How to reset your Netflix algorithm

Netflix has so many shows and movies that it can be very difficult to know when something new comes out and doesn’t shoot to the top of the charts. Because of that, some very solid selections can slip through the cracks, and then subsequently be canceled because nobody saw them. It’s something that’s bound to happen to you at some point, and the good news is it’s an entirely reversible situation once you find yourself in it.

Whether it was too many episodes of Love is Blind or letting somebody else use your profile for a long time, there are many reasons your recommendations can turn into something you can never envision yourself watching. Luckily, getting your Netflix algorithm back on track isn’t difficult, but you do have to go out of your way to do it. Instead of fixing it directly from the app on your TV or phone, you have to go to the Netflix website.

How to fix your Netflix recommendations

Get back on track

The first thing you need to do is log into your Netflix account on your computer or browser on your phone, so make sure you have your username and password handy. From there, it’s a matter of navigating through the site until you get the correct page. I laid out the steps below, and you can also see a visual representation in the gallery above. The entire process is simple, so just set aside a few minutes of time and clean up your history.

1. Log onto the Netflix website.
2. Click your Profile icon in the top-right corner and select Account.
3. Select Profile on the left side of the page, and then select your Profile.
4. Scroll down and select Viewing History.
5. Select anything from your Viewing History that you don’t want influencing your recommendations and get rid of it.

This is an easy fix if you don’t want something you’ve watched very recently to mess up your algorithm. If it’s years of damage you’re trying to undo, you might want to consider a different path. Fortunately, this is also an easy fix, but you might not like what you have to do.

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Make a new Netflix profile

A fresh start

Netflix

If deleting things from your watch history proves to be too much for you, then you have an alternate path you can take. Starting a new profile completely gives you a fresh algorithm to work with, but that comes with some downsides of its own. Your watch list and recommendations you actually liked are all gone by going down this path, and anything you rated won’t carry over. Giving movies and TV shows a thumbs up or thumbs down rating afterward is a good way to influence your algorithm, and starting a new profile means all of that goes away. Then again, if your algorithm is ruined to the point where you’re considering this, it’s likely fine.

This is truly a fresh start, but it’s an easy way to get a clean break from a bad algorithm. This should be the last resort if you’re concerned about losing years of history, but it’s a perfectly viable choice if you don’t care about that.

You can do whatever you want with your old profile, and keeping it as an alternative to watch things you might not want on your new algorithm could be a good option for it. Think of that old profile as a way to test the waters without having any impact on your main profile. You can have up to five profiles on your account, so feel free to make more as needed. Remember, don’t make a completely new Netflix account and cancel your old one, all you need to do is make a new profile. If you do make a new account, you can always transfer your profile, but that’s just extra steps you don’t have to take.

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