Netflix needs no introduction as the premiere streaming service. With its award-winning catalog of original content and thousands of movies and TV shows, there really is something for everyone. Once you have selected content to watch, just sit back and relax. But wait, what if there is a scene you just have to rewatch or you need to pause and grab the popcorn? Netflix’s keyboard shortcuts make it super easy to pause, rewind and go fullscreen just in case there isn’t a mouse nearby. Here are all the web browser keyboard shortcuts you need to control all of your favorite content.
Toggle Play/Pause
This is unquestionably one of the most frequently used shortcuts on Netflix. Forget going to the screen and hitting the play or pause button. All you need to do is hit the Space bar or Enter key. Press either button once to pause and again to play. That’s all there is to it. The Space bar being slightly larger is likely more of a go-to but either key works fine.
Fullscreen
This is another one of those “must know” keyboard shortcuts. You are not doing movies or TV shows justice unless you are watching fullscreen. Forget the distractions or other open windows on your desktop, just enjoy the entertainment. To maximize the screen, hit the F key to take up your monitor space. Want to minimize? Hit the Esc key and you will exit full screen. It’s that easy.
Rewind and Fast Forward
You know that scene in that one movie you have to watch again and again? Of course, you do. We all have them. Fortunately, Netflix makes it super easy to fast forward or rewind ten seconds so you can watch endlessly. To go fast forward, hit the Right arrow button and jump ahead. To go backward or rewind, hit the Left arrow and go back in time ten seconds. Of course, we are not responsible if you drive your significant other crazy with this keyboard trick.
Volume Up or Down
Forget the volume slider in the Netflix player. Keyboard shortcuts come to the rescue. If you want to increase the volume ahead of an important scene, use the Up arrow to bump up the audio. Want to make things softer? Use the Down arrow and things get a little quieter. Note that you will not see the volume slider change but you will instantly hear the volume increasing or decreasing. This keyboard shortcut works regardless of whether you are using your built-in computer speakers, external speakers or headphones.
Mute Volume
There comes a time in every movie or TV show that you have to mute. It is an unfortunate moment and one we hope passes quickly. This keyboard function requires nothing more than a press of the M on your keyboard to go silent. Turn the volume back on with another press of the M button. We are not sure why you will need to mute a movie or TV show, but a keyboard shortcut is the quickest way to do so.
Windows Apps
While most people are likely to binge Netflix in their browser, the streaming giant does offer a Windows 10 and Windows 8 app. The shortcut options are significantly paired down but still available. In Windows 10, you can use the Space bar to toggle play or pause. Like the web browser, a single press of the Space bar will play a movie with another press to pause. The Esc cap allows you to exit full-screen as the app starts up in full-screen mode right from the start.
In the Windows 8 app, there is only one shortcut option, the Space bar. Again, this shortcut toggles between play or pause. The same rules follow as before, one press for play, one press for pause.
Conclusion
Netflix is doing everything it can to make watching its content as easy as possible. From apps to shortcuts to plenty of hidden categories, the company really doesn’t want you looking anywhere else for your entertainment. Were you aware of all of these shortcuts? Let us know in the comments if these are going to help make your Netflix viewing even easier.
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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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