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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Netflix codes open hidden genre and micro-category pages.
- Codes work best in a browser, but can work in the app.
- They don’t unlock extra titles outside your Netflix plan.
I’ve been a Netflix user for decades, dating back to the days of receiving DVDs in the mail. As a result, I’m well-versed in navigating the streaming platform. Over the years, I’ve published plenty of content about Netflix, including recommendations for useful codes, tips, and tricks that enhance the viewing experience. “Codes?” you’re probably wondering. Indeed, Netflix offers hundreds of these codes, and I frequently rely on them to discover free movies that would otherwise remain hidden.
Netflix organizes its vast library into various genres and micro-categories, each assigned a unique numeric code. Some codes represent common genres, like action and adventure, while others point to oddly niche topics, such as deep-sea horror movies. It’s important to note that these codes won’t unlock any movies that aren’t already in your current Netflix plan, nor will they grant access to paid extras or restricted content. Instead, they simply take you to handpicked collections that Netflix doesn’t prominently display on its main page.
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These codes are excellent tools for breaking out of the repetitive loop of Netflix’s main recommendations and actually discovering the depth of content beneath the surface. However, since Netflix doesn’t publicly promote these codes, figuring out how to locate and use them isn’t immediately apparent. With that in mind, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use them, along with a list of my top picks.
How to Find and Use Netflix Codes
Before diving into the best Netflix codes to try out, let me walk you through the basics of how to use them.
There’s no need to memorize any Netflix codes. Free online catalogs like Netflix-Codes and What’s On Netflilx allow you to either search by keyword or scroll through an alphabetical list. If you’re looking for hijacking movies, try 20541. If you want screwball comedies, use 9702. These categories rarely appear on the Netflix homepage, but each one has its own dedicated page that you can access directly using its code.
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Keep in mind, though, that while Netflix codes point to specific categories, they don’t guarantee that every title within that category will be available in your region. What’s accessible depends on your licensing agreements and the time of access. As a result, some categories may be packed with titles while others look rather sparse. That’s completely normal.
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Go to Netflix in your browser on your computer or mobile device and sign in to your account. Alternatively, you can also use the mobile or TV app. When you look up Netflix codes online, you’ll frequently come across warnings saying the codes only work in a browser. That claim isn’t entirely accurate, but the browser approach is the most straightforward and consistent method.
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In my experience, the browser method will always display the category’s title, whereas using the app will only show you a grid of movie and show thumbnails. Regardless of which method you use, you’ll still see curated recommendations tied to that specific code. Once you find something worth watching, you can save it to your ‘My List’ so you can stream it later on any device or TV you prefer.
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Once Netflix is up and running, it’s time to enter a code. The process differs slightly depending on whether you’re using a browser or the app.
Enter a Netflix Genre URL in Your Browser
If you’re accessing Netflix through a browser, type in a Netflix genre URL using this format: netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX. The XXXX portion is where you insert the Netflix code. For instance, if you want to explore Fantasy Anime, replace XXXX with 11146, making the full URL: netflix.com/browse/genre/11146.
After entering the genre URL into your browser, Netflix should take you straight to that category. In the Fantasy Anime section, I’m currently seeing titles like Black Clover, Beastars, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, among others.
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Search Codes in the Netflix Mobile or TV App
If you’re using the Netflix mobile or TV app, navigate to the search screen and type in a code. So, if you’re in the mood for psychological thrillers, enter 5505. I tried this on my TV and was shown Hypnotic, Things Heard and Seen, and Alone.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, the browser method is more reliable. That’s because the search method in Netflix’s mobile or TV app can sometimes surface odd results. For example, Netflix on my TV is currently also showing me Hulk Hogan’s Real American. Not exactly a psychological thriller. Or is it?
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My Favorite Netflix Codes
Alright, now that you know how to find and enter codes, here’s a list of the Netflix codes I use most often and why I recommend them.
1. Oscar Winners and Nominees: 81396365
During Oscar season, Netflix highlights nominees and winners on its home screen. But what about the rest of the year? That’s where this code comes in handy. If you want to watch high-quality titles spanning multiple genres, all connected by awards or nominations, bookmark this category. In my current results, I’m seeing American Gangster, Pretty Woman, and Bohemian Rhapsody.
2. Book Club: 81511805
This is one of my go-to categories when I’m in the mood for something cozy and literary without having to sift through every drama on Netflix. In my current results, I’m seeing Outlander, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Queen’s Gambit, and Matilda the Musical. This category not only
This code highlights not only adaptations but also character-driven films and stories with strong plots and emotional depth.
3. Movies Written by Women: 81225828
This code is a great way to discover films penned by women, and the range is impressive. It includes romantic comedies, horror flicks, big-budget action movies, and coming-of-age tales—all written by female screenwriters. In my results, I’m seeing The Boss, 27 Dresses, Jennifer’s Body, 13 Going on 30, and Jurassic World Dominion. I had no idea that last one was written by a woman.
4. Totally Awesome ’80s: 2314106
This category is pure nostalgia, even if it’s more “1980s-adjacent.” In my results, Netflix has Field of Dreams, Steel Magnolias, and The Breakfast Club, as well as Young Sheldon, which is set in the 80s but wasn’t made then. Still, if you want to relive the decade or recapture that late-20th-century vibe—think big hair and neon wardrobe choices—this is a great category to explore.
5. Nostalgic ’90s: 2691941
I’m an ’80s baby and a ’90s kid, so this is another code I use when I want to fall into a nostalgia hole. My results currently include Dawson’s Creek, The West Wing, and Touched by an Angel. Again, not every title is strictly from the ’90s, but the category still has that DNA: stars from that era, network-TV and cable-era shows, and more. It’s total comfort-watch stuff.
6. Alien Sci-Fi: 3327
Did you know sci-fi is a huge, expansive genre? For example, horror is a subgenre of sci-fi. It’s actually my favorite, but aliens are a close second. I’m not necessarily into sci-fi films like Ex Machina, but Independence Day? Yes, please. So, this category gives me exactly that: creatures, invasions, and more. Right now, I’m seeing Starship Troopers, Venom, and Falling Skies.
7. Witchcraft and the Dark Arts: 81552046
Speaking of horror, I love all things supernatural, the occult, and just plain witchy. Not only during Halloween season, but all year long. In this category, I’m seeing Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, The Ritual, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, and Castle Rock. This category seems to include anything related to magic, curses, or horror-adjacent stories. It’s broad but spooky.
8. Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: 81614959
I love this category because it’s based on the internet’s long-running Kevin Bacon connection game, where actors are linked through shared credits. In my results, Netflix has Meet the Parents, Stranger Things, The Lincoln Lawyer, Shameless, and The Closer.
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That last one stars Kyra Sedgwick, Bacon’s wife. The others? No clue why they’re here. But that’s kind of the whole point. It’s a rabbit-hole category where you can have fun trying to figure out the six degrees to Kevin Bacon.
9. British Comedies: 1009
British humor is awesome: the dry wit, the irony, the heavy sarcasm, and the self-deprecation. Who doesn’t enjoy that? Absolutely Fabulous and The Royle Family are probably two of my favorite sitcoms ever, and they’re British. So when I saw Netflix had a British Comedies category, I immediately saved it. In my results right now, I see Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, and That Christmas. So British, so good.
10. Mockumentaries: 26
This last code is one you probably wouldn’t ever think to search, and I’ve never seen Netflix highlight it as a category. Think fake documentaries and interviews, awkward realism, and characters who are super serious while everything around them is absurd. I use this code when I want to watch comedies, especially ones that are very deadpan or feel improvised.
In my results, I see Trailer Park Boys, Borat, Cunk on Earth, and Between Two Ferns.
Do Netflix codes give me extra movies to watch?
Not exactly. They don’t unlock secret titles, free content, or anything outside your Netflix subscription. Netflix codes bring you to genres and micro-categories that Netflix doesn’t promote or show on its home screen.
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Do Netflix codes work in the Netflix app?
Yes, but sometimes not reliably. The most consistent method is to use a browser and enter the category URL. From there, you can find something you want and add it to My List. Then, you can watch it later in the Netflix app on any device.
Why do some Netflix code pages look empty?
Netflix’s library changes by region, licensing rights, and time. A code may work one day, but your local Netflix library may have few or no titles in that specific category because the titles aren’t available to you in your country, or they’ve been removed over the years.
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