Netflix lets you hide titles from your account in two ways: you can remove them from your "Continue Watching" row, or you can block entire shows so they never appear in recommendations or search results
The faster option is to remove a single episode or movie from your viewing history. This clears it from the "Continue Watching" section at the top of your home screen, but the title stays searchable and may still show up in recommendations. The more permanent option is to block a show entirely — Netflix will then hide it from your account's recommendations, search results, and browsing pages, though anyone with access to your account can unblock it later.
Which one you choose depends on why you want it gone. If you're just tired of seeing that half-watched movie every time you open Netflix, removing it from your history takes five seconds. If you want to keep a show off your account entirely — because you don't want it recommended, or because other people use your account and you'd rather they didn't see it — blocking is the right move.
Key Takeaways
- Removing a title from "Continue Watching" takes it off your home screen but leaves it searchable and may be able to access for recommendations.
- Blocking a show hides it from recommendations, search results, and browsing pages across your entire account.
- You can remove items from your history on any device, but blocking shows requires the Netflix website or app — not the TV app.
- Anyone who knows your account password can unblock shows you've blocked, so blocking is not a parental control substitute.
- Netflix does not notify you when someone unblocks a show on your account.
How to remove a show from "Continue Watching"
Open Netflix on any device and find the title in your "Continue Watching" row on the home screen. Hover over the title (on a computer) or long-press it (on a phone or tablet). A menu will appear with options including "Remove from Continue Watching." Click or tap that option. The title disappears from that row when ready, but it remains in your account's search results and recommendation algorithm.
This is the quickest way to clean up your home screen if you've started something you don't plan to finish, or if you want to stop seeing a particular title every time you open the app. It does not affect anyone else's account on the same Netflix plan — each profile has its own "Continue Watching" row.
How to block a show or movie on Netflix
Go to the Netflix website or open the Netflix app on your phone or tablet. Find the show or movie you want to block. Click or tap the three-dot menu icon next to the title (or on the title's detail page). Select "Don't recommend this" or "Block this show" — the exact wording varies slightly by device and Netflix version, but the option is always in that menu.
Netflix will when ready hide that title from your recommendations, search results, and browsing categories. If you search for it by name, it will not appear. The show stays blocked until you or someone else with your account password unblocks it by going to the same menu and selecting "Undo" or "Unblock."
Blocking works across all devices and profiles on your account. If you block a show, it is blocked for everyone using that Netflix account, not just your profile. This is different from removing something from "Continue Watching," which only affects your individual profile.
Why you might block a show instead of just removing it
Blocking is useful when you want Netflix to stop suggesting a show to you. If you watched the first episode of something and hated it, blocking prevents it from appearing in "Because you watched..." recommendations or in category browsing. Netflix's algorithm learns from blocks and uses them to refine what it suggests to your account.
Blocking is also practical when multiple people share your Netflix account and you want to keep certain content off the shared home screen and recommendations. A parent might block adult shows so they don't appear when a child is browsing. A roommate might block reality TV so it stops showing up in recommendations for everyone. Keep in mind, though, that blocking is not a parental control — anyone with your account password can unblock anything.
What blocking does not do
Blocking a show does not prevent anyone from watching it if they search for it by name. It only hides it from recommendations and browsing. If someone on your account knows the exact title, they can still find it and watch it.
Blocking also does not delete your viewing history for that show. Netflix still has a record that you watched it — blocking just tells Netflix not to show it to you anymore. If you want to remove a show from your viewing history entirely, you need to delete it from your account's watch history page, which is a separate action.
Finally, blocking is not password-protected. Anyone who has access to your account can unblock shows you've blocked. Netflix does not send you a notification when someone unblocks something, so you may not know it has happened.
How to unblock a show you blocked
Go to your account settings on the Netflix website. Look for "Settings" or "Account" in the menu, then find "Viewing activity" or "My activity." This page shows everything you have watched. Find the show you blocked and click the X or trash icon next to it to remove it from your history, or look for an "Undo block" option if Netflix offers one on that page.
Alternatively, if you remember the show's name, search for it on Netflix. If it is blocked, the search result may show an "Unblock" option in the menu. The exact steps vary depending on whether you are on the website or the app, but the principle is the same: find the title and select the option to unblock it.
Blocking shows versus other privacy controls
Netflix offers a few different ways to manage what appears on your account. Removing from "Continue Watching" is the least restrictive — it just cleans up your home screen. Blocking hides a show from recommendations and search. Deleting from your watch history removes the record that you watched it at all. And if you want to prevent someone from watching certain content, Netflix also offers profile locks and PIN protection, which require a password to access a specific profile.
If you share your account with people you do not fully trust, or if you want to prevent access to certain content, a profile lock is more effective than blocking. A profile lock requires a PIN to open that profile, so no one can see what is on it or watch anything without the PIN. Blocking alone will not stop someone from finding and watching a show if they know its name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block a show on the Netflix TV app?
No. The TV app does not have a blocking feature. You must use the Netflix website, phone app, or tablet app to block shows. Once blocked, the show will be hidden on all devices, including your TV.
If I block a show, will Netflix stop recommending similar shows?
Netflix uses blocks as feedback to refine recommendations, but blocking one show does not automatically hide all similar content. If you block multiple shows in the same genre or style, Netflix will gradually learn to recommend less of that type of content to your account.
Can I see a list of all the shows I have blocked?
Netflix does not provide a dedicated "blocked shows" list. Your best option is to check your viewing activity page on the website, which shows your watch history. Blocked shows may appear there with an unblock option, but the interface varies by device.
What happens if someone unblocks a show I blocked?
The show becomes visible again in recommendations and search results. Netflix does not notify you when someone unblocks content. If you want to prevent this, you would need to set a PIN on your profile or use a separate profile with a password.
Does blocking a show delete it from my watch history?
No. Blocking hides a show from recommendations and search, but Netflix still knows you watched it. To remove it from your history entirely, you must delete it separately from your viewing activity page.