If it seems as though Netflix serves you the same cluster of programmes time after time, it is because the mechanism that selects them is built to circle back on itself. The result is that an immense store of films and series is made to appear far smaller than it is. Yet there exists, behind the public face of the service, an obscure but effective means of breaking out of this loop: the numbered category lists.

These lists divide the collection into narrow and sometimes peculiar kinds, divisions you will not encounter on the ordinary front page. By using them you may uncover anything from second-rate thrillers of the last century to mild comedies for the adolescent market, or swift little productions that conclude in under an hour and a half. With such a key in hand, the pursuit of fresh material becomes less of a chore, and your queue will grow in unexpected directions.

For those willing to step beyond the prescribed path and into the hidden wings of Netflix’s storehouse, there is far more to be found than the small parade of titles endlessly thrust before you.

Netflix’s Hidden Category Codes

Netflix’s codes are nothing more than strings of numbers, yet they serve as precise keys to unlock particular genres and sub-genres buried within its library. They work only through the website, not the app. Ordinarily, you are limited to the categories the service places before you at the outset, with no choice beyond what its machinery has prepared. But these codes break open the wall, revealing a far larger range from which to decide what you will watch. They can even bring to light films and series you did not know existed.

By placing the code at the end of a Netflix URL, you are taken straight to a set of titles that fit that exact category. If you have little time and want a film that finishes quickly, you might use the “90-Minute Movies” key, which is 81466194. If you need something that will amuse the whole household, you could turn to “Family Movie Night” with the number 2013975, a selection broad enough to satisfy even the oldest member present.

There are well over thirty-six thousand such numbers, far too many to recall by memory or to guess at by trial. Instead, you can turn to guides like Netflix-Codes.com, where the entire list is arranged for you to search, so that in a few moments you may find the exact key for whatever mood you are in.

How to Navigate Secret Netflix Menus with Direct Links?

There is no single, hidden Netflix menu that gathers everything in one place. What exists instead is a set of web addresses, each ending in a number, which will bring up carefully arranged groups of films and programmes. Sites such as Netflix-Codes.com keep a thorough record of these concealed categories and their offshoots. In all, there are roughly twenty main divisions, covering broad fields such as animation, foreign productions, and the older classics. Within each of these lie many narrower branches, each marked by its own number.

To use them, you have only to choose the category you want, take the number assigned to it, and attach it to the end of a Netflix web address. The page that opens will lead you straight into that chosen corner of the library.

Types of Hidden Netflix Categories You Can Explore

Netflix contains far more than the handful of titles you see as you scroll. The last count placed the number of distinct categories at over thirty-six thousand. These begin with the broad divisions like Action, Comedy, and Drama but grow more exact the further you search. Some are plain in their purpose, such as “Movies Directed by Women” (code 2974953). Others are narrower still, like “Supernatural Soaps” (code 81238162), meant for those who prefer their werewolves entangled in both sorrow and romance.

If your mood is “Very Demure, Very Mindful,” there is even a collection curated by Jools Lebron to suit it. Or, if the football season has ended and you find yourself longing for it, you might turn to “Touchdowns, Triumphs & Trials.”

By turning to these hidden numbers instead of the default menus or the selections dictated by Netflix’s machinery, you can reach those quiet and overlooked corners of the library where the most surprising discoveries are often made.

Using Secret Codes to Find Award-Winning Netflix Content

Netflix’s secret codes are true to their name, hidden and without any official register. No complete list can be kept for long, since the categories empty and refill as films and programmes vanish or return. Even the names themselves alter from time to time, so a certain watchfulness is needed if you wish to track down exactly what you mean to see.

For those who prefer a surer path, there are numbers set aside for prize-winning works in every form. Award-winning films may be found under 89844; the same honour for television is 89814; and for documentaries, 93108. With these, you may go directly to the most decorated pieces the service holds.

Easy Tools and Extensions for Finding Netflix Codes

If you dislike the thought of altering Netflix’s web addresses yourself, there is another course: use a browser extension to reach the hidden menus. For those with Chrome, Better Browse for Netflix is a sound choice. The steps are plain enough. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for the extension by name, though be warned it does not exist for Firefox. Add it to Chrome, agree to its installation, and then open Netflix in a fresh tab.

When the extension is in place, a “Browse All” link will appear at the top of your home screen beside “My List.” By clicking it, you may move through the sub-genres at leisure or search directly for a particular category.

There is also FindFlix: Netflix Secret Category Finder, available for both Chrome and Firefox. This add-on places a small menu in the corner of your browser, reached by clicking its FF icon. There you may choose from some 7,500 categories arranged in alphabetical order, avoiding the need to search through Netflix’s own menus at all.

A third method is to make use of the Netflix Codes website. The process is straightforward. Open Netflix-codes.com in any browser, whether on a computer or a phone. Search through the list until you find the genre or subgenre that interests you. Select the number given beside it. If your device has the Netflix app, it will open at once and take you directly to that section. Without the app, the link will open Netflix in your browser, where you may see the films and programmes on offer. Choose the one you want, and it will begin to play.

For those content to shape their own web addresses, the codes can be used by hand. Again, start with Netflix-codes.com and pick the number for the category you want. In another tab, type http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/INSERTNUMBER, replacing INSERTNUMBER with the code. For example, https://www.netflix.com/in/browse/genre/81466194will take you to “90-Minute Movies.” If you have entered it correctly, you will be brought straight to that part of the catalogue. This can be repeated as often as you please, for as many codes as you care to explore.

Conclusion

Although it appears that the algorithm of Netflix is set to make you believe that you have already seen all that is worth seeing (once more), these codes make it clear that there is a whole cinematic world behind the curtain. Yes, it is positively medieval to enter the URLs manually in our swipe-right world, but sometimes old is gold. Whether you are trying to find the “Supernatural Soaps” or just in need of something less than 90 minutes due to real life obligations, these numerical keys open doors you never knew were there. Whenever Netflix recommends the same old roster again, just keep in mind: you are in control to escape. In the age of infinite scrolling, after all, the most rewarding finds can be a bit of sleuthing, and a very precise number.

FAQs

Q1: Do these codes work on the Netflix app?

A: Sadly, no. These mystical numbers only work via Netflix’s website, not the mobile app. 

Q2: Can I bookmark these category pages? 

A: Absolutely. Bookmark away and make your own secret Netflix navigation. It is like having a VIP pass to content Netflix didn’t think of recommending to you.

Q3: Are there codes for specific actors or directors? 

A: Yes, and also including “Movies Directed by Women” (code 2974953). Netflix has even gone to the extent of being very specific with these categories which is strange as someone there must have very good organizational skills and very questionable amounts of free time.

Q4: Is using these codes against Netflix’s terms of service? 

A: Not a bit. These are valid Netflix links, which merely circumvent the recommendation algorithm. You are not hacking, you are simply outsmarting a robot that believes you need another cooking show.