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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Netflix codes open hidden genre and micro-category pages.
- Codes work best in a browser, but can work in the app.
- They don't unlock extra titles outside your Netflix plan.
I've used Netflix for decades. I had it back when it still delivered DVDs, so I know how to use the streaming service. I've also written a ton about it over the years, like recommending my favorite Netflix codes, tips, and tricks. "Codes?" you might be asking yourself. Yes, there are hundreds of Netflix codes, and I regularly use them to find hidden movies to watch for free.
Netflix organizes its entire library into several genres and micro-categories. Each one has a numeric code associated with it. Some are broad, like action and adventure, while others are weirdly specific, like deep sea horror movies. These codes won't unlock new movies, paid extras, or content outside my plan. They simply take me to curated pages that Netflix buries.
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They're great for getting out of Netflix's recommendation loop and browsing what lies beneath the surface. But it isn't obvious how to find or use the codes, since Netflix doesn't advertise them. So, here's how, plus my favorites.
How to find and use Netflix codes
Before I get into which Netflix codes are worth trying, let's cover the basics, including how to use them.
You don't need to memorize Netflix codes. Free directories like Netflix-Codes and What's On Netflix let you search by keyword or browse alphabetically. Want hijacking movies? Use 20541. Screwball comedies? Try 9702. These categories rarely appear on Netflix's home screen, but they have pages you can access with a code.
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Just note: While Netflix codes point to categories, they do not guarantee that every title in that category will be available where you live. Availability varies by country as well as licensing deals and time.
So some pages may be packed while others look sparse. That's normal.
Open Netflix in your browser on your PC or device and sign into your account. You can also use the mobile app or TV app. If you look up Netflix codes, you'll see plenty of warnings about how the codes only work in a browser. That's not entirely true, but the browser method is direct and reliable.
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In my experience, the browser method will always show you the category title, but if you use the app, you'll just get a grid of movie and show titles. Either way, you'll see curated content tied to that code. Once you find something to watch, you can add it to "My List" to binge later on any device or TV you prefer.
Once Netflix is loaded, it's time to enter codes. Again, it depends on if you're using a browser or the app.
Enter a Netflix genre URL in your browser
If you're using Netflix in a browser, enter a Netflix genre URL using this format: netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX. The XXXX part is where the Netflix code goes. For example, if you want to browse Fantasy Anime, replace XXXX with 11146, so the URL becomes: netflix.com/browse/genre/11146.
Once you enter the genre URL into your browser, Netflix should take you directly to that category. In Fantasy Anime, I'm seeing titles like Black Clover, Beastars, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, to name a few.
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Search codes in the Netflix mobile or TV app
If you're using the Netflix mobile or TV app, go to the search screen in Netflix and enter a code. So, if you want to find psychological thrillers, enter 5505. I did so on my TV and saw Hypnotic, Things Heard and Seen, and Alone.
Now, earlier I said using the browser method is more reliable. That's because you might see some oddballs if you use the search method in Netflx's mobile or TV app. For example, Netflix on my TV is currently also showing me Hulk Hogan's Real American. Not exactly a psychological thriller. Or is it?
My favorite Netflix codes
OK, now that you know how to find and enter codes, here's my list of Netflix codes I frequently use and why.
1. Oscar Winners and Nominees: 81396365
During Oscar season, Netflix curates nominees in its library on the home screen. But what about the rest of the year? That's where this code is handy. If you want to watch prestige titles across a range of genres, all tied together by awards or nominations, bookmark this category. Right now, in my results, I'm seeing American Gangster, Pretty Woman, and Bohemian Rhapsody.
2. Book Club: 81511805
This is one of my favorite categories when I want something cozy and literary, without having to dig through every drama on Netflix. In my results right now, I'm seeing Outlander, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Queen's Gambit, and Matilda the Musical. This category not only curates adaptations but also character-driven films and stories with great plots and emotional impact.
3. Movies Written by Women: 81225828
I like this code because it showcases women filmmakers, and it's so wide-ranging. There are romantic comedies, horrors, blockbuster action films, and coming-of-age movies, all connected by women writers. In my results, I'm seeing The Boss, 27 Dresses, Jennifer's Body, 13 Going on 30, and Jurassic World Dominion. I had no idea that last one was written by a woman.
4. Totally Awesome '80s: 2314106
This category is pure nostalgia, even if it's more "1980s-adjacent." In my results, Netflix has Field of Dreams, Steel Magnolias, and The Breakfast Club, as well as Young Sheldon, which is set in the 80s but was not made then. Still, if you want to relive the decade or recapture that late-20th-century feeling, including big hair and neon wardrobe choices, this is a great category to visit.
5. Nostalgic '90s: 2691941
I'm an 80s baby and a 90s kid, so this is another code I use when I want to fall into a nostalgia hole. My results currently include Dawson's Creek, The West Wing, and Touched by an Angel. Again, not every title is strictly from the 90s, but the category still has that DNA: stars from that era, network-TV and cable-era shows, and more. It's total comfort-watch stuff.
6. Alien Sci-Fi: 3327
Did you know sci-fi is a huge, expansive genre? For example, horror is a subgenre of sci-fi. It's actually my favorite, but aliens are a close second. I'm not necessarily into sci-fi films like Ex Machina, but Independence Day? Yes, please. So, this category gives me exactly that: creatures, invasions, and more. Right now, I'm seeing Starship Troopers, Venom, and Falling Skies.
7. Witchcraft and the Dark Arts: 81552046
Speaking of horror, I love all things supernatural, the occult, and just plain witchy. Not only during Halloween season, but all year long. In this category, I'm seeing Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches, The Ritual, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, and Castle Rock. This category seems to include anything related to magic, curses, or horror-adjacent stories. It's broad but spooky.
8. Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: 81614959
I love this category because it's about the internet's long-running Kevin Bacon connection game, where actors are linked through shared credits. In my results, Netflix has Meet the Parents, Stranger Things, The Lincoln Lawyer, Shameless, and The Closer.
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That last one stars Kyra Sedgwick, Bacon's wife. The others? No clue why they're here. But that's kind of the whole point. It's a rabbit-hole category where you can have fun trying to figure out the six degrees to Kevin Bacon.
9. British Comedies: 1009
British humor is awesome: the dry wit, the irony, the heavy sarcasm, and the self-deprecation. Who doesn't enjoy that? Absolutely Fabulous and The Royle Family are probably two of my favorite sitcoms ever, and they're British. So when I saw Netflix had a British Comedies category, I immediately saved it. In my results right now, I see Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, and That Christmas. So British, so good.
10. Mockumentaries: 26
This last code is one you probably wouldn't ever think to search, and I've never seen Netflix highlight it as a category. Think fake documentaries and interviews, awkward realism, and characters who are super serious while everything around them is absurd. I use this code when I want to watch comedies, especially ones that are very deadpan or feel improvised.
In my results, I see Trailer Park Boys, Borat, Cunk on Earth, and Between Two Ferns.
Do Netflix codes give me extra movies to watch?
Not exactly. They don't unlock secret titles, free content, or anything outside your Netflix subscription. Netflix codes bring you to genres and micro-categories that Netflix doesn't promote or show on its home screen.
Do Netflix codes work in the Netflix app?
Yes, but sometimes not reliably. The most consistent method is to use a browser and enter the category URL. From there, you can find something you want and add it to My List. Then, you can watch it later in the Netflix app on any device.
Why do some Netflix code pages look empty?
Netflix's library changes by region, licensing rights, and time. A code may work one day, but your local Netflix library may have few or no titles in that specific category because the titles aren't available to you in your country, or they've been removed over the years.
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