5 Netflix Hacks That Will Change Your Life

In case you haven't noticed, Netflix is taking over the world. With dozens of new titles each month, a growing vault of original content, and increasing popularity among Millennials who would rather have television and movies at their fingertips than pay inordinate rates for cable subscriptions, the streaming service is entering its prime. What better way to celebrate that success is there than with some amazing Netflix hacks that will change your movie-watching experience?

Since the Netflix interface is very simple at a glance, most people don't peek behind the curtains of the machine to find the seemingly endless array of options and customization tools available to make your viewing experience that much richer. Of course, like any other website, you've got to work with what you've got; doing anything that isn't endorsed by the company itself isn't recommended. By "hacks," I mean it in the colloquial sense of "tips and tricks" — not actually hacking anything.

The good news, though, is that there are a ton of "hacks" based on things that are already built into the Netflix system, so go ahead and open up your Netflix page in a new tab and experiment away. You'll never watch movies the same way again!

1. Build Netflix Profiles Based On Mood

It's a simple but endlessly useful hack: When creating your Netflix account, utilize the fact that you can set up multiple different profiles to tailor your preferences based on your mood. When you get to the "who's watching" screen, you can then select the mood you're in and have a specific queue ready for that mood. You can also customize the profile so that it recommends other movies or shows that fit the mood or genre you're going for. It's brilliant.

2. Find Highly Specific Sub-Genres

We all know about Netflix's main genres, but sometimes when you're in a super specific mood, those genres are too broad. Let's say you're in the mood for some suspenseful courtroom movies based on books. Open up your Netflix browser and click on any genre. Take a peek of the URL of that genre and you will find number at the end. In order to unlock new genres, just change that number! There are comprehensive lists out there of what number corresponds to which Netflix sub-genre, so those suspenseful courtroom movies based on books you were lusting after can be found by simply replacing the number at the end of the URL with the number 39. You're welcome, everyone.

3. End Buffering Forever

This nifty hack is a way to put an end to excessive loading. According to Thrillist, while you're watching a show or a movie, hold down Shift+Opt (Shift+Alt for Windows) to left click to open up a "hidden" menu called the Stream Manager. The Stream Manager will have buffering fixes and other streaming options, letting you take care of whatever problem ails your streaming experience. It will also make you feel like a badass, because that's what accessing a super secret menu does.

4. Customize Subtitles

If you're watching a foreign film but can't stand the way the default subtitles look, go into Your Account > Your Profile > Subtitle. There you will be introduced to the option to change the color, size, and font of your subtitles, as well as toy with other options.

5. /r/NetflixBestOf

Netflix Best Of on Reddit isn't necessarily a hack in the traditional sense of the word, but it is a way for you to find great movies and shows that you might not have otherwise heard of. You can also read other people's advice on everything Netflix has to offer. If you'e someone who likes to consume obscure media, Netflix Best Of is a great place for you.

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