For tens of millions, Netflix is the go-to site for all of their streaming, binging and entertainment needs. The service, built by names like House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, has more great programming than we can count. With billions being invested every year in new and original programming, knowing how to make the most of your Netflix experience is key. Even with all Netflix’s benefits, there is still more to learn. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to enhance your Netflix viewing.
Also read: How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts on Netflix
And the Award Goes To
The beginning of the year can mean only one thing in Hollywood. Awards season has arrived. To that end, Netflix makes it easy to discover Oscar-nominated hits and winners available on its service. Visit this section and find nominated content by popularity, trending and a variety of other categories. This is definitely a hidden gem that has something for everyone. Where else can you watch Lord of the Rings, Driving Miss Daisy and Ralph Breaks the Internet?
Turn Off Post-Play
A favorite option for many Netflix viewers, post-play automatically jumps to the next episode a few seconds after the credits. If this option isn’t a favorite of yours, turning it off is easy. Head to your Account and then click on “My Profile”. Find “Play Settings” and uncheck the box that is labeled “Play Next episode automatically”. It’s that easy.
Who Is Watching Your Account?
Netflix’s trio of streaming plans all have a similar restriction limiting the number of people on an account that can watch the service at once. Finding out that you cannot watch after a long day at work or after the kids finally go to sleep can be disheartening. Want to know who the culprit is? If you receive the warning of “Too many people are using your account right now” you will see who is actually using your account. Netflix will alert you of the device and what they are watching so you know exactly who is to blame.
Super Netflix
One of the most popular Netflix extensions for Chrome out there, Super Netflix adds a bevy of new features. This personalized experience will greatly enhance your day-to-day binging. Want to choose your own video streaming quality? Super Netflix to the rescue. Want to skip TV show intros or eliminate spoiler-filled plot descriptions? Super Netflix to the rescue. With Microsoft Edge and Brave both allowing Chrome-based extensions, you don’t need to be on Chrome to take advantage.
Netflix Party
Another excellent extension for Chrome is Netflix Party. Install the extension and you will discover two new tweaks to the Netflix experience. You’ll see synchronized playback and a chat window on the right-hand side of the screen. Can’t be with a loved one or a group of friends but do not want to wait to see what happens next? Now you can see and talk together in real-time so everyone can get in on the action at once. You can be in the other room or on the other side of the world. Now, every night is movie night.
Adjust Subtitle Appearances
Netflix is full of foreign language titles and some of them are among the best content the streaming service has to offer. This makes subtitles an invaluable part of your viewing. What if you want to change those subtitles so they are a little less distracting? Netflix makes it easy to do exactly that. Head over to Your Account and click on Your Profile. Now find “Subtitle Appearance” and you can edit the font, add a show, increase or decrease text size and even change the color of the text.
Most Popular Titles
With so many options available, knowing what to watch next is a struggle for all Netflix users. Enter instantwatcher.com, a site dedicated to helping you find the newest and most popular Netflix content. The site shows two main columns, what has been viewed the most over the last 24 hours and the newest content to hit the service. Either way, there is a good chance you can find something that interests you. In fact, you might find more than one TV show or movie and then it’s up to you to decide what to watch first.
Remove In-Progress Movies and TV Shows
We’ve all been there. You’ve clicked on one of Netflix’s recommended titles or tried watching something a friend suggested, only to be bored to tears. When there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to get through all of the awesome stuff on Netflix, why would you waste your time with a dud? You decide to abandon the movie before it’s over. Unfortunately, if you bailed before the credits started to roll, then Netflix is going to assume you want to finish it.
This means that the title you gave up on will linger in your “Continue Watching” list, constantly reminding you of the time you wasted. Luckily, there’s a way to remove partially viewed titles from your profile.
When you log in to your Netlifx account and follow the link above, you’ll see a list of all the movies and TV shows you’ve watched, starting with the most recent. Find the title you want to remove and simply click the “X” next to it. For TV shows, clicking the “X” will only remove that specific episode. However, Netflix will give you the option to remove the entire series.
Reduce Mobile Data Consumption
Thanks to mobile apps and high-speed mobile Internet, you can binge Netflix anytime, anywhere. There’s only one small problem: streaming video can chew up quite a bit of data. It’s estimated that about 1 GB of data is consumed by Netflix every hour.
However, if you like watching Netflix in high definition, it’s 3GB per hour! This means that if you’re on a metered connection, you run the risk of burning through all of your data. If you’re in an area with a spotty connection, then you’re probably going to suffer from quite a bit of buffering.
Fortunately, you can manually adjust how much data Netflix gobbles up to ensure you don’t burn through your data too quickly or suffer from neverending buffering. Fire up the Netflix app on your mobile device and navigate to the Menu. Tap on “App Settings” and select “Cellular Data Usage.” You’ll be able to select the default video quality when watching Netflix via your mobile data connection.
Lowering the quality will result in less data being consumed. You may not be able to see the actor’s individual pores anymore, but at least you can watch without interruptions or worrying about how much data you have left.
Conclusion
Netflix is one of, if not the greatest, streaming service around and for good reason. That it has a huge and dedicated community to help make it better is one of the many reasons for its success. These tips and so many more help enhance your experience in ways Netflix could never have predicted. What’s your favorite Netflix tips? Let us know in the comments below.
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David Joz
David is a freelance tech writer with over 15 years of experience in the tech industry. He loves all things Nintendo.
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