You might be addicted to your Netflix account, but how well do you know how to use it beyond the basics? Even if you're an early Netflix adopter, the following tips and tricks will help you upgrade your streaming skills from amateur to expert status.
1. Kick Thieves off Your Account
Maybe you made the mistake of sharing your Netflix password, or, perhaps, someone just found a way to hack into your account. Either way, if you suspect that there are unwanted viewers on your Netflix account, you can simply go into "My Account," scroll down to "Settings" and sign out of all devices. From there you can sign back into your approved devices and even change your password if necessary.
2. Have Separate Accounts for Family Members
If you have different family members who all use the same Netflix account, it's probably a good idea to set up individual profiles for each person. Not only will you never have to deal with finding your spot back in a series that another person is also watching, but the recommendations will also be fitted specifically to the shows and movies you watch, so your kids won't get recommendations for R-rated movies, and you won't see Dora the Explorer in yours. Each subscription can have up to five different profiles, so no matter what kind of account you have, you can take advantage of this awesome feature.
3. Allow Notifications on Your Netflix Devices
If you've cut the cord and gotten rid of cable, you might be behind a season (or two) on your favorite TV shows. You could check Netflix every day to see if new episodes have been released, but that would be a pain. There's a simpler way to find out when new episodes are available, just permit Netflix to send you notifications. If you have Netflix for your phone or tablet, your account will send you updates when new seasons of the series you watch are available. You can even enable these settings on your computer to update you whenever you login to your Netflix account.
4. Choose a Lower Stream Quality
If you're streaming from your phone or tablet, you don't want Netflix to suck up your limited data plan. Instead, to avoid hefty overage charges, lower the quality of your steam on your mobile device. Simply go into your account and click on playback settings, then choose a more appropriate (and financially savvy) quality for your stream.
5. Remove Restrictions for Unlimited Content
If you're traveling abroad, certain countries will have restrictions on movies and shows that were available back home in the USA. The opposite is true too; for example, the UK version of Netflix will offer British comedies and dramas that are not available to watch in the States. To remove these restrictions and access the full library of every country, you can sign up for Media Hint. The first week is free and then $3.95/month to have the whole world's catalog wherever you go.
6. Remove the Pause Between Episodes
If you're in the middle of a serious Netflix binge, the 20 or so seconds between the end of one episode and the start of a new one can be the epitome of annoying. Luckily, to ensure uninterrupted episodes, you can download the Netflix Pause Removal extension for Chrome. This amazing add-on allows you to continue your binge automatically without any interruption.
7. Add Ratings, IMDB Info, and Trailers
Need help deciding what to watch next? Download the Netflix Enhancer extension for Chrome to add critic and audience ratings from Rotten Tomatoes to help you pick your next favorite movie. No more looking up film reviews or trailers on the internet. Now you have all the information you need to select your next viewing choice readily available to you on your Netflix account. Who knew it could be so easy?
8. Suggest Content Additions to Netflix
Did you know that you can actually ask Netflix to add in the TV shows and movies you're dying to watch? Netflix does their very best to give their users a wide selection of content, but they're also interested in their customers' personal content desires. Simply sign into your account and go to the "Help Center" (located at the very bottom of the page.) From there, you'll need to search for "Suggest TV shows or movies" and you'll be brought to a page where you can suggest up to three movie or TV show titles you would like added to the Netflix library.
9. Know How to Delete Your Activity
We've all been there; you're binging on a TV show with your friend or partner, but then he or she gets busy and doesn't have time to watch. So you're left in suspense about what happens in the next episode, but you can't muster up the strength to wait around for your friend to make the time to watch with you. Instead, you break the cardinal rule and watch your show without your partner. You, of course, regret your actions as soon as the credits roll, but what can you do? Well, to avoid your partner's wrath, you could simply delete your viewing history and pretend that it never happened. Just go into your account, scroll down to my profile and click on "My activity." From there, you can manually delete any content you watched using the "X" at the right hand of the screen. You can delete movies, single episodes or even full series, and no one else on your account will ever know you watched that embarrassing Kardashian marathon. Sneaky, sneaky.
By incorporating these tips into your Netflix experience, you can rest assured that you are one of the company's most knowledgeable customers. Now, go forth and binge to your heart's desire! (Just remember to keep a firm grip on reality and go outside a few times a week, at the very least.)
