This article has been just updated: January 18, 2024

Netflix is a global phenomenon, offering instant access to a massive, constantly expanding library of movies and TV shows of all genres. Since the launch of its streaming services in 2007, Netflix expanded to over 190 countries and welcomed around 160 million paying subscribers as well as over 5.5 million free trial customers.

What attracts so many people to Netflix is, among other things, the convenient access to personalized content. Depending on which Netflix subscription you select, you can watch movies and TV shows simultaneously on up to four devices and create as many as five profiles, so everyone in your family can receive personalized recommendations.

In addition to distributing movies and TV shows, Netflix also produces its own original content, called Netflix Original. Some of the most critically acclaimed original programs produced by Netflix include House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, Bojack Horseman, Stranger Things, Mindhunter, Russian Doll, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of None, Big Mouth, and many others.

 

How to Get Started with Netflix?

netflix best movies and TV shows

To get started with Netflix, you first need to create a user account. Netflix offers a free month of service to all new users, allowing you to see how it works without having to sign a contract or make any commitment.

  1. Go to: http://netflix.com/
  2. Select the “Try 30 days free” option.
  3. Choose your plan (you can change your plan at any time).
    • Basic plan: streaming in standard definition (SD) and offline playback on one smartphone or tablet.
    • Standard plan: streaming on two devices at the same time in high definition (HD) and offline playback on two smartphones or tablets.
    • Premium plan: streaming on four devices at the same time in ultra-high definition (UHD) and offline playback on four smartphones or tablets.
  4. Enter your email and password.
  5. Confirm your account.

Use Netflix on a Smartphone or Tablet

To use Netflix on your smartphone or tablet, download the free Netflix app (available for Android and iOS devices) and log in with your email address and password.

If you have an Android device:

  1. Open the Google Play Store app.
  2. Search Netflix.
  3. Select the Netflix app.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Launch the installed Netflix app.

If you have an iOS device:

  1. Open App Store.
  2. Search Netflix.
  3. Select the Netflix app.
  4. Click Get.
  5. Launch the installed Netflix app.

Use Netflix on a Computer

To use Netflix on a computer, you can either log in to the web version of Netflix or download the Netflix app for Windows.

If you want to use the web version of Netflix:

  1. Visit netflix.com from your preferred web browser.
  2. Select Sign In.
  3. Enter your Netflix email and password.

If you want to download the Netflix app for Windows:

  1. Open Microsoft Store.
  2. Search Netflix.
  3. Select the Netflix app.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Launch the installed Netflix app.

Use Netflix on a Smart TV

Many smart TVs come with the Netflix app preinstalled. You can tell that your smart TV has the Netflix app by looking at the remote control. If you see a button labeled Netflix, then you can be sure that your smart TV has the Netflix app, and all you need to do to launch it is to press the button.

If you don’t see a Netflix button on the remote control, you might still be able to install the Netflix app from your smart TV’s app store.

 

Top 5 Netflix Tricks and Hacks You Should Know About

Here are our top 5 favorite tricks and hacks to help you improve your Netflix experience:

1. Keyboard Shortcuts

There are two keyboard shortcuts that you should remember:

  • Control+alt+shift+D: This keyboard shortcut opens up a status panel with detailed information about the current stream.
  • Control+alt+shift+L: Similarly, this keyboard shortcut provides detailed information about the current stream, allowing you to copy the text to the clipboard for troubleshooting purposes.

There used to be another keyboard shortcut (control+alt+shift+s), which allowed users to change the CDN and force a higher bitrate, but it seems that Netflix disabled it in most regions.

2. Find all Netflix Originals

Netflix produces a lot of original content each month. In fact, there are so many new Netflix movies and TV shows that it’s very easy to completely miss something interesting. To show all available Netflix Originals, all you need to do is type “Netflix” into the search bar, and you will be presented with a long list of movies produced by Netflix.   

3. Search Smarter

The user interface of Netflix is optimized for smart content recommendations. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to finding specific shows and movies using the search functionality. One user was so fed up with the Netflix interface that he decided to build a website that would allow Netflix users to apply complex search filters to reliably find what they’re looking for. The name of the website is Flixable, and all Netflix users should add it to their bookmarks.

4. Rate Everything You Watch

The Netflix recommendation engine knows which movies and TV shows you watched, which you didn’t finish, and which you like to rewatch from time to time. Using this information, it tries its best to recommend interesting content, but all seasoned Netflix users know that it can be a hit or miss. You can help the recommendation engine make more accurate recommendations by giving everything you watch either thumbs up or thumbs down. It might take a while for your ratings to start affecting the recommendations given by Netflix, but you will eventually see more relevant movies and TV shows recommended to you.

5. Change Subtitle Settings

One reason why Netflix has been able to achieve such an astonishing global success is the fact that virtually all content is available with subtitles in several different languages. If the default appearance of Netflix subtitles doesn’t match your taste, you can change it from the Subtitle Appearance page. More specifically, you can change the font, text size, shadow, background color, and window color for each profile associated with your user account.

 

Best New Netflix Movies and Shows in December 2024

Every month, Netflix subscribers can look forward to a whole host of new movies and TV shows, and December 2024 is no exception.

1. Austin Powers Trilogy

Release date: December 1

Austin Powers is a British spy whose sex appeal can’t be matched even by James Bond even though Mr. Bond would probably win in the looks department as far as most women are concerned. From December 1, 2024, Netflix subscribers can watch all three Austin Powers movies (Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me), all of which were directed by Jay Roach and feature Dr. Evil as the main bad guy.

2. Marriage Story

Release date: December 6

Marriage Story is a new comedy-drama movie produced by Netflix. It stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, who play a married couple going through a divorce. The movie brings attention to the pain caused by the legal and human aspects of the divorce process. The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and it was chosen by the American Film Institute, the National Board of Review, and Time magazine as one of the ten best films of the year 2024. If you need a break from more traditional Christmas holiday movies, Marriage Story is a great choice that is guaranteed to leave a long-lasting impression on you.  

3. The Danish Girl

Release date: December 16

The Danish Girl is a critically acclaimed biographical romantic drama film from 2015. It was inspired by the lives of Lili Elbe, a Danish transgender woman and among the early recipients of sex reassignment surgery, and her spouse Gerda Wegener a Danish illustrator and painter. In the movie, Elbe is played by Eddie Redmayne, and Wegener is played by Alicia Vikander. For their performances, Vikander won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Redmayne was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

4. The Witcher

Release date: December 20

Based on a popular fantasy novel of the same name written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher follows a mutated monster hunter, Gerald of Rivia, as he struggles to find a place in a world where good and evil are often difficult to tell apart. The first season of this original TV show from Netflix will have eight episodes, and a second season has already been announced. Gerald is played by Henry Cavill, who is known for his leading role in Man of Steel and appearances in such major Hollywood films as Stardust and Blood Creek.

5. GoldenEye

Release date: December 31

What could be a better way to end the year than with one of the most beloved James Bond movies of all time: GoldenEye. Released in 1995 as the seventeenth movie in the James Bond series, it stars Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, the fictional MI6 officer who has been saving the world since the release of the first James Bond movie in 1962. In addition to GoldenEye, Netflix is also adding to its library the following three James Bond movies: Die Another Day, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World Is Not Enough.

FAQ

To create a Netflix account, visit Netflix’s website, click on the ‘Sign Up’ button, and follow the on-screen instructions to choose a plan and enter your payment information.

Netflix offers several subscription plans, including Basic, Standard, and Premium, which differ in the number of screens you can watch on simultaneously and whether you get HD or Ultra HD quality.

To watch Netflix on your TV, you can use a smart TV app, a streaming device like Roku or Chromecast, a gaming console, or connect a computer to your TV using an HDMI cable.

Yes, Netflix allows you to download select titles on its mobile app for iOS and Android devices to watch them offline later.

To find the best new movies and shows on Netflix, you can check the ‘New Releases’ and ‘Trending Now’ sections, as well as follow Netflix’s social media accounts for the latest updates.

Yes, you can create multiple profiles on a single Netflix account, allowing different members of your household to have personalized recommendations and watch histories.

To cancel your subscription, go to your Account page on the Netflix website, click on ‘Cancel Membership,’ and confirm your choice. Your account will remain active until the end of the current billing period.

Netflix allows account sharing within your household, but account usage outside of one household may violate the Netflix terms of service and result in account restrictions.

You can control data usage by adjusting the playback settings in your account. Choose between Low, Medium, High, or Auto to manage the video quality and data consumption.

Netflix offers parental controls that allow you to create a PIN to restrict access to content based on maturity ratings within your account settings.

In December 2024, some of the top new movies on Netflix included titles like Marriage Story, The Irishman, and 6 Underground, which were highly anticipated and received critical acclaim.

Yes, December 2024 saw the release of several Netflix original series such as The Witcher, You Season 2, and Lost in Space Season 2, all of which garnered attention and viewership.

To find out which movies and shows were recently added to Netflix, you can visit websites like JustWatch or What’s on Netflix that track new releases on the platform.

The ‘Top 10’ feature on Netflix showcases the current most popular titles on the platform in your country, helping you discover trending movies and shows.

Yes, you can request a movie or show through the Netflix Help Center’s title request page.

Netflix’s recommendation system uses an algorithm that analyzes your viewing history, ratings, and preferences to suggest movies and shows you might like.

Netflix Party (now known as Teleparty) is a browser extension that allows you to watch Netflix with friends online, synchronizing video playback and adding group chat.

Yes, 4K content is available on Netflix, but you’ll need a Premium plan to access it. To find 4K content, you can search for 4K or Ultra HD in the Netflix search bar.

To get personalized recommendations on Netflix, make sure to rate the movies and shows you watch and tailor your profile interests.

Netflix offers a wide range of genres, including drama, comedy, action, science fiction, romance, documentaries, and more, catering to diverse tastes and preferences.