Netflix is among the largest streaming services globally. According to some estimates, the bandwidth used by its videos is as much as 37% of all Internet traffic, and that number is growing with time. While most of that bandwidth is spent watching TV shows and movies, a good chunk of it is also used in browsing categories to find the right movie.
The selection of content displayed on the default Netflix interface is extremely limited considering all the content that the website has to offer. You might see categories such as Netflix Originals, action movies, sci-fi TV shows, and comedies. Besides that, the selection is quite random.
You might be surprised to find that there are thousands of secret codes that can be used to unblock hidden categories, giving you access to countless new options. These categories in “Movies based on children books” and “Martial Arts, Boxing & Wrestling” among others. With these codes, you need not rely on luck to get a movie you’ll enjoy.
Netflix doesn’t advertise these secret categories. It only publicly acknowledged them a few years ago when the codes were discovered. So it’s safe to assume that Netflix had no intention of sharing these codes, but that is not to say that you cannot use them.
What’s the point of having secret codes?
The algorithm that Netflix uses to sort content and give users suggestions is extremely complex. It monitors the TV shows and movies that you stream and then uses that data to give you suggestions. The data includes the cast members, directors, genre, etc. It’s also been rumored that Netflix takes note of your preferences and suggests content based on the time of day.
To make sure you start watching new series, the algorithm sifts through the entire database of content and suggests shows and movies similar in one way or another to what you like to watch. For the algorithm to be even more effective, it needs to split the content into more than just a handful of categories.
For example, not all action movies are the same. The action movie genre can be further divided into military action, crime action, and spy action among other categories. By monitoring the precise variety of action movies that a user is inclined to watch, the algorithm can make better suggestions.
What do the codes do?
In simple terms, the hidden Netflix category codes allow for the highly sophisticated sorting of content beyond broad categories such as “mystery”, “sci-fi”, or “horror”. Now you have categories such as foreign horror, anime horror, cult horror, and B-horror.
Your browsing experience on Netflix, therefore, becomes as effective as using filters or tags on a website. That way, you need not manually sort your shows, because Netflix does it for you. These codes are an extremely effective shortcut and once you start using them, you’ll never go back.
With which devices and apps do the codes work?
Netflix apps set no restrictions on the content you can watch and the location from which you can watch them. So if a TV show or movie is available in your country, you can watch it on the website, Netflix app, Fire Stick, Roku, etc. To use the secret codes, you have to type in a URL because Netflix doesn’t provide in-app links for the hidden categories.
All you need to do is launch the browser, log in to your Netflix account, and input the URL. This can be done on whichever device you use. As soon as you identify something that interests you, simply add it to your queue and you can stream it from your preferred app.
Is use of the codes subject to location-based or legal restrictions?
There are no Geo-restrictions on the codes, meaning you can browse them regardless of your location, even when the codes specifically refer to foreign movies or TV shows from specific countries. The films displayed within the category will, however, vary depending on your region. In some cases, the category may even be empty.
Additionally, the category codes are 100% legal. All they do is change how Netflix sorts content. So you’re not in violation of any laws nor are you accessing content that Netflix wants to keep hidden from you. As a matter of fact, Netflix wants you to use these codes so that you find even more content to watch. Using hidden categories to discover content is perfectly legal provided you have an active account on Netflix.
Using Netflix secret category codes
To use any of the codes below to discover content on Netflix, copy and paste the following URL into the address bar, add the necessary digits at the end, and hit Enter:
http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/
For example, if you’re interested in streaming “Anime Horror (10695)”, launch your browser and type the following into the address bar and hit enter:
http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/10695
Make sure you’re already logged in to your Netflix account. Once that is done, you will see a list of anime horror episodes and movies available on Netflix that are ready for streaming. We selected a few hidden Netflix categories which we thought you might find intriguing. Find a full list of Netflix secret category codes here.
Our recommended list:
- Action & Adventure starring Yun-Fat Chow (2449)
- British Documentaries (3394)
- Comedies starring Leslie Nielsen (2359)
- Dark Italian Movies (3163)
- Deep Sea Horror Movies (45028)
- Exciting Movies starring Steven Seagal (118)
- Foreign Sci-Fi & Fantasy (6485)
- Goofy Cult Movies (258)
- Independent Detective Thrillers (1551)
- Japanese Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy (524)
- Movies starring Will Ferrell (3222)
- Quirky Foreign Crime Movies (3723)
- Scandinavian Movies from the 1980s (2332)
- Showbiz Musicals (13573)
- Sports Documentaries (180)
- Steamy Psychological Movies (545)
- Travel & Adventure Documentaries (1159)
- TV Sci-Fi & Fantasy from the 1980s (467)
- Understated British Dramas based on Books (1058)
- Vampire Movies from the 1970s (2752)
- Visually-striking Movies for ages 5 to 7 (2851)
- War Movies from the 1980s (4272)
- Westerns from the 1960s (445)
- Zombies (3719)
Using a VPN to unlock more movies
Even though Netflix is available in many countries worldwide, the vast majority of its content is not available for all these countries. Copyright and international distribution laws restrict the content that users in different countries can access.
Even a Hollywood movie released on US Netflix might not necessarily be available to Canada and the UK, for example. There’s no doubt Netflix realizes how frustrating this can be for users, but its hands are tied by legislation.
Thankfully, there’s a solution: using a VPN with Netflix.
In addition to providing privacy and security while you go about your online activities, a VPN helps you get around Geo-restrictions set by Netflix and other popular streaming services. A quality VPN allows you to switch to a server in the country where the content is available, all with a few clicks.
Netflix has taken measures to block VPNs so that not all VPN services can grant you access to the website, which is why we’ve created the following list of VPN providers through which you can unblock Netflix restrictions.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has the strongest reputation in the industry because it’s among the fastest and has one of the best user interfaces. The provider has a vast server network that covers 94 countries, meaning you can easily find a strong connection in your preferred region.
The service encrypts your data using 256-bit AES encryption and has a strict no-logging policy to maintain your privacy. Other features include DNS leak protection and a kill switch.
When it comes to unblocking Netflix, ExpressVPN is one of the most reliable services. It’s always coming up with fresh, unblocked IP addresses and is highly effective on the Netflix website as well as on the apps.
2. NordVPN
Among the most impressive features offered by NordVPN is its server network, which has more than 2600 servers in 56 countries. This wide variety ensures speedy, low-latency connections worldwide. The service also offers an automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, and 256-bit AES encryption to guarantee a high level of security and privacy.
NordVPN ranks highly in terms of Netflix unblocking. You can always find a server that Netflix has not yet blocked, and by the time the streaming service catches up, the VPN service has already added fresh IP addresses.
3. PureVPN
This service shines in value addition. Beyond being a good VPN, it also offers DNS level website filtering, app blocking, malware shields, and anti-virus protection. All these features are remarkably integrated into the native VPN client software.
You need only download, install and connect the client to fend off malware attacks. The provider’s 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, automatic kill switch, and zero-log policy on all your online activities make it one of the most powerful solutions.
4. StrongVPN
StrongVPN shares your enthusiasm for online privacy. For that reason, it protects its compact global server network with 2048-bit encryption, which is accompanied by various security protocols including OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP.
You can be sure that your data is kept private and secure thanks to the provider’s no-logging policy, DNS leak protection, and automatic kill switch.
A final word from VPN Base
To make your streaming experience as binge-worthy and memorable as possible, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes on Netflix. Its powerful sorting algorithm is constantly hard at work.
Many users are satisfied with the default category list provided by the streaming service. But, just like Netflix’s algorithm, many users also want more granular control over their search for content. The secret codes shared in this article should be very useful if you’re among these users.