Netflix lets you hide titles from your account, but the method depends on who you want to block them from

Netflix offers two separate blocking tools: one that hides shows from your own viewing history and recommendations, and one that restricts what other people on your account can watch. The first is straightforward. The second requires you to set up a PIN that applies to your whole account or to individual profiles, which means anyone trying to watch a restricted title will need that PIN to proceed.

Neither method removes the show from Netflix entirely or prevents someone from finding it through search. Both are designed to manage what appears in your own recommendations or what family members can access — not to delete content from the service.

Key Takeaways

  • Removing a show from your recommendations requires opening the title, clicking the menu icon, and selecting "Remove from row" or "Don't recommend this" — this only affects your own account.
  • To prevent other people on your account from watching something, you must set up a PIN in your account settings, then explore it to specific titles or entire maturity ratings.
  • A PIN set on your account protects all profiles unless you create a separate PIN for individual profiles in parental controls.
  • Netflix does not offer a way to block a title from appearing in search results or from being discovered by other account users — only from being watched without the PIN.

Removing a show from your own recommendations

If you want a title to stop appearing in your "Continue Watching" row or in personalized recommendations, open the show or movie page and look for the three-dot menu icon (usually in the top right corner). Click it and select "Remove from row" or "Don't recommend this." Netflix will stop suggesting that title to you, but it will still appear if someone searches for it by name.

This action only affects your profile. Other people using the same account will still see the show in their recommendations. If you share your account with family members and want to hide something from them, you need to use the PIN-based parental controls instead.

Setting up a PIN to restrict titles for other account users

Go to your account settings by clicking your profile icon in the top right corner and selecting "Account." Scroll down to "Parental controls" and enter your Netflix password. You will be asked to create a PIN — this is a four-digit code that Netflix will require anyone to enter before they can watch content you have restricted.

Once the PIN is set, return to "Parental controls" and select the maturity rating you want to lock. For example, if you select "Restrict to PG," anyone trying to watch a show rated TV-14 or higher will need to enter the PIN. You can also lock individual titles by opening them, clicking the menu icon, and selecting "Lock this title with PIN."

Restricting content by maturity rating versus individual titles

Restricting by maturity rating is faster if you want to block a whole category of content — for instance, all R-rated movies or all TV-MA shows. Netflix uses standard ratings: G, PG, PG-13, TV-14, R, NC-17, and TV-MA. When you lock a rating, anything at that level and above requires the PIN.

Locking individual titles is more precise if you want to allow most mature content but block one or two specific shows. Open the title page, click the menu icon, and select "Lock this title with PIN." That title alone will require the PIN, regardless of its rating. You can lock as many individual titles as you want.

Managing PINs across multiple profiles

By default, a PIN you set in account settings applies to the entire account. Anyone on any profile will need to enter it to watch restricted content. If you want different rules for different profiles — for example, a stricter PIN for a child's profile and a looser one for an adult's — you can set profile-specific PINs.

Go to "Parental controls," select the profile you want to manage, and create a separate PIN for that profile only. This lets you restrict TV-MA content on a child's profile while allowing it on your own. Each profile can have its own maturity rating lock and its own PIN.

What blocking does and does not do

A PIN prevents someone from watching a restricted title, but it does not hide the title from search results or recommendations. If someone on your account searches for a blocked show by name, they will see it in the results — they just will not be able to play it without entering the PIN. Netflix does not offer a way to make a title completely invisible to other account users.

Blocking also does not prevent someone from watching on a different device or account. If a family member has their own Netflix account, they can watch anything on that account regardless of what you have restricted on yours. Parental controls only work within a single account.

Removing a PIN or changing what is restricted

To remove a PIN entirely, go to account settings, select "Parental controls," and click "Remove PIN." You will need to enter your Netflix password. Once removed, all restrictions lift when ready — anyone can watch anything on your account without entering a code.

To change which titles or ratings are restricted without removing the PIN, go back to "Parental controls," enter your PIN, and adjust the maturity rating or unlock individual titles. You can lock and unlock content as often as you want without changing the PIN itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block a show without setting a PIN for the whole account?

No. Netflix requires a PIN to enforce any restriction. If you only want to remove something from your own recommendations without blocking others, use "Remove from row" instead. That does not require a PIN and only affects your profile.

What happens if someone enters the wrong PIN?

Netflix will not let them play the restricted content. They can try again, but there is no limit on attempts and no lockout period. If they know the PIN, they can watch. If they do not, they cannot.

Can I block a show on one device but not another?

No. Restrictions explore to the entire account across all devices. If you lock a title with a PIN, anyone trying to watch it on any device — phone, tablet, TV, computer — will need that PIN.

Will blocking a show remove it from my watch history?

No. Blocking a title with a PIN does not erase it from your history. If you want to remove something from your history, open your account settings, find "Viewing activity," and click the X next to the title you want to remove.

Can I set different PINs for different titles?

No. You have one PIN per profile. All restrictions on that profile use the same PIN. If you want different security levels for different content, you would need to create separate profiles with separate PINs.