Sometimes, I think Netflix is listening to the conversations I have in my life.
Either that, or the algorithm they use to recommend shows is 10% science and 90% black magic.
The movies that pop up on my Netflix home screen are almost always movies I’ve long wanted to watch; recommendations from my personal Netflix boffin who picks and chooses any films that might be right for me.*
Here’s the problem.
That little recommendations bar can only fit about 15 titles. If you scroll down, sure, there are genres and sub-genres showcasing a few more.
But… where are the rest?
Listen to Laura Brodnik and Holly Wainwright explain all the amazing new TV shows you should be watching right now on The Binge. Post continues after audio.
Netflix has tens of thousands of titles in its back-catalogue. We see a few hundred of them.
And if you want to find the rest… where do you start? What do you search? We can’t search what we don’t know. And the ‘browse’ section only has seventeen genres.
So basically, we’re all left asking the same question…
Where are all the romantic Japanese Indie horror cartoons?
Well.
We’ve trawled the internet in search of the secret numeric codes that will unlock every single genre and title Netflix has. And we’re going to show you how to use them.
How it works.
Log into Netflix.
Type this into your browser’s toolbar: www.netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX
XXXX represents the numeric code of a very niche, very specific genre. ‘9875’ is Crime Documentaries. ‘5455’ is Movies for ages 5 to 7.
Obviously, typing in any random numbers isn't helpful. Or efficient So we've gathered up a list of the numeric codes for super niche genres you might be interested in.
Netflix secret codes - by genre.
The Telegraph published this super handy list of codes for all the genres and sub-genres your heart desires.
And if you want the really niche stuff? There's an even more comprehensive list, here.
- Asian Action Movies (77232)
- Classic Action & Adventure (46576)
- Action Comedies (43040)
- Action Thrillers (43048)
- Adventures (7442)
- Comic Book and Superhero Movies (10118)
- Westerns (7700)
- Spy Action & Adventure (10702)
- Crime Action & Adventure (9584)
- Foreign Action & Adventure (11828)
- Martial Arts Movies (8985)
- Military Action & Adventure (2125)
- Adult Animation (11881)
- Anime Action (2653)
- Anime Comedies (9302)
- Anime Dramas (452)
- Anime Features (3063)
- Anime Sci-Fi (2729)
- Anime Horror (10695)
- Anime Fantasy (11146)
- Anime Series (6721)
Children & Family Movies (783)
- Movies for ages 0 to 2 (6796)
- Movies for ages 2 to 4 (6218)
- Movies for ages 5 to 7 (5455)
- Movies for ages 8 to 10 (561)
- Movies for ages 11 to 12 (6962)
- Education for Kids (10659)
- Disney (67673)
- Movies based on children's books (10056)
- Family Features (51056)
- TV Cartoons (11177)
- Kids' TV (27346)
- Kids Music (52843)
- Animal Tales (5507)
- Classic Comedies (31694)
- Classic Dramas (29809)
- Classic Sci-Fi & Fantasy (47147)
- Classic Thrillers (46588)
- Film Noir (7687)
- Classic War Movies (48744)
- Epics (52858)
- Classic Foreign Movies (32473)
- Silent Movies (53310)
- Classic Westerns (47465)
- Dark Comedies (869)
- Foreign Comedies (4426)
- Late Night Comedies (1402)
- Mockumentaries (26)
- Political Comedies (2700)
- Screwball Comedies (9702)
- Sports Comedies (5286)
- Stand-up Comedy (11559)
- Teen Comedies (3519)
- Satires (4922)
- Romantic Comedies (5475)
- Slapstick Comedies (10256)
- B-Horror Movies (8195)
- Campy Movies (1252)
- Cult Horror Movies (10944)
- Cult Sci-Fi & Fantasy (4734)
- Cult Comedies (9434)
- Biographical Documentaries (3652)
- Crime Documentaries (9875)
- Foreign Documentaries (5161)
- Historical Documentaries (5349)
- Military Documentaries (4006)
- Sports Documentaries (180)
- Music & Concert Documentaries (90361)
- Travel & Adventure Documentaries (1159)
- Political Documentaries (7018)
- Religious Documentaries (10005)
- Science & Nature Documentaries (2595)
- Social & Cultural Documentaries (3675)
- Biographical Dramas (3179)
- Classic Dramas (29809)
- Courtroom Dramas (528582748)
- Crime Dramas (6889)
- Dramas based on Books (4961)
- Dramas based on real life (3653)
- Tearjerkers (6384)
- Foreign Dramas (2150)
- Sports Dramas (7243)
- Gay & Lesbian Dramas (500)
- Independent Dramas (384)
- Teen Dramas (9299)
- Military Dramas (11)
- Period Pieces (12123)
- Political Dramas (6616)
- Romantic Dramas (1255)
- Showbiz Dramas (5012)
- Social Issue Dramas (3947)
- Art House Movies (29764)
- Foreign Action & Adventure (11828)
- Classic Foreign Movies (32473)
- Foreign Comedies (4426)
- Foreign Documentaries (5161)
- Foreign Dramas (2150)
- Foreign Gay & Lesbian Movies (8243)
- Foreign Horror Movies (8654)
- Foreign Sci-Fi & Fantasy (6485)
- Foreign Thrillers (10306)
- Romantic Foreign Movies (7153)
- African Movies (3761)
- Australian Movies (5230)
- Belgian Movies (262)
- Korean Movies (5685)
- Latin American Movies (1613)
- Middle Eastern Movies (5875)
- New Zealand Movies (63782)
- Russian (11567)
- Scandinavian Movies (9292)
- Southeast Asian Movies (9196)
- Spanish Movies (58741)
- Greek Movies (61115)
- German Movies (58886)
- French Movies (58807)
- Eastern European Movies (5254)
- Dutch Movies (10606)
- Irish Movies (58750)
- Japanese Movies (10398)
- Italian Movies (8221)
- Indian Movies (10463)
- Chinese Movies (3960)
- British Movies (10757)
- Gay & Lesbian Comedies (7120)
- Gay & Lesbian Dramas (500)
- Romantic Gay & Lesbian Movies (3329)
- Foreign Gay & Lesbian Movies (8243)
- Gay & Lesbian Documentaries (4720)
- Gay & Lesbian TV Shows (65263)
- B-Horror Movies (8195)
- Creature Features (6895)
- Cult Horror Movies (10944)
- Deep Sea Horror Movies (45028)
- Foreign Horror Movies (8654)
- Horror Comedy (89585)
- Monster Movies (947)
- Slasher and Serial Killer Movies (8646)
- Supernatural Horror Movies (42023)
- Teen Screams (52147)
- Vampire Horror Movies (75804)
- Werewolf Horror Movies (75930)
- Zombie Horror Movies (75405)
- Satanic Stories (6998)
- Experimental Movies (11079)
- Independent Action & Adventure (11804)
- Independent Thrillers (3269)
- Romantic Independent Movies (9916)
- Independent Comedies (4195)
- Independent Dramas (384)
- Kids Music (52843)
- Country & Western/Folk (1105)
- Jazz & Easy Listening (10271)
- Latin Music (10741)
- Urban & Dance Concerts (9472)
- World Music Concerts (2856)
- Rock & Pop Concerts (3278)
- Musicals (13335)
- Classic Musicals (32392)
- Disney Musicals (59433)
- Showbiz Musicals (13573)
- Stage Musicals (55774)
- Romantic Favorites (502675)
- Quirky Romance (36103)
- Romantic Independent Movies (9916)
- Romantic Foreign Movies (7153)
- Romantic Dramas (1255)
- Steamy Romantic Movies (35800)
- Classic Romantic Movies (31273)
- Romantic Comedies (5475)
- Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1568)
- Alien Sci-Fi (3327)
- Classic Sci-Fi & Fantasy (47147)
- Cult Sci-Fi & Fantasy (4734)
- Fantasy Movies (9744)
- Sci-Fi Adventure (6926)
- Sci-Fi Dramas (3916)
- Sci-Fi Horror Movies (1694)
- Sci-Fi Thrillers (11014)
- Foreign Sci-Fi & Fantasy (6485)
- Sports Comedies (5286)
- Sports Documentaries (180)
- Sports Dramas (7243)
- Baseball Movies (12339)
- Football Movies (12803)
- Boxing Movies (12443)
- Soccer Movies (12549)
- Martial Arts, Boxing & Wrestling (6695)
- Basketball Movies (12762)
- Sports & Fitness (9327)
- Action Thrillers (43048)
- Classic Thrillers (46588)
- Crime Thrillers (10499)
- Foreign Thrillers (10306)
- Independent Thrillers (3269)
- Gangster Movies (31851)
- Psychological Thrillers (5505)
- Political Thrillers (10504)
- Mysteries (9994)
- Sci-Fi Thrillers (11014)
- Spy Thrillers (9147)
- Steamy Thrillers (972)
- Supernatural Thrillers (11140)
- British TV Shows (52117)
- Classic TV Shows (46553)
- Crime TV Shows (26146)
- Cult TV Shows (74652)
- Food & Travel TV (72436)
- Kids' TV (27346)
- Korean TV Shows (67879)
- Miniseries (4814)
- Military TV Shows (25804)
- Science & Nature TV (52780)
- TV Action & Adventure (10673)
- TV Comedies (10375)
- TV Documentaries (10105)
- TV Dramas (11714)
- TV Horror (83059)
- TV Mysteries (4366)
- TV Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1372)
- Reality TV (9833)
- Teen TV Shows (60951)
*NB - I'm aware I do not have a personal Netflix boffin. But it'd be cool, hey.
What's your favourite Netflix genre? Do you have any other Netflix hacks? Let us know in the comments below...
Top Comments
Why are the non english speaking movies and shows mixed in with everything else instead of having their own genre. When you pick a movie you think you might like to watch and start it only to find out it is not in english. That's a lot of wasted time.
These movies aren't hidden. What would be the benefit for Netflix of them hiding so much of their library and then only allowing it to be accessed with fiddly codes that are not widely advertised? If you're willing to scroll through those seventeen genres, I can guarantee all the movies would be in at least one of them. These codes are useful if you're looking for a really specific type of movie but you're not going to see anything that you wouldn't see in any of the main genres.