Netflix Features Most Subscribers Never Use — Gaming Is Number One

This is the Netflix feature I think most subscribers overlook. It is not a token collection of quizzes or interactive episodes; it is a substantial games library included with the membership. Netflix's current catalogue lists more than 120 mobile games, without adverts, extra fees or in-app purchases.

I like it because the games are easy to dip into without making another monthly commitment. I can start something on my phone, play for twenty minutes and put it down without being pushed towards coins, gems or a season pass. Some titles are small puzzle games, but others are full releases that would normally be sold separately.

The catches are mostly practical. Games are not shown on Kids profiles, individual titles have maturity ratings, and compatibility varies by phone, tablet and game. Netflix has also introduced selected games that can be played on supported televisions using a phone as the controller, but that experience is not available on every account or device.

This is one of the first settings I change on a fresh profile. The trailer that starts while I am still reading a synopsis makes browsing feel rushed, and it is even more irritating late at night. Netflix lets you disable those previews without turning off the separate next-episode autoplay setting.

Once it is off, the home screen feels noticeably calmer. It is a tiny change, but it is one I notice every time I browse.

I prefer subtitles with a small dark background rather than oversized text. They stay readable against bright scenes without covering half the picture. Netflix can change the size, font, shadow, background and colour, although the exact controls depend on the device.

Even when I am not watching a foreign-language title, I use subtitles for quiet dialogue, strong accents and late-night viewing when turning up the television would wake everybody else.

Playback speed is not just for racing through a slow programme. Slowing a scene down can help when dialogue is fast or you are watching in a language you are learning. A slightly quicker speed is handy for recaps, familiar stand-up specials or something you are rewatching for background comfort.

The control appears on supported web browsers and in the Android, iPhone and iPad apps. It is not available in every viewing set-up, including some casting and ad-supported browser situations.

Before a long train journey, I would rather spend two minutes checking downloads at home than trust the on-board Wi-Fi. Smart Downloads can remove a finished episode and fetch the next one automatically, while Downloads for You fills a chosen amount of storage with recommendations.

I normally use Download Next Episode because it is predictable. Downloads for You is more of a lucky dip, but it has rescued me when I forgot to choose anything in advance. Smart Downloads is not available on Netflix's ad-supported plan.

I clear this row every few weeks. A series I abandoned after nine minutes should not sit beside the programmes I am genuinely watching, and removing it makes the home screen feel less cluttered.

For a deeper clean, I use Viewing activity in the profile settings. Hiding a title there can also stop it influencing the row and recommendations, although changes may not appear instantly on every device.

Netflix's Manage Access and Devices page is more useful than the old all-or-nothing sign-out option. It shows recently active devices, the latest profile used and recent streaming activity, then lets you sign out a specific television, phone or browser.

It is worth checking after a hotel stay, house move or visit to somebody else's home. An unfamiliar device does not always mean your password has been stolen, but it should not be ignored.

A profile PIN is useful for more than parental controls. It can stop flatmates or family members from accidentally using your profile, changing your recommendations and filling Continue Watching with programmes you have never seen.

It also adds a small privacy barrier if several people use the same television. It does not secure the whole Netflix account, so you still need a strong account password and sensible device management.

When somebody leaves a shared account, they do not necessarily have to abandon years of recommendations. Profile Transfer can copy an eligible profile to a new or existing account, carrying across viewing history, My List, settings, recommendations and supported game progress.

It is not available for every profile. Kids profiles, PIN-protected profiles and certain extra-member profiles have restrictions. Remove a profile PIN before attempting a transfer.

Netflix search understands more than titles and actors. You can search for terms such as “Audio Description in English”, a language or a broad genre. On the web, Browse by Languages is particularly useful for finding films with a specific original language, dub or subtitle option.

Audio description adds spoken narration of visual details such as actions, expressions, clothing and scene changes. It was designed for blind and partially sighted viewers, but it can also help when you need to follow a programme without staring at the screen.

Netflix normally handles quality automatically, but the profile's data-use setting can quietly hold it back. If a compatible plan, screen and connection should be delivering HD or 4K but the picture remains soft, check whether playback has been limited to a lower setting.

The opposite is useful on a capped mobile connection. Reducing data use can make a limited allowance last longer, although the picture will be less detailed. No account setting can force 4K when the plan, title, device or connection does not support it.

Moments turns the “remember that scene?” conversation into something you can actually revisit. On supported mobile apps, you can create a short clip, save it and find it again inside My Netflix. Saved Moments can also be shared with friends or family.

There are sensible restrictions. You cannot create Moments from live events, trailers, downloads or games, and availability can depend on the app version and title.

My List is useful, but it can become a graveyard of good intentions. The newer My Netflix area brings together saved titles, Continue Watching, reminders, things you have watched and other profile activity in one place, depending on your device and interface version.

For an unreleased series, film or live event, use Remind Me. When it becomes available, Netflix may notify you and add it to My List. It is a much better system than hoping you remember a date from a trailer.