Watching movies and TV series has never been easier today than, say, ten years ago because of video streaming services. Among these services, Netflix is among the most popular, if not the most popular. Personally, Netflix is my go-to streaming app on my phone, and I’ve spent hundreds of hours on it.
Despite Netflix’s popularity and wide usage, there are still tons of tools and features that people don’t usually know about when using the app. In this article, I will discuss ten tips and tricks that you can take advantage of when using the Netflix app.
Examining The Netflix Online Video Streaming Service
Before delving into the tips and tricks of using the Netflix app, I’d like to briefly discuss what Netflix is and what it provides to its users. Basically, Netflix is an online streaming service that enables its users to watch numerous video content, such as films, TV shows, and documentaries.
Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded Netflix as the first online DVD-rental store in the world to compete with Blockbuster. The company formed partnerships with TV and film studios to stream its content and eventually developed its own original content.
Because of its online subscription video service, Netflix eventually decided to move away from its DVD business and focus on video streaming. Today, users watch a total of 1 billion hours of videos on Netflix per week. By January 2021, Netflix reached 200 million subscribers worldwide.
Downloading The Netflix App
Initially, Netflix was only available on desktops, but the service later launched apps for smart TVs, video game consoles, and mobile phones. Its mobile app is available to both Android users and iOS device owners.
The Android version of the app can be found on the Google Play Store and is currently rated at 4.4 out of 5 stars based on almost 12 million user reviews. File size and required Android version vary from device to device.
Meanwhile, its iOS counterpart can be found under the Entertainment category on the Apple App Store and has a rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars based on more than 285,000 reviews. It has a file size of 96.4 MB and requires devices to run iOS 14.0 or later.
Use The Screen Lock Feature
Kicking off our list of tips and tricks is the Screen Lock feature. One of the few things that frustrate me when watching movies or TV shows on my phone is that I sometimes accidentally press the screen, resulting in pauses, skips, or rewinds at crucial moments.
To avoid this, Netflix introduced the Screen Lock feature that appears at the lower bottom of the screen once you start playing a video. Toggling this option will automatically hide the Pause/Play and Forward/Rewind buttons on the screen.
Integrating Google Assistant
There are times that you may be casting your mobile Netflix on a bigger screen, and you’ve got your hands full. I usually do this while I’m cooking, so I can’t type in to search for movies or TV shows.
This is why the ability to integrate Google Assistant into Netflix is a great feature. It is a must-have to ask Google Assistant to “Play Orange is the New Black,” and it will open the show directly via Netflix.
To do this, head over to Google Assistant’s Settings and tap on the Services tab. Then, select Videos & Photos, and you will find the option to link your Netflix account to it.
Adding IMDB Ratings To Films And Shows
Before I decide to watch any movie, I usually watch the trailer or look at its review and ratings to ensure that I don’t waste an hour or two watching something not worthwhile. Speaking of ratings, IMDB may be the most popular site in terms of that.
However, it may be a hassle for you to switch back and forth between the Netflix app and a web browser to open the IMDB site, especially if you’re looking at multiple movies. This is where the Flutter app comes in.
Installing the Flutter app will enable you to see IMDB ratings on every film or TV show you open on Netflix. On your Netflix screen, a small Flutter window will pop up on the side to give you the IMDB rating on each title you tap on. It’s non-intrusive and automatically disappears after a few seconds.
Streaming Movies Together In Real-Time From Different Places
Is watching the same show at the same time from different places possible? Apparently, yes, and if you and your friend or significant other have made a pact never to watch a particular show without the other, then this is the solution for you.
Rave is a real-time video sync app that allows people to stream a Netflix video together. All you need to do is download and install the app, select the video you want to watch, generate a URL, and then share it with others.
The Rave app also has an audio and text chat feature to make watching videos together more interactive. Rave can be downloaded from the Apple App Store for iOS users and the Google Play Store for Android device owners.
Unlocking More Content With VPN
Sometimes while browsing the internet to look for shows to watch on Netflix, you may notice that some of the entries on specific lists don’t appear on my app. This is because film and TV show lineups are different based on your location.
To access content from other regions, you need to use a virtual private network (VPN). Use a VPN app and connect to a server for a country you want to access content in before logging into your Netflix account.
This way, it will appear to Netflix that you are connected to its service in that particular country. Once you open the Netflix app, you will immediately see that some of the titles are not the ones you had back home.
Searching Unogs.com For Netflix Content
Since you already learned about using VPNs to access other content, you might feel overwhelmed by the number of titles you will have to choose from. Thankfully, there’s a website called Unogs.com that curates Netflix’s catalog from different countries.
For example, you heard of this new film that people say is a must-watch and that it’s on Netflix but can’t find it on your app, you can go to Unogs.com and search for the film, and you will see which countries have it on their lineup.
You can then use a VPN to switch to that country’s server, open the Netflix app, and enjoy the movie.
Filtering Your Search With Flixable.com
Even if you decide not to use a VPN for various reasons, scrolling through the Netflix app could sometimes be a pain, and not all titles appear unless you search for them specifically. This could be time-consuming and energy-draining before you even start your movie session.
To avoid this, you can use a website called Flixable.com to search for available titles on Netflix based on filters and search criteria that you use. Go to the site and choose to filter your search results based on genre, IMDB rating, or year of release.
Deleting Netflix History
If you share your Netflix account with family members or you use it as the account on your main TV in the house, there’s a high chance that everyone could see your movie and TV show choices, even the ones you don’t want them to see. This is because Netflix uses your watch history to make recommendations.
Avoiding this awkward situation is quite easy. All you need to do is clear your Netflix viewing history. On the mobile app, tap on the Account section, and it will automatically redirect you to the Netflix website.
Here, you can go over to the Viewing Activity tab, and it will list down all the shows that you’ve watched. To remove an entry, tap on the null icon in the upper right area above the title.
Managing Continue Watching List
If you have used the Netflix app a few times now, you already know that it’s easy to get back to what you were previously watching because of its Continue Watching List feature. However, there may be times that you start watching something and decide not to pursue it anymore.
The problem is, these titles will still be part of your list and may even take space over a series or a film that you would like to watch again in the future. So, what can you do about it? The solution is the same as deleting your watch history that we discussed above.
In cases of TV series, there will be a prompt asking you to “Hide Series?”. Tap on this prompt to completely remove the series from your Continue Watching List within 24 hours.
Watching Random Content With Netflix Roulette
Still undecided on what to watch next despite using the recommendations above? Why don’t you try randomly watching a movie or a TV show? Of course, I don’t mean clicking randomly on your Netflix app but choosing randomly from your filtered results.
Instead of using Unogs or Flixable, you can use Netflix Roulette to save you from making the decision yourself. Select the genre and ratings you want to filter the results with, and then tap on the Spin button.
Surprise yourself and hop on to the random show it generates.
The Bottom Line
These are only a few of the tips and tricks you can use to upgrade your Netflix experience. By using the app regularly, you may find yourself learning a trick or two in the process.
The important thing is that you make the most of your Netflix subscription and use the app to enjoy your favorite films and shows or discover new ones to add to your list.
