE: 5 secret features hiding inside your iPhone
Be the master of your domain
Netflix accounts are a low-priced commodity on the dark web. So you should really make sure you have a unique password for your account. You can also see whether or not your account has been compromised already — here’s how to tell whether hackers stole your Netflix credentials, and how to fix it.
Know the shortcuts
Why keep going through menus just to rewind a video? Learn these shortcuts and you’ll have a better time binge-watching:
F = full screen
M = mute
Up arrow = volume up
Down arrow = volume down
Spacebar = play/pause
Shift + Left Arrow = rewind
Shift + Right Arrow = fast-forward
ESC = exit full screen
Learn the Smart TV tricks
On top of that, there are more advanced shortcuts you need to be aware of, which will help you improve your visual experience even if you’re dealing with a bad Internet connection. The section on Smart TV tricks might be of particular interest.
4K or bust… or Full HD, at least
Binge On might throttle your video quality when on the go, but you can watch Netflix in 1080p or even 4K while at home. Use this thorough guide to learn how to stream Netflix at the best possible quality.
Avoid Chrome
Also, make sure you don’t use Chrome, as Google’s browser only does 720p streaming.
Use your iPhone as a remote
In addition to desktop shortcuts, you can use your iPhone as a handy remote to control video playback as long as you’re watching Netflix on an
Hide your kids
If your kids always fight you at bed time, Netflix has figured out a way to help you fool them into going to sleep early. Also, this tricks does wonders on New Year’s Eve.
Set up multiple profiles
Profiles are great even if you’re not sharing your Netflix password with anyone else. Set up multiple profiles inside Netflix so that each of them gets recommendations based on certain parameters. For example, you can make a profile for TV series, one for comedies and one for documentaries.
Hunt for hidden categories
Speaking of movie genres, by now you know that Netflix has thousands of them. That’s why you need the Chrome extension Super Browse, as well as the content discovery site Flixed (image below) to help you navigate them right inside your browser.
Tell Netflix what you like
You can also tell Netflix what you like by going to My Account and then Taste Preferences. That way, Netflix will recommend movies and shows you’re more likely to be interested in.
Clear your viewing history
Want to remove some of those embarrassing shows from your past? You weren’t always able to, but you can now. Just go to My Account and in the Viewing activity page, remove anything that you don’t want to appear in your history.
Keep up with the content cycle
Every month, Netflix removes and adds a new show, and BGR will tell you all about it. But there are plenty of services that will help you make sure you don’t miss out on some of your favorite shows: Instant Watcher, Now Streaming and WhatsOnNetflixNow are just a few.
Watch movies somewhere else
There’s a website called Where to Watch that will tell you where to find a film in case Netflix doesn’t have it, either because it didn’t get it yet, or has removed it.
Watch Netflix while you work
The Helium floating (and transparent) browser is a cool piece of software that lets you watch Netflix on top of everything else that’s on your computer. It might kill your productivity, but it does bring Netflix to work.
Binge with someone across the planet
Have a loved one who you want to watch a certain Netflix show with, but they’re away from home? You can both use Showgoers (a Chrome extension) to sync your Netflix watching experiences.
VPN it if you can
The best movie catalog on Netflix is the one in the U.S., but you can only access it via VPN if you’re outside of the country. That’s if you’re willing to pay for VPN and go through the inevitable cat-and-mouse game that has begun between Netflix and VPN providers.
Search through every Netflix library in the world
If you do want to use Netflix with a VPN service, then uNoGS will help you search for content in any country and see what’s available.
Get the Netflix socks
Last but not least, you can make these DIY Netflix-pausing socks that automatically stop Netflix playback when you fall asleep.
