Netflix users are just discovering 'secret code' that unlocks dozens of documentaries you won't find on your home page
We’ve all been there — if you’ve ever been stuck in front of your TV, endlessly scrolling through a streaming platform catalogue on the hunt for the perfect watch only to give up half an hour later, a handy Netflix trick might just save you some precious time.
Some Netflix users have shared their streaming know-how in a Reddit thread that has since garnered some traction.
This is hardly news, as the so-called Netflix ‘secret codes’ have been around for a while, but it seems that the programmes that the platform doesn’t advertise are a treasure trove of freaky subgenres that might just hit the spot for some viewers, especially those who’ve already watched most of the mainstream content that Netflix has to offer.
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Particularly, a host of thriller documentaries — which one user has branded ‘the most gruesome’ and ‘sad’ they’ve seen — have caught the eye of Netflix subscribers.
On Reddit, one user has encouraged others to input a code to unlock a series of documentaries ‘that you will not see on your home feed’ as more people have shared the codes they input in the platform’s search bar to find some oddly specific subgenres.
For the aforementioned wild crime documentaries, the four-digit code to type into the search bar is 9875, but there are more films and series on offer to access through different codes as well.
Some users questioned the effectiveness of this method, as some seem to think that learning the codes is more time-consuming than typing some keywords and hoping for the best.
One user summarised the reasons why giving the codes a try might actually be a better use of your time.
“The programs aren’t ‘secret’,” they pointed out. “The codes are related to how Netflix internally organizes its catalog. The codes just jump you straight to the related catalog without any filtering (ie “‘related content’ or content they are purposely trying to push on main page) that Netflix may decide to include in their normal search or display algorithms to users.”
They added: “It makes it sometimes easier to find content you might be interested in for a specific genre, but its not secret content and many of the shows/movies/docs are things you have likely already seen advertised for you to watch on the main page.”
For those interested in the codes for documentaries, a Redditor shared more in a comment, including 3652 for biographical doc, 9036 for music docs, and 1159 for travel and adventure docs. The codes also applies to fictional content, with 46576 taking you to classic action films and 8985 going straight to martial arts movies, just to mention a few.