
It can often feel daunting scrolling through Netflix to try and find what to watch â not only do you have to work out if youâre after a film or a series, you then have to drill down into the genres to figure out if youâre in the mood for comedy, drama, documentary, horror, rom-com... before ultimately giving up and sticking on an episode of The US Office that youâve seen 50 times before.Â
But have you ever considered paying attention to the percentages that often appear next to titles? You may assume that, like on some other streaming sites, theyâre just an overall rating, but theyâre actually a figure tailored entirely to you.Â
The ratings are created by an algorithm, which takes information based on your previous viewing habits to try and work out how much you might like another TV show or film.Â

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Netflix explains on its website: âThe percentage next to a title shows how close we think the match is for your specific profile.  Â
âThe ratings you provide also help us recommend popular TV shows and movies on Netflix. On Android phones and tablets, TVs, and web browsers, TV shows and movies with the most positive ratings will have a Most Liked label.âÂ
Whatâs more, you can boost the accuracy of the percentages by rating what youâve seen with a thumbs up or thumbs down, in turn feeding the algorithm with more information about what you do and donât like.Â
Netflix continues: âTo get better suggestions for TV shows and movies you might like, you can rate what youâve watched with a thumbs up or thumbs down.âÂ

Netflix is then able to get a âbetter idea of what youâd like to watchâ by looking at factors including the genres of TV shows and movies, your previous ratings, your viewing history and the ratings of Netflix members who have similar tastes to you.Â
To see your previous ratings, simply go to your âAccountâ page using a web browsers, and open up the âProfile & Parental Controlsâ settings for the profile you want to see. Click âRatingsâ, and a list will appear.Â
So next time you're complaining about not knowing what to watch, maybe try flicking through your home page to find any titles specifically recommended for you. The only downside is that it may reveal just how much Selling Sunset you've been binging...
Topics:Â TV and Film, Netflix