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9 free Amazon Prime Video perks you probably didn't know about - all of which are free if you have a Prime membership
9 free Amazon Prime Video perks you probably didn't know about - all of which are free if you have a Prime membership
Mara LeightonSep 18, 2019, 02:48 IST
Amazon
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Prime Video is one of the best perks of having an Amazon Prime membership.
It houses thousands of movies and TV shows that can be streamed and downloaded for free, as well as titles that can be rented for a brief time period or purchased for permanent access.
It also has lesser-known features that can make it more valuable to you, like the opportunity to share access with another adult, accessibility options, and behind-the-scenes factoids that show up while you watch in real time.
Amazon's lightning-fast Prime shipping is great, but I'd wager I use Prime Video about three times as often throughout the course of a year. Find me at home in my pajamas, barreling through the latest season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" or rewatching "Fleabag."
And, aside from the very obvious perks of free, streamable TV shows and movies on Prime Video, there are a few other features worth knowing about - from parental controls to a la carte network subscriptions to built-in cinematic trivia and fun facts. Below, you can find a few of the lesser-known perks that go along with Prime Video.
Never spend another underground subway ride or transatlantic flight stuck in streaming purgatory, wondering what happened in the next episode of "Fleabag."
You can download Prime Video titles for offline viewing as long as you have the Prime Video app for iOS or Android or a Fire tablet.
For eligible movies, select the download arrow (same as the one shown above). To download a full TV season, hit the middle downward arrow button at the very top of the page. To download specific individual episodes, hit the identical down arrow next to the specific episode you want to download.
How long you have to watch your download before it expires depends on the content, and some of it may be locked geographically — meaning you may not be able to watch some content overseas, even with a VPN service. Though, you could theoretically keep your device on airplane mode to circumvent that.
Use Amazon Household to share your membership
To share your Amazon Prime benefits with another adult — including Prime Video access — create an Amazon Household and opt to add another adult with an email invitation or sign in together.
Use the X-Ray feature to instantly get behind-the-scenes trivia
Amazon owns IMDB, and Prime Video uses its X-Ray integration to offer you instant access to cast information, featured music, and trivia about the show or movie you're watching while you're watching it. You can also use it to skip to specific scenes.
If you want to dig into its other features, it also offers character backstories, behind-the-scenes photos, bonus video content, and more. To access it, just tap the screen or click up on the remote while the video is playing.
Set up parental controls
You can set up parental controls that require a pin entry to bypass viewing or purchase restrictions you've set on the account. Here's how to set up a Prime Video Pin.
Amazon Fire TV devices, Fire tablets, Fire phone, and Microsoft Xbox 360 all have their own parental controls settings, so you'll need to manage them directly on the device.
Create your own alternate cable subscription with Amazon Channels
Everyone with a Prime membership can access Amazon Prime channels through Prime Video and the Prime Video app. Essentially, you can create your own custom, a la carte cable with subscriptions to only the channels you truly watch — like Showtime, HBO, Starz, CBS All Access, Cinemax and others. If you're not sure if it's for you, take advantage of its free week-long trials of the major channels.
Regain some semblance of self control by turning off Auto Play
Ever started an episode and ended up binge-watching a full season thanks to episodes automatically loading up every time you finish another? Turn off Auto Play to make it easier to stop after a single episode.
To turn off Auto Play, go into Video Settings, click the Playback tab, and select "off" for Auto Play.
Get access to more free content by creating an IMDb Freedive account
IMDb Freedive is IMDb's free streaming video channel within the US, which gives you access to TV shows and movies including older classics like the "Heroes" series and movies such as "Memento" and "The Illusionist." The service is supported by advertisements, though, so prepare for some commercials.
Many Prime Video titles include subtitles, alternative tracks, audio descriptions, or a combination of these features. The range of supported features will ultimately depend on which device you're using. To find them, click on the icon that looks like a rectangular dialogue bubble.
Rate the videos you've watched to improve your Prime Video recommendations
Want better Prime Video recommendations generated by Amazon? Take a few minutes to rate the titles you've watched by going into your settings and clicking on Watch History.
