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

Have you already thought of your Halloween costume? Have you planned your Halloween party? You probably want Netflix and one of the many horror-oriented shows or movies in the background. You have a lot to choose from and then some: the streaming service has even more to offer than you might think. Therefore, you must have access to the scary 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 use it.

Here’s the thing: if you’re watching Netflix on your OLED TV or 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 offers you personalized suggestions based on your viewing history and preferences since you started using it. The algorithm can’t always be trusted to paint an accurate portrait of what’s available. That’s where you come in.

You can use the Netflix secret menu to take complete control over what kind of content you devour. It all depends on a code-based system. Various numeric codes on the service allow you to browse and choose from thousands of niche genres and subcategories, whether you’re into horror or rom-coms.

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

What are Netflix codes?

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

Normally, you’re limited to the genres available to you through Netflix’s main menu. There is no way to choose based on a specific category other than what is chosen for you when you sign up. Using these codes will open up a whole library of options for you to choose from, helping you decide what to watch at night. It can even help you discover new shows and movies you’ve never heard of before.

Adding these codes to the end of Netflix URLs gives you direct access to collections of movies and TV shows that fall under 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. Looking for something your whole brood can enjoy? The “Family Movie Night” collection, accessible with code 2013975, is packed with favorites that even grandma can dive into.

There are over 36,000 codes to choose from, so you don’t have to worry about memorizing them or trying out random sequences. Resources such as Netflix-Codes.com you have a whole folder to browse through, so you can search there for what you want to watch and find the corresponding codes in no time.

How do I access Netflix’s secret menu?

There isn’t necessarily an all-encompassing secret Netflix menu. Instead, you use URLs with special codes to display certain 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 about 20 top-level categories, including genres such as animation, foreign films and classic films. Within these main genres there are many more hyper-specific subgenres, indicated by numerical codes.

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

What types of categories does Netflix have?

There’s a lot more to Netflix than what you’re scrolling through. At last count, there were over 36,000 unique categories to explore.

The set of categories available on Netflix starts with broad main genres like Action, Comedy, and Drama, but they become more specific the deeper you dive into them. There are straight-to-the-point collections such as Films directed by women (code 2974953), or more specifically targeted curated lists, such as Supernatural soaps (code 81238162), in case you like werewolves with a touch of fear and romance.

Are you a huge Swiftie? Is there another celebrity you want to know more about? The icons of pop culture category (code 81278963) includes choices like the Taylor Swift-centric documentary Ms. Americana or the Whitney Houston biopic I want to dance with someone.

Maybe you’ve been told over and over that you should really get into Korean TV, but you don’t know where to start. Hit the K-dramas for beginners menu (code 2953105) for a selection of popular K-Drama series such as Squid game And Boys about flowers.

Instead of relying solely on the default categories on Netflix’s homepage or Netflix’s algorithm, you can use these secret codes to locate and explore different nooks and crannies of the catalog to find hidden gems.

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

If you’re not comfortable with editing Netflix URLs, you can use a browser extension to access the secret menus. The Better search for Netflix extension for Chrome is a good choice. Here’s 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.

Once the extension is installed, you will see a Browse everything option at the top of your Netflix home screen next to My List. Click on it to scroll through the sub-genres or search specific categories.

Alternatively, you can use the browser extension FindFlix: Netflix Secret Category Finder Chrome or Firefox. This add-on creates a drop-down menu complete with Netflix categories for your browser that you can scroll through by clicking the FF icon that appears at the top right of your screen. With this add-on you don’t have to scroll through Netflix by default, and the add-on features 7,500 categories, arranged alphabetically for your convenience.

A third way is through 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 will open and take you straight to the genre or subgenre you’ve chosen. If you don’t have the app installed, Netflix will open through the browser and you can watch the specific movies and shows available.

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

Finally, if you’re comfortable 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. In another tab, type but replace INSERTNUMBER with the specific genre or subgenre code. For example, takes you to ’90 minute films’.

4. If you’ve done this correctly, you’ll be taken to Netflix to watch the titles available in that 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 often as you want.

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