(Credit: René Ramos; Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock.com)
Netflix has nailed down your taste—or so it thinks. To more effectively suggest movies and TV shows you're likely to watch, the streaming service generates categories it thinks you're interested in and serves up increasingly niche suggestions until you're stuck in a loop, missing out on most of the content you're paying for. Sick of being controlled by the algorithm? There's a way to access the thousands of Netflix category codes you might never otherwise encounter. Here's how to see them all and unlock a whole new way to browse the platform.
How to Find More Than 4,000 Secret Codes on Netflix
Netflix has organized everything it offers by interest and given each one a number code, a practice that dates back to its DVD days. There are a few places to find these codes. Netflix-Codes.com has a big list of the basics, sorted into nearly two dozen overarching categories like Foreign Movies and Sci-Fi & Fantasy, with subcategories under each. Just looking at the list might inspire something new for you, like discovering Deep-Sea Horror Movies (code 45028).
To get more in-depth, visit What's on Netflix's list of every movie and series category. Right now, it has over 4,000 searchable category codes, organized alphabetically.
Last year, Netflix offered details on some of its quirkiest categories. You can find things like 90-Minute Movies (code 81466194) if you don't have all day, Don't Watch Hungry (code 3272152) for armchair foodies, and Swipe Right (code 81582488) if you need a dating show fix.
How to Add the Codes to Your Account
(Credit: Netflix/PCMag)To sort through the selection of codes on your account, you'll need a browser. Type in Netflix.com/browse/genre/, add the code of your choice, and press Enter. You can browse everything in this category (here are zombie horror movies) and add what interests you to your list so you can watch on any device.
Get Even More of What You Want to Watch
(Credit: Netflix/PCMag)If you've seen something you really like and want more like it, open the show on Netflix in a web browser and note the ID number at the end of the URL. Then type the URL netflix.com/browse/similars/ in your browser and put that ID at the end. (Here are titles Netflix considers to be similar to Outlander, for example.)
Chandra Steele contributed to this story.