Netflix's algorithm after a breakup is the absolute worst. Here's how to fix it
Netflix and chill is great when you're loved up. But, when that love dies, Netflix can serve as a constant reminder of your ex and the shows you once watched together.
That's because of one big Netflix feature: its suggested viewing algorithm.
To come up with viewing suggestions, the algorithm behind Netflix’s "Recommended For You" section computes the films or programs you've watched, the ratings you've given those shows, and the ratings given by other members with similar tastes to yours. Meanwhile, the "Because You Watched" algorithm computes shows you've watched to recommend shows with similar metadata.
That's great when you're the only person using your profile on your Netflix account, but once another person's tastes are added to the equation, the algorithm also starts to cater to things they've watched on your profile, giving you recommendations that aren't right for you.
So, if your ex was really into watching Come Fly With Me, you might get a recommendation based on that. Not ideal.
But you don't actually have to put up with those pesky reminders of your former lover and their terrible taste in TV and films. You can remove all traces of them — and everything you ever watched together — from your Netflix viewing history so your once carefully curated algorithm will get back to suggesting stuff you actually like ... if you know how.
How to fix it
"The answer is to go to your settings and remove your Netflix history," said a spokesperson for Netflix. To do this, go to your Netflix profile and hover your curser over your name in the top right corner of the screen. Select "Your Account" from the dropdown menu.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to "My Profile" and select "Viewing Activity". This will give you a list of literally everything you've ever watched since you joined Netflix.
Click on the "X" on the show or movie you want to remove. If it's a series, click on "remove series?" to save you the bother of clicking "X" on every individual episode.
It'll take 24 hours for Netflix to remove the offending shows and films from all your devices, and after that you should begin to see changes to your recommendations. "When removing your Netflix history, you will essentially remove recommendations that have been created by Netflix algorithms as a result of viewing those shows/films," says a Netflix spokesperson. If your ex was cheeky enough to rate any shows or movies they might have watched on your account, you can get rid of those too. On your "My Activity" page, select "Rating" to see a list of everything you've ever rated. Click on the "X" to delete any ratings that might be affecting your algorithm.
Next time you're enjoying some Netflix and chill, consider setting up a separate profile on your account so your date's preferences don't interfere with your finely tuned recommendations.
Topics Netflix
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
