There are hundreds of movies and TV shows on Netflix, but it can be so difficult to find a movie if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, particularly if you’re using Netflix on your TV via a PlayStation, Xbox or set-top box. Here, we provide some tips on how to navigate movies to find the best movies and TV shows, and how to improve your Netflix recommendations. See also: The 80 best movies on Netflix UK If you’ve used Netflix before, you’ll know that the service offers up scrollable cards arranged into (sometimes questionable) genres and categories. These range from the usual (Drama, Comedy, Family films etc.) to the more unusual ‘Wacky films’, ‘Exciting films’ and others. Even if you scroll through every one of the lists presented to you by Netflix on the home screen, you still won’t see all that Netflix has to offer. Netflix selects particular movies to show you in each of these categories based on your watch history and ratings, as well as the titles you’ve added to your lists. When you first start out on Netflix, these recommendations aren’t going to be great because Netflix doesn’t know you yet. The key is to persist with it, because the more you watch the more Netflix will get to know your tastes. See also: How to get American Netflix in the UK
Netflix tips & tricks: Star ratings
You should also make sure you rate the stuff you watch. Give it a five star rating if you really enjoy it to let Netflix know to recommend similar movies in the future. If you hated it, give it a one star rating and Netflix will adjust its recommendations accordingly. By the way, those red stars you see next to each movie or TV show aren’t based on what other users have said. They’re actually based on how much Netflix thinks you’ll enjoy it so be cautious. If you’re unsure, it’s worth checking out the film’s rating on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes to see how much others enjoyed it.
Netflix tips & tricks: Browse
If you feel like Netflix has got it all wrong, we’d recommend logging into the service on your computer or on a mobile device. There’s a ‘Browse’ option there that’ll allow you to see every one of the titles available in each genre, so you know you’re not missing anything.
Netflix tips & tricks: Personalise & Taste Profile
There’s also a ‘Personalize’ feature that asks you a series of questions to help find out what you’re into. You can continue to tweak and improve the recommendations once you’ve completed the initial personalize questions, by clicking ‘Taste Profile.’ Everything you do on the web version of Netflix, or in any of Netflix’s official apps, will be reflected on your account no matter what device you’re using to watch it.
Netflix tips & tricks: Multiple accounts
If more than one person uses the same Netflix account it’s important to make sure they watch content on their own profile, particularly if their tastes differ significantly from yours. Additionally, if there’s a film you love but it’s not on Netflix, search for it anyway. It’ll often present you with a list of titles others have gone on to watch after searching for that same film. Ashleigh is Tech Advisor’s Head of Affiliate. Providing expert buying advice you can trust is her forte, helping you to find the most reputable consumer tech products and services, and ensuring you don’t spend a penny more than you should.
