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Want the best scary movies on Netflix? Use the secret menu to find hidden gems

Want the best scary movies on Netflix? Use the secret menu to find hidden gems

Have you found your Halloween costume yet? Are you planning your Halloween party? You probably want Netflix and one of its many horror shows or movies playing in the background. They have a huge selection and more – the streaming service actually has more to offer than you might think. This is why you need to access the spookily good Netflix secret menu. If you really want to turn your Halloween party into a real monster mash this year, you’re going to have to learn how to handle it.

Here’s the thing: If you’re watching Netflix on your OLED TV or bingeing on your phone, you’ve only scratched the surface. Netflix doesn’t show you everything it has to offer at once. In fact, the platform has been offering you personalized suggestions based on your viewing history and preferences since you started using it. You can’t always rely on its algorithm to paint an accurate picture of what’s available. This is where you come into play.

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You can use the Netflix secret menu to gain full control over what type of content you devour. It all depends on a code-based system. The service’s various numeric codes allow you to browse and select thousands of niche genres and subcategories, whether you’re interested in horror or romantic comedies.

Instead of letting the Netflix algorithm decide, take streaming into your own hands. It’s time to stop the endless scrolling and discover a new show or movie that you’ll love.

What are Netflix codes?

Netflix codes are a series of unique numerical identifiers that can help you find specific genres or subgenres in the Netflix library on the streamer’s website (not the app).

Typically, you’re limited to the genres available to you through the Netflix main menu. There is no way to select by a specific category other than the category that was selected for you when you logged in. When you use these codes, you’ll have a whole library of options to choose from that can help you better decide what you want to see that evening. It can even help you discover new shows and movies you’ve never heard of.

By adding these codes to the end of Netflix URLs, you can directly access collections of movies and TV shows that fall into your chosen category. For example, if you’re short on time and want to queue up a shorter movie, you can check out the 90 Minute Movies category with the code 81466194. Are you looking for something your whole family can enjoy? The Family Movie Night collection, accessed with code 2013975, is packed with favorite movies suitable for even Grandma.

There are well over 36,000 codes to choose from. So don’t worry about memorizing them or trying out random sequences. Resources like Netflix-Codes.com have an entire directory to browse, so you can search for what you want to watch and find corresponding codes in no time.

a screenshot of the Netflix-Codes.com website with a list of available categories on Netflix a screenshot of the Netflix-Codes.com website with a list of available categories on Netflix

The Netflix Codes site has a complete directory of all available categories on Netflix.

Netflix-Codes.com/Screenshot by CNET

How do I access Netflix’s secret menu?

There’s no all-encompassing Netflix secret menu per se. Instead, you use URLs with special codes to display specific curated collections of movies and shows.

Netflix-Codes.com has a comprehensive list of the streaming platform’s hidden genre categories and subcategories. In total, there are around 20 top categories, covering genres such as animation, foreign films and classic films. Within these main genres there are many other hyper-specific subgenres identified by numerical codes.

All you need to do is find the category you want, copy its code, and append it to the end of a Netflix URL.

What types of categories are there on Netflix?

Netflix offers much more than what you’ve scrolled through. At last count, there were over 36,000 unique categories to explore.

The totality of categories available on Netflix starts with broad main genres such as action, comedy and drama, but becomes more specific as they get deeper. There are straight-to-the-point collections like Movies Directed by Women (code 2974953) or more specifically curated lists like Supernatural Soaps (code 81238162) if you like your werewolves with a dash of angst and romance.

Are you a big Swiftie? Is there another celebrity you would like to know more about? The Pop Culture Icons category (code 81278963) includes choices like the Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana or the Whitney Houston biopic I want to dance with someone.

Maybe you’ve been told time and time again that you really should get into Korean television and don’t know where to start. Enter the K-Dramas for Beginners menu (code 2953105) to get a selection of hit K-Drama series like Squid game And Boys about flowers.

Instead of relying solely on the standard homepage categories or the Netflix algorithm, you can use these secret codes to identify and explore different nooks and crannies of the catalog to find hidden treasures.

How do I use Netflix codes to find movies and series to watch?

If you’re not familiar with editing Netflix URLs, you can use a browser extension to access the secret menus. The Better Browse for Netflix extension for Chrome is a good choice. How to use it:

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for “Better Browse for Netflix.” (Note that this extension is not available for Firefox users.)

2. Click Add to Chrome.

3. Click Add extension.

4. Sign in to your Netflix account in a new tab.

If the extension is installed, a will appear Search all option at the top of your Netflix home screen next to “My List.” Click to scroll through subgenres or browse specific categories.

A screenshot of the Better Browse for Netflix add-on for Chrome on the Netflix website A screenshot of the Better Browse for Netflix add-on for Chrome on the Netflix website

When you add the Better Browse for Netflix extension to Chrome, you get a drop-down menu of Netflix categories.

Screenshot from CNET

Alternatively, you can use the FindFlix: Netflix Secret Category Finder browser extension for Chrome or Firefox. This add-on creates a Netflix category drop-down menu for your browser, which you can scroll through by clicking on the FF icon that appears in the top right of your screen. This add-on eliminates the need to scroll through Netflix natively and it has 7,500 categories organized alphabetically.

A third way is via the Netflix Codes website. Here’s how:

1. Visit Netflix-codes.com on any PC or mobile browser.

2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore.

3. Tap the code next to the genre or subgenre you want.

4. If you’re using a device with the Netflix app installed, the app should open and take you directly to your selected genre or subgenre. If you don’t have the app installed, it will open Netflix through the browser and you can watch the specific movies and shows available.

5. Tap the song you want to watch and it will start playing.

Finally, if you are comfortable with creating custom URLs, you can use Netflix codes manually in your browser. Here’s how:

1. Visit Netflix-codes.com on any PC or mobile browser.

2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore.

3. On another tab, enter INSERTNUMBER but replace it with the specific genre or subgenre code. For example, you get to “90 Minute Movies.”

4. If done correctly, you will be redirected to Netflix where you can browse the titles available in this section.

Simply repeat this process the next time you find a code for a Netflix category you want to explore. You can do this as many times as you like.

For more Netflix tips, check out: Learn how to get the most out of Netflix on your phone or mobile device and improve picture quality on streaming services.

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