While you can happily load up Amazon Prime Video, select something to watch, then kick back and enjoy, you might be missing out on some of the streaming service's lesser-known features. It's worth exploring everything Amazon Prime Video has to offer so that you can customize it to your liking and get the most from it.
To help you out, we've rounded up some of the secret or hidden features of Amazon Prime Video that are easy to overlook. Many of these are available no matter where you watch Prime Video, though some are device-exclusive.
1. Hide a Movie or TV Show
If you have no interest in a movie or TV show and never intend to watch it, you can hide it from appearing on your recommendations. To do this, simply hover the tile and select Hide this movie/season. This is unique to each profile, so other profiles will still see the content. Plus, you'll also still see it in search results.
To make something visible again, click the cog icon in the top-right and click Settings. Switch to the Hidden videos tab and here you can click Don't hide next to whatever you wish to see again.
2. View Content Leaving Prime Soon
Though Amazon produces original content that you can only watch on Prime, the company also licenses movies and shows from other studios. Because of the way these contracts work, that content is only on Amazon Prime Video for a limited time.
To see this limited-time content, click Categories from the top menu and choose Only for a limited time on Prime. If something is leaving very soon, that date displays on the tile as you hover it, and on the overview page (either with the date or as "Leaves Prime in X days").
3. Share Prime Video With Someone
If you have a full Amazon Prime membership, you can share it with one other adult. This means that someone else can enjoy Amazon Prime Video for free.
To do this, navigate to the Amazon Households page and click Add Adult. You will need their name and email address, and to acknowledge that adding someone to your Household means you share payment information.
This is because it's intended that you share your account only with someone trusted from your household, rather than as an easy way to split the cost of a Prime membership with a friend. That said, there's nothing to stop you doing that, as long as you understand the security risk.
4. Disable Autoplay
Autoplay is a convenient feature when you're binge-watching a show and want a continuous stream of episodes. But for some it's an annoyance because it doesn't let you enjoy the credits without rushing to grab the remote.
Save yourself the inconvenience and turn autoplay off on Amazon Prime Video. To do this, click the cog icon in the top-right and click Settings. Switch to the Player tab. Here you can turn autoplay Off for both content and trailers.
5. Use X-Ray for Cast, Soundtrack, Trivia, and More
One of Amazon Prime Video's standout features is X-Ray, which appears every time you pause a movie or show. It displays information like the characters in that scene and the actor portraying them, the song playing, behind-the-scenes trivia, and more.
You can click View All to switch between all the X-Ray tabs, like Cast and Music, or jump to a specific section through the Scenes menu. Much of this data is powered by Amazon-owned IMDb, and is something that makes Amazon Prime Video standout against other streaming services.
6. Watch a Random TV Episode
Some TV shows are perfect to fling on when you want a quick and comforting watch, perhaps to play in the background while you do chores. To help you with this, use Amazon Prime Video's shuffle feature, which plays episodes at random.
For some reason, this feature is only available on Android, and only on some shows. Once you find a show the feature is available for, tap More and select Shuffle episodes. Now your favorite show will cycle through random episodes from all seasons.
7. Download for Offline Playback
You can download Amazon Prime Videos to watch them offline. This is perfect if you live somewhere with a spotty internet connection, or you're going to be traveling somewhere without internet. It means you can watch shows and movies wherever you are, providing you download them beforehand.
Select the download button in the overview section to download the season/movie, or click the same button next to an individual episode. On mobile, go to My Stuff > Downloads to manage your downloads. Select Manage to control the settings, like whether to automatically delete watched episodes.
8. Host a Watch Party
If you want to watch something with friends or family far away, consider hosting an Amazon Prime Video watch party. To get it started, select the watch party icon from the show or movie's overview page, and you'll see the instructions on how to invite others.
Up to 100 people can connect to a single watch party, where you all see everything in sync and can text chat with one another. No-one needs to download anything, but everyone must be an Amazon Prime Video member.
9. Find Content Free to You
One of the most annoying factors of Amazon Prime Video is that it lumps paid content alongside that which is included in your Amazon Prime Video membership. You've probably been in the situation where you're endlessly scrolling and eventually find something you want to watch, only to discover you have to pay for it.
To overcome this scenario, switch to the Free to me tab. This shows you movies and shows only included in your membership and nothing more.
Prime Video Has a Lot to Shout About
Prime Video isn't flawless (the less said about its dodgy interface the better), but it's still an excellent streaming service that is full of handy features you probably didn't know about. Be sure to take your time to explore everything that Prime Video has to offer.