There are a variety of media service platforms online which allow us to watch different movies
and T.V. shows at our convenience. Netflix it is the largest subscription-based streaming service
which allows their users to watch online streaming of a library of movies and television
programs.
Purchasing a subscription for online streaming services allows you the luxury of watching movies and shows without commercials or advertisements. It also enables you to watch thousands of shows and movies in the comfort of your own home whenever you want. Many people have made the switch from cable television to streaming service subscriptions. As the world shifts to becoming more Internet-focused, many available streaming options have paved the way for us to access more forms of entertainment conveniently. Netflix is an excellent option to start watching your favourite movies from home!
Netflix can be accessed through two different platforms:
- Smartphone – Netflix can be found in the app store and is available for both Apple and Android phones.
- Online website – To access Netflix from your PC or Laptop, simply enter the Netflix website on your web browser’s search bar: https://www.netflix.com/
To use Netflix you will need stable internet connection, some sort of payment method (i.e. Credit/Debit card), and a working email address.
Creating an Account
Go to www.netflix.com, enter your email and select Get Started. Note: For security purposes it is not recommended to sign in using a Facebook account. You will then be prompted to create a password for your account. Be sure to use a strong password!
Netflix, and most online streaming services, require a monthly subscription fee to gain access to their wide variety of movies and shows. After creating your account, Netflix will prompt you to choose a plan. The plans offered differ in pricing and what they include (i.e. how many devices can use Netflix at once, the quality of streaming, etc.).
You will then be asked to set up your payment information, you can choose between Credit/Debit or a Gift Card Code. You will be charged a monthly fee based on the package you chose. Once you input your payment information, click Start Membership.
Free, 7-Day Trial for All First Time Users
Fortunately, Netflix provides all first-time members with a free 7-day trial. Upon entering your online payment information, users have the option to cancel their subscriptions after the 7-day trial and will not be charged for the first week. This is an excellent way for prospective users to become accustomed to the streaming service and decide if they are pleased with it before committing to paying the subscription fee every month.
Cancelling Your Subscription
To cancel the subscription, click “Account” on the drop-down menu on the top right and click “Cancel Membership”. Refer to the images as a guide.
Navigating Netflix
This platform is very intuitive and easy to use! On the home screen that appears you will be given options of movies/shows that are newly released, popular, or ones similar to past shows you have watched. You can also create your own watchlist which allows you to add shows/movies to this list and easily access these options in the future, instead of searching them each time.
To search for certain movies or shows, you can enter a title or genre in the search bar located at the top of the site.
The example shows a search for Action movies using the Search Bar. Netflix will then give you a wide variety of films related to the genre to choose from. Additionally, Netflix also lists suggestions related to the genre. In this case, it gave options such as Action Thrillers, Family Action & Adventure Movies, Exciting Action Comedies, etc. which you can click on for a more specific selection to choose from.
Upon hovering over a movie, it will show the title, the total length, and the genres associated with the film.
By clicking the red arrow underneath the film, you are able to read a short summary of the film and see the main actors in the film as well. Additionally, you can click the “more like this” tab at the bottom to view similar films and select the “details” tab to view the full cast, writers, genre, and maturity ratings.
Downloading Movies
While Netflix is primarily accessed online, you also have the option to watch your favourite movies and T.V shows while you are offline! Netflix provides users with the option to download certain movies by selecting the “download” button located beside the video (Note: you must be connected to the internet for this step). These movies can then be accessed in the app’s Downloads tab when you are not connected to the internet. However, there is one catch: Netflix shows can only be downloaded on the Netflix app on your smartphone or tablet, but not from your laptop or computer.
To download an episode of a show or a movie, go to the home page of the app and tap on your show of choice. Then scroll down and tap on the download symbol beside the episode (i.e. the symbol is a downward facing arrow lying above a horizontal line) to begin downloading it. The example shows the sixth episode of Season 2 from The Office, “The Fight”, being downloaded.
To check on the progress of the download, tap the “download” tab on the bottom right and once the show has finished downloading, a little checkmark symbol inside a smartphone will appear beside the show.
Note: Not all videos are able to be downloaded from Netflix due to various reasons including the content rights being exclusive to another company and thus not accessible to Netflix. Therefore, in some scenarios, these download symbols to look out for on the Netflix app on your mobile device may not be present.
Now that you have the basics for using Netflix you’ll be able to start streaming thousands of videos and movies while eating popcorn from the comfort of your own home!