Prime Video offers one of the largest entertainment libraries and continues to rival some of the best streaming services available. The platform started out as an ordinary perk for Amazon Prime subscribers, but the growing number of award-winning movies and TV shows has made Prime Video a worthy competitor to Netflix and Disney Plus.
There are many distinguishing factors that make Prime Video stand out from other popular streaming platforms. More importantly, Prime Video is said to offer over 24,000 movies and 2,100 shows. But unlike Netflix, a good portion of Amazon’s streaming platform includes titles that users would still need to buy or rent to watch. Still, the “free to watch” range gets revamped from time to time, so even if there’s a movie you have to pay for, chances are it’ll go free in no time.
Similar to other streaming services, Prime Video has a number of awesome features that even long-term subscribers might not have noticed right away. These “hidden” features will help you get the most out of Amazon’s streaming platform, and we’re here to break them down each one. Some of the features listed may seem obvious to users familiar with the service, but a few surprised us even at the time of writing.
- Hidden Prime Video Features: See Cast Details and Fun Facts
- Hidden Prime Video Features: Download TV Shows and Movies
- Hidden Prime Video features: Pay less for Prime Video
- Hidden Prime Video Features: Find Something to Watch Easier
- Hidden Prime Video features: Host “watch parties” with friends and family
- Hidden Prime Video Features: Customize Your Subtitles
- Hidden Prime Video features: shuffle your favorite episodes
Whenever you pause a movie/show, Prime Video’s X-Ray feature displays a list of actors that appear in the scene. While it’s not the most surprising feature to make it onto this list given how easy it is to come across, it’s certainly unique compared to most streaming services.
Since Amazon owns IMDb, the website that hosts all the information that appears through X-Ray, it’s highly unlikely that it will allow other platforms like Netflix or Disney Plus to use it as well.
It’s simple and elegant, and incredibly handy for preventing headaches caused by thoughts like “Where have I seen this actor before?”. X-Ray can also help make watching old shows more exciting by sharing an assortment of trivia and production gaffes every time you take a break.
Prime Video isn’t the only streaming platform to offer a download option for offline viewing. In fact, similar features are available to subscribers of other major competitors, such as Netflix and Disney Plus. But in 2013, Prime Video was the very first streaming service to start the trend. The feature was first exclusively available on Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, and now it’s available on any device running iOS or Android.
It lets you enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies in an offline environment. So if you’re about to hop on a long flight, or your Wi-Fi connection isn’t stable enough, this feature will definitely come in handy. To download a video, just tap/click the save icon next to the title.
It’s not exactly a feature, but it’s worth considering if you only use your Amazon Prime membership to enjoy Prime Video. That’s right: there’s actually a cheaper subscription option just for Prime Video users, priced at $8.99 per month.
This ultimately means that you can’t take advantage of free and priority shipping when you place an order on Amazon. And keep in mind that this type of subscription also does not have the option of paying annually. Either way, it’s a great way to try out the streaming service if you’re new to Amazon Prime.
You can make changes to your subscription directly in the settings menu.
It can be annoying when you come across a movie you want to watch on Prime Video and realize it’s not included in your subscription. However, a feature of the service can help prevent this problem, so you won’t have to constantly be on the lookout for the little Prime logo that appears on free content.
If you go to the “Free to Me” section on the Prime Video website or app, you can filter which shows and movies you need to buy or rent to avoid unwanted disappointment. This feature is also available on the iOS and Android app by toggling the “Free to Me” button displayed on the top right corner of the screen.
If you’ve ever thought of hosting a virtual movie night with your friends and family, then this is for you. By clicking or tapping the “Watch party” icon, you can create and host a session that allows you to watch your favorite movie/TV show with other Prime Video subscribers located around the world.
You can also take advantage of the chat feature, which lets you hold chats and share your thoughts while you watch. The feature also supports up to 100 other Prime Video subscribers, so you’ll never have to limit the number of people you invite. Besides, who has so many friends?
This feature may not sound so exciting, but it’s a must for those who never turn off the subtitle setting. Unlike Netflix, the default look of subtitles on Prime Video is unattractive and doesn’t blend well with the videos you watch. This is normally the case when viewing content through any device, be it iOS, Android, or even through a browser.
Fortunately, Prime Video offers an option to customize the appearance of subtitles. There are three presets that you can adjust to your liking. You can swap color, font, size, opacity, borders and more. To experience this feature, just tap/click the “Subtitle Settings” option and customize it!
If you’re looking for ways to spice up rewatching your favorite TV show for the umpteenth time, you’ll be happy to know that you have the option to “shuffle” the order in which you watch the episodes. This lets you watch a TV show out of order, which makes it a bit more interesting since you won’t know what to expect next.
The bad news is that this feature is quite inconsistent as to where it can be used. First of all, it’s only available through the Android app, and even then it doesn’t seem to be available on all TV shows. So far, we’ve spotted him on famous sitcoms like The Office (US), 30 Rock, and Scrubs.
Now that you’ve unlocked the hidden features of Prime Video, take a look at the hidden Netflix features and hidden Disney Plus features we’ve uncovered, which include secret games and categories. And if you’re not sure what to watch on Prime Video, check out our pick of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
