If you have ever been duped into watching a trash movie on Netflix, you are not alone – but users have discovered a hack that dramatically reduces risk.
A downloadable Chrome extension from Trim adds IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings to thumbnails in the menu.
This lets you see what millions of other people think about the film, rather than relying on Netflix’s internal review system based on the number of subscribers who watch at least two minutes.
Other hacks include hiding viewing history from your significant other, tapping into a ‘secret menu’ and watching at the best time of day.
A downloadable Chrome extension from Trim adds IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings to thumbnails in the menu. You can click on the ratings to read detailed reviews
Watching Netflix has become the go-to experience for people worldwide who want to catch up on their favorite shows and movies with just a click or two of a button.
However, few people realize their viewing can get a boost with a few simple tricks.
Add ratings to titles
The Chrome extension, called Trim, is free to download.
After installation, ratings will appear on the top of the thumbnails that you can tap to read detailed reviews that are pulled from the rating sites.
To fade out low-rate movies, click the Trim menu next to the Netflix menus on your computer and select ‘Filter by’ to set your rating preferences.
‘Trim enables and shows an extra tab for the hidden Netflix categories,’ the extension’s description reads.
‘You can browse your favorite genre by quickly clicking on the drop-down menu ‘Genre’ and selecting a favorite genre.’
Hide your viewing history
Other hacks include hiding viewing history from your significant other, tapping into a ‘secret menu’ and watching at the best time of day
Another hidden secret lets you remove titles from viewing history you do not want your significant other or roommates to see.
This can be done by accessing your account from a web browser.
Open Profile & Parental Controls for the profile you want to update and select Open Viewing Activity for that profile.
On the Activity page, click the hide icon next to the episode or title you want to hide.
You can also hide that you watched an episode without your partner knowing by selecting a circle icon with a line inside.
Changes will take up to 24 hours to reflect, so ensure you have time before getting caught.
Binge-watch at the best time of day
Most people power on Netflix between 8 pm and 10 pm, a prime time to relax after work and get lost in your favorite show.
Digital Trends reported last year that watching during off-peak hours, such as early mornings and late at night, improves video quality and speed.
Watching during off-peak hours, such as early mornings and late at night, improves video quality and speed – and it is essential for those paying for the Premium package
This is essential for those paying more for the 4K UHD and HDR package, which is $10 more than the basic tier.
Access Netflix’s secrete menu
If you are sick of flicking through the same shows and movies on Netflix, there’s a workaround.
The streaming giant has a secret menu containing hundreds of hidden titles not on the main platform.
The alternative catalog can be accessed using codes associated with a specific genre, such as High Brow Horror, Irreverent TV Comedies and 90-minute movies.
There are two ways to access the secret collections. You can do it from any desktop by typing ‘netflix.com/browse/genre/’ into the URL and adding a unique ID code.
Alternatively, if you use Netflix on a TV, you can type the code in the ‘search’ bar. It does not work on mobile or tablets.
