5 Hidden Helpful Features on Amazon Prime Video

The design of Amazon’s streaming service, Prime Video, may seem straightforward and reminiscent of Netflix. It features a bunch of easily scrolled movie posters on a dark background.

But there are a handful of useful features that aren’t immediately obvious. They may be helpful for everyone from the hard up to the hard of hearing, from film nerds to sports fans.

Here’s a look at some hidden, helpful features on Amazon Prime Video.

1. Download movies and shows

Prime Video gives you the ability to watch movies and TV shows offline, making it perfect for when you’re stuck on a plane for hours.

You’ll want the Prime Video app, available for Apple and Android devices and Windows users. It’s also built into Fire tablets.

In the app, navigate to the details page of a show or movie you want to download. You’ll find an icon with a down arrow, which you can tap or click to download a movie or individual episode.

You’ll also find a downloads section that groups everything you’ve saved and makes it easier to watch again, or delete the stuff you’re done with to save space.

2. Filter by free only

Somewhat confusingly, a lot of stuff on Amazon Prime Video isn’t free to watch even with a Prime subscription. You may need to rent content or sign up for an additional subscription.

Amazon used to have a prominent “Free to Me” button, but has since made it more difficult to filter out content you have to pay for.

Fortunately, there’s another method that still works, just with a couple extra steps. It is detailed by an Amazon staff member here:

“To view an all inclusive search of titles that are free with Prime membership:

1. Visit the Prime Video Home page. The link will open in a web browser.
2. Look for the Search Bar located at the top of the window.
3. Click the orange button with the Magnifying Glass in it.
4. You will be taken to search results showing the entire Prime Video catalog.
5. To filter the search results to show titles free to you, select Included with Prime in the filter menu located on the left side of the screen. ‘Included with Prime’ will be under the heading Ways to Watch.”

You can also use this direct link to view the more than 10,000 movies and TV seasons included with Prime.

3. Make dialogue louder

One of the more frustrating aspects of watching TV is the sometimes huge difference in volume between the actors speaking, the music and the sounds of explosions and gunfire.

You don’t have to choose between straining to hear or hurting your ears. Amazon recently introduced Dialogue Boost, which the company describes as “an innovation that lets you self-select dialogue volume levels to suit your needs on any device with Prime Video.”

The accessibility feature is initially available for certain marked Amazon original content, and coming to additional titles a some point this year. It uses AI to identify and enhance the audio of human speech patterns.

The option is available through the audio and subtitles dropdown menu that displays while content is playing. You can choose either “English Dialogue Boost: Medium” or “English Dialogue Boost: High.”

4. Identify actors and songs

Ever swear you recognize an actor from somewhere, but can’t put your finger on it? Prime Video can help, even if you haven’t been paying enough attention to catch the character’s name.

The so-called “X-Ray” feature helps identify actors and even songs. While watching a show or movie, tap the screen (or move your mouse cursor) and then click the “View All” button.

“This will open the X-Ray feature, allowing you to select the tab you are interested in, including cast, music, trivia, and bonus content,” Amazon says. You can also easily clip and share scenes on social media through this feature.

5. Show fantasy football stats and enhanced replays

Another part of the X-Ray feature is relevant to sports fanatics. Bring up the menu while watching a “Thursday Night Football,” MLB or NBA live game and you can check real-time stats for your fantasy team or view “in-depth player analysis, including player biographies, career stats, and team details.”

If you’re watching an NFL game, you can also see replays enhanced with play route visuals and completion probability, or participate in live polls with other fans.