Netflix Secret Codes (2025): Unlock Hidden Shows, Movies & Categories

Netflix’s code system is a lesser-known but clever way to unlock the platform’s full catalog of programmes. While the homepage usually recommends shows and movies based on your viewing history, there's actually a vast world of hidden genres just waiting to be discovered—and they’re all organized by numerical codes.

According to Netflix, the codes date back to when the platform was in its DVD-only phase. This meant that Netflix had a 'public-facing genre tree that linked out to all the various types of films and TV series, each of which has its own specific ID code.'

Each of these codes corresponds to a specific category or subgenre, some of which are incredibly niche, like 'Action with a Side of Romance' or 'B-Horror Movies.'

By entering a code into a browser using this format 'netflix.com/browse/genre/[code]', you can jump straight to Netflix's curated list of content in that category.

This hidden code system is perfect for those who want to go beyond the trending titles and explore something different, whether it's classic anime, obscure documentaries, or old-school Westerns. It’s basically having a directory to the streaming service’s entire vault, which, if you ask us, can save a lot of time over endlessly browsing.

Main Netflix Categories

• Action & Adventure (1365)
• Anime (7424)
• Children & Family Movies (783)
• Classic Movies (31574)
• Comedies (6548)
• Documentaries (6839)
• Dramas (5763)
• Horror Movies (8711)
• Independent Movies (7077)
• International Movies (78367)
• Music (1701)
• Romantic Movies (8883)
• Sci-Fi (1492)
• Sports Movies (4370)
• TV Shows (83)
• Thrillers (8933)

Action & Adventure

• Action & Adventure Based on Classic Literature (13110)
• Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1568)
• Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy Based on Books (2116)
• Action Thrillers (43048)
• Action with a Side of Romance (81647318)
• African-American Action Crime Action & Adventure (3053)
• Asian Action Movies (77232)
• British Action & Adventure (1302)
• Campy Action & Adventure (2161)
• Crime Action & Adventure (9584)
• Critically-acclaimed Action & Adventure (899)
• Cult Action & Adventure (2213)
• Detective Action & Adventure (3040)
• Foreign Action & Adventure (11828)
• Foreign Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy (3985)
• Gay and Lesbian Action & Adventure (222)
• Goofy Action & Adventure (211)
• Indian Action & Adventure (2870)
• Latino Crime Action & Adventure (3935)
• Oscar-winning Action & Adventure (51098)
• Romantic Action & Adventure (952)
• Scary Action & Adventure (4153)
• Spy Action & Adventure (10702)
• Steamy Action & Adventure (2383)
• Suspenseful Action & Adventure (42)
• Teen Action & Adventure (3754)
• TV Action & Adventure (10673)
• Violent Action & Adventure (3288)

Anime

• 1970s Anime (3073)
• 1980s Anime (3095)
• Anime Released in 2020 (81250121)
• Anime Released in 2022 (81580601)
• Anime Released in 2023 (81672891)
• Action Anime Shows and Movies (2653)
• Anime Dramas (452)
• Anime Dubbed in English (81594538)
• Anime Fantasies (11146)
• Anime Horror Films (10695)
• Anime Sci-Fi (2729)
• Binge-worthy Anime Series (3085265)
• Comedy Anime Shows and Movies (9302)
• Dark Fantasy Anime (2691049)
• Japanese Anime (1462141)

Children & Family

• Biographical Children & Family Movies (2478)
• Children & Family Movies Based on Real Life (4927)
• Children & Family TV (81246414)
• Dramas Based on Children's Books (1129)
• Emmy-nominated Children & Family (81657914)
• Fantasy Movies Based on Children's Books (2009)
• Feel-good Children & Family Movies (4505)
• Foreign Children & Family Movies and TV (3277)
• Goofy Children & Family Movies (355)
• Imaginative Children & Family Movies (312)
• Movies Based on Children's Books (10056)
• Sports Movies for Children & Family (453)
• TV Shows & Movies for Little Kids (74253)

Classic

• Classic Action & Adventure (46576)
• Classic Comedies (31694)
• Classic Country & Western (2994)
• Classic Dramas (29809)
• Classic Foreign Movies (32473)
• Classic Jazz (2188)
• Classic Musicals (32392)
• Classic Romance Movies (31273)
• Classic Sci-Fi & Fantasy (47147)
• Classic Thrillers (46588)
• Classic TV Shows (46553)
• Classic War Movies (48744)
• Classic Westerns (47465)
• Modern Classics (76186)

Comedies

• Action Comedies (43040)
• African-American Comedies (4906)
• Binge-worthy TV Comedies (1208237)
• British Comedies (1009)
• Cerebral Comedies (1119)
• Comedies Based on Books (1223)
• Controversial Comedies (1948)
• Courtroom Comedies (599)
• Crime Comedies (4058)
• Critically-acclaimed Dark Comedies (2689)
• Critically-acclaimed Political Comedies (2244)
• Cult Comedies (9434)
• Dark Comedies (869)
• Feel-good Comedies (943)
• Foreign Comedies (4426)
• Gay and Lesbian Comedies (7120)
• Gory Comedies (1077)
• High School TV Comedies (26108)
• Horror Comedy (89585)
• Japanese Comedies (1747)
• Late Night Comedies (1402)
• Latin American Comedies (3996)
• Political Comedies (2700)
• Prank Comedy (81614237)
• Romantic Teen Comedies (3186)
• Scary Comedies (932)
• Slapstick Comedies (10256)
• Southeast Asian Comedies (984)
• Sports Comedies (5286)
• Stand-up Comedy (11559)
• Teen Comedies (3519)

Documentaries

• Award-winning Documentaries (93108)
• Biographical Documentaries (3652)
• Business Documentaries (48842)
• Controversial Documentaries (1690)
• Courtroom Documentaries (1078)
• Crime Documentaries (9875)
• Dark Documentaries (1783)
• Documentary Films (2243108)
• Emotional Documentaries (1271)
• Foreign Documentaries (5161)
• Gay and Lesbian Documentaries (4720)
• Historical Documentaries (5349)
• Historical War Documentaries (3667)
• Inspiring Documentaries (7157)
• Middle Eastern Documentaries (3860)
• Military Documentaries (4006)
• Music & Concert Documentaries (90361)
• Nature & Ecology Documentaries (48768)
• Political Documentaries (7018)
• Religious Documentaries (10005)
• Short Films and Documentaries (3345391)
• Social & Cultural Documentaries (3675)
• Spiritual Documentaries (2760)
• Sports Documentaries (180)
• Travel & Adventure Documentaries (1159)
• War Documentaries (3025)
• Witty Documentaries (3311)

Dramas

• Biographical Dramas (3179)
• British Dramas (3682)
• Cerebral Dramas (2295)
• Courtroom Dramas (2748)
• Crime Dramas (6889)
• Dark Dramas (2436)
• Detective Dramas (3378)
• Dramas Based on Books (4961)
• Dramas Based on Real Life (3653)
• Emmy-winning TV Dramas (90913)
• Exciting Dramas (2966)
• Experimental Dramas (2205)
• Feel-good Dramas (8860)
• Foreign Dramas (2150)
• Gangster Dramas (31043)
• Gay and Lesbian Dramas (500)
• Gritty Dramas (3354)
• Heartfelt Dramas (985)
• Korean Dramas (1989)
• Military Dramas (11)
• Period Dramas (12123)
• Political Dramas (6616)
• Psychological Dramas (1338)
• Romatic Dramas (1255)
• Scary Dramas (3488)
• Sci-Fi Dramas (3916)
• Sentimental Dramas (2183)
• Showbiz Dramas (5012)
• Social Issue Dramas (3947)
• Sports Dramas (7243)
• Spy Dramas (2536)
• Steamy Dramas (794)
• Supernatural TV Drama (42156)
• Teen Dramas (9299)
• Violent Dramas (3863)
• Visually-striking Dramas (3438)

Horror

• B-Horror Movies (8195)
• Campy Horror Movies (1155)
• Cult Horror Movies (10944)
• Exciting Horror Films (11723)
• Experimental Horror Movies (2626)
• Foreign Horror Movies (8654)
• Goofy Horror Movies (4021)
• Horror Movies Based on Books (1751)
• Psychological Horror Movies (4809)
• Sci-Fi Horror (1694)
• Steamy Horror Movies (1358)
• Supernatural Horror Movies (42023)
• TV Horror (83059)
• Zombie Horror Movies (75405)

Indie

• Critically acclaimed Indie Movies (875)
• Indie Action & Adventure (11804)
• Indie Children & Family Movies (1525)
• Indie Comedies (4195)
• Indie Dramas (384)
• Indie Mysteries (4251)
• Indie Satires (4502)
• Indie Thrillers (3269)

International

• International Comedies (852492)
• International Movies Dubbed in English (81611351)
• International Programmes (1195213)
• Emmy-winning International (81657887)
• Oscar-winning International (1474963)

LGBTQ+

• LGBTQ+ Directors (81288351)
• LGBTQ+ Stories (100010)
• LGBTQ+ Teen TV (3057476)
• LGBTQ+ Art House Movies (30112)

Music

• Disney Musicals (59433)
• Inspirational Music (2222)
• Kids Music (52843)
• Latin Music (10741)
• Music & Musicals (52852)
• Musicals (13335)
• Showbiz Musicals (13573)
• Stage Musicals (55774)
• World Music Concerts (2856)

Romance

• African-American Romance (3967)
• Gay and Lesbian Romance (3329)
• Quirky Romance (36103)
• Romantic Comedies (5475)
• Romantic Coming-of-age Dramas (2302)
• Romantic Coming-of-age Movies (1448)
• Romantic Fantasy Movies (2211)
• Romantic Favorites (502675)
• Romantic Foreign Dramas (3134)
• Romantic Foreign Movies (7153)
• Romantic Indie Movies (9916)
• Romantic Indian Dramas (4729)
• Romantic Movies Based on Books (3830)
• Romantic Movies Based on Real Life (3963)
• Romantic Political Dramas (1872)
• Romantic Political Movies (321)
• Romantic Social Issue Dramas (1332)
• Romantic Sports Comedies (3390)
• Romantic Sports Movies (3680)
• Romantic Teen Dramas (330)
• Romantic Teen Movies (1764)
• Romantic TV Dramas (26056)
• Romantic War Movies (2618)
• Spicy Romance (81572628)
• Steamy Romantic Movies (35800)

Sci-Fi

• Cult Sci-Fi & Fantasy (4734)
• Cult Sci-Fi Thrillers (2521)
• Dark Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1452)
• Dark Alien Sci-Fi (3166)
• Dark Foreign Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1288)
• Dark Sci-Fi & Fantasy (3592)
• Dark Sci-Fi Thrillers (1374)
• Experimental Sci-Fi & Fantasy (2570)
• Foreign Alien Sci-Fi (3264)
• Foreign Sci-Fi & Fantasy (6485)
• Foreign Sci-Fi Horror Movies (3833)
• Futuristic Sci-Fi (1626246)
• Goofy Sci-Fi Adventure (4636)
• Gory Alien Sci-Fi (4057)
• Gritty Sci-Fi & Fantasy (548)
• Imaginative Sci-Fi & Fantasy (3998)
• Indie Sci-Fi Dramas (3100)
• Indie Sci-Fi Thrillers (3795)
• Quirky Sci-Fi & Fantasy (3692)
• Scary Sci-Fi Movies (2263)
• Sci-Fi Adventure (6926)
• Sci-Fi Movies (3276033)
• Suspensful Sci-Fi & Fantasy (66)
• TV Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1372)

Sports

• Car & Motorsport Movies (49944)
• Extreme Sports (4045)
• Gritty Sports Dramas (550)
• Gritty Sports Movies (2109)
• Heartfelt Sports Movies (4116)
• Indie Sports Movies (3331)
• Inspiring Sports Movies (886)
• Motorsports (2647)
• Outdoor & Mountain Sports (2706)
• Sports & Fitness (9327)
• Sports Movies Based on Real Life (3066)
• Sports TV Programmes (25788)
• Teen Sports Movies (3410)
• Women in Sports (81466127)

TV

• Animated Movies & TV Shows (4698)
• Award-winning TV Shows (89814)
• Best TV Comedy Shows (10375)
• Binge-worthy TV Programmes (1191605)
• Biographical TV Programmes (2192319)
• Competition Reality TV (49266)
• Courtroom TV Dramas (25955)
• Crime TV Shows (26146)
• Cult TV Shows (74652)
• Emotional TV Programmes (25833)
• Food & Travel TV (72436)
• Gay and Lesbian TV Shows (65263)
• Historical TV Programmes (83181)
• Kids TV Shows (27346)
• Military TV Shows (25804)
• Offbeat TV Programmes (1625327)
• Political TV Programmes (25807)
• Reality TV (9833)
• Retro TV (2008977)
• Science & Nature TV (52780)
• Teen TV Shows (60951)
• Thriller TV Shows (89811)
• TV Cartoons (11177)
• TV Crime Dramas (26009)
• TV Drama Series (11714)
• TV Mysteries (4366)
• TV Programmes Based on Books (1819174)
• TV Shows Based on Comics (2192320)
• TV Suspense Dramas (26259)

Thrillers

• 90-Minute Thrillers (81466222)
• Campy Thrillers (3226)
• Courtroom Thrillers (80)
• Crime Thrillers (10499)
• Crime Thrillers Based on Real Life (4833)
• Dark Indie Thrillers (3678)
• Emotional Thrillers (3180)
• Foreign Thrillers (10306)
• Gay and Lesbian Thrillers (3091)
• Goofy Crime Thrillers (28)
• Gory Thrillers (4117)
• Political Thrillers (10504)
• Psychological Thrillers (5505)
• Quirky Thrillers (2641)
• Scary Sci-Fi Thrillers (3608)
• Sci-Fi Thrillers (11014)
• Spy Thrillers (9147)
• Steamy Thrillers (972)
• Supernatural Thrillers (11140)
• Thrillers Based on Books (651)
• Thrillers Based on Real Life (159)

TV Collection

• ABC (108420)
• AMC (81921061)
• BBC (100400)
• HBO (100407)
• NBC (107964)
• WWE (81921063)

Of course, there are hundreds more codes you can use in Netflix's code directory system, but we've shown you a glimpse of some of the biggest and most popular codes to date.