Best Ways to Watch Porn: A Complete Guide

It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room: porn. Plenty of people engage with it on a regular basis, yet pornography has become such a taboo topic that it’s hard to find any educational content on the subject. Not to worry—we’re here to help. Read on to learn how you (and your partner) can take a leap into the world of adult entertainment, and how to keep your devices protected in the process. Not totally sure if porn is for you? We’ve outlined some of the pros and cons of watching adult content, so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

Disclaimer: This content is meant for adults only, and is not meant for minors. In the United States, pornography is not allowed to be watched by or distributed to children under the age of 16.^{[1]
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Things You Should Know

Jot down the fantasies you do and don’t like, so it’s easier to narrow down the types of adult content you do and don’t want to watch.
Use paid subscription services to watch pornography, since it’s more likely to be produced ethically (with fair payment and treatment of the actors).
Chat with your partner and see if they’d be interested in watching porn with you. As you watch, touch base with them and make sure that they’re feeling comfortable.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Watch Porn

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Think about the sorts of fantasies and kinks that really turn you on, as well as the ones that turn you off. Do you like scenarios that involve roleplay, or do you like situations where one partner takes control?^{[2]
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Research source} Understanding your sexual interests and fantasies can make it a lot easier to narrow down the type of porn you’d like to watch.
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Watch ethical porn to test things out. Scope out different ethical porn sites—these are content platforms that produce adult content where the actors are treated and paid fairly.^{[3]
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Research source} Try subscribing to one channel or platform at a time, so you can save a little money in the long run.
- Aortafilms, Dreams of Spanking, and CHEEX are great sites to try out if you aren’t sure where to start.
- Watching porn ethically almost always involves paying for it—but this is a worthwhile investment since you’re giving money back to platforms that respect their content and treat their performers well.
- Did You Know? Pornhub is one of the biggest names in the adult entertainment industry known for its wealth of free content—but it isn’t the best platform to patronize. Over the years, Pornhub has gone under fire for inadvertently platforming unethical pornography, like sexual assault.^{[4]
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At the end of the day, pornography is all about helping you achieve arousal and pleasure—and what better way to achieve that than with a little masturbation? Play around with different techniques to help you reach an orgasm as you watch. Feel free to incorporate lube and different sex toys into your experience, too!
Not all types of porn are for everyone, and that’s okay! If a particular subscription service is really plucking your strings, keep exploring new content there; if it’s not really doing anything for you, cancel your current subscription and switch to a new one.
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Support individual adult content creators if you like their work. Platforms like OnlyFans give users the opportunity to unlock content from specific adult creators. If there’s a content creator out there that you really want to support, subscribe to them directly on the platform. Other sites to check out include:
- FanCentro
- ManyVids
- Loyalfans
- Ismygirl^{[5]
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Relax and have fun. Watching porn is all about creating an arousing experience for yourself and figuring out which types of media bring you the most pleasure. Above all, treat your porn-watching session as an opportunity to learn more about your body and what makes you feel good.
- There’s never any pressure to reach orgasm when you’re watching porn, so feel free to explore!

Section 2 of 6:

How to Watch Porn with Your Partner

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Open up a conversation about porn when you aren’t being intimate. Try to bring the topic up casually, like mentioning a video you watched or an article you skimmed. Use the conversation to gauge how your partner feels about watching porn together—do they seem down to give it a try, or not? Are there any reservations they have? Treat the conversation as an opportunity to have an open-minded and supportive chat about your sexual interests.^{[6]
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- Opening up a conversation about your own personal sex life, fantasies, and desires not only strengthens your communication but can also open up a whole new world of intimacy with your partner.
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Compare your sexual interests as a starting point. Instead of just jumping into a random adult video, take some time to see what types of fantasies and desires you both have in common, as well as the interests and fantasies you don’t share. Make your conversation as judgment-free as possible—the better you both understand each other’s interests, the easier of a time you’ll have identifying what you both have in common.^{[7]
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- It might help to make a list of “likes” and “dislikes” first. From there, see if any of your “likes” overlap.
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Create a romantic atmosphere to enjoy together. Try dimming the lights, lighting some candles, and putting away any distracting clutter. Some people even like to play romantic music when enjoying pornography. Make sure that you have privacy by locking the door, closing the blinds, and double-checking to see if anyone else is home. You might also want to check your phone to see if there are any calls or texts you need to immediately attend to.
- Choose a suitable time to watch porn with your partner—nighttime is often ideal since there’s less of a chance that your friends will visit or that you’ll receive a call. It’s also a good idea to pick a time when your partner isn’t tired or stressed out.
Maybe you can’t settle on a specific fantasy or interest—that’s totally fine! Search for a video that doesn’t involve any particular fantasies or kinks, and use that as a starting point. To make things easier, queue up several videos ahead of time in case you and/or your partner aren’t really vibing with some of them.^{[8]
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Get intimate with your partner if the situation seems right. Porn is meant to be arousing, so it’s understandable if you’re looking to up the ante with your partner. Do a quick vibe check to see if your partner is also in the mood before you get things going, though.^{[9]
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- Your partner may not be in the mood right away, and that’s okay! If they seem to give low-energy, half-hearted responses to your suggestions, it’s time to take a step back.^{[10]
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Touch base with your partner frequently and see how they’re feeling. Sure, porn doesn’t carry the same plot as a traditional movie—but the intimate scenes can still have a really profound impact on your partner. Gently check in with them throughout (and even after) your video-watching session to make sure that they’re feeling comfortable and in a good headspace.^{[11]
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- Quick questions like “Are you doing okay?” or “How are you feeling?” can go a long way when you’re watching porn together.

Section 3 of 6:

How to Keep Your Data Safe

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Set up and use a VPN whenever you watch porn. A Virtual Private Network, better known as a VPN, processes your data through a special VPN client and tunnel instead of sending it straight to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).^{[12]
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Research source} Any data your ISP accesses is encrypted—in other words, they won’t know what you’ve been up to, like watching pornography.^{[13]
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Install anti-virus software on your devices before watching porn. It never hurts to be extra careful when it comes to the internet, especially when you’re using porn sites (even subscription-based, reputable ones). Downloading anti-virus software gives you and your devices an extra layer of protection so you can enjoy your adult content without any extra stress.^{[14]
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Research source} Here are a few good anti-virus options that are totally free:
- Avira
- AVG
- Avast
- Bitdefender

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Benefits of Porn

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Adult content is designed to scratch those special itches and help you feel really good. Plus, some people find that watching porn can be a relaxing and soothing way to chill out at the end of the day.^{[15]
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Not totally sure what your sexual preferences are? Pornography makes it easy to explore different fantasies and kinks so you can better understand what does (and doesn’t) turn you on.
Queer and trans experiences aren’t hugely represented in modern media, and the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t always feel represented in these spaces. Queer porn can help these individuals feel seen in a way that heteronormative media doesn’t allow for.^{[16]
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Sure, porn can definitely help to get the sparks flying in your sexual relationship (especially if you’re watching it together). More importantly, though, discussing adult content can be a great way for you to learn more about your partner’s fantasies and desires.^{[17]
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Downsides of Porn

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At the end of the day, porn is a type of scripted media performed by actors. Some videos don’t clearly highlight elements of a healthy sexual relationship, like outright consent and condom use. Watching porn can also create an unhealthy comparison game in your head if you try to compare yourself to the actors onscreen.^{[18]
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Watching too much adult content can snowball into pornography addiction. While porn is fine to watch in moderation, watching excessive amounts to the point where it interferes with your life is not good. Some red flags of a pornography addiction include:
- Dedicating extra time to porn over hobbies/pastimes
- Thinking about porn constantly
- Performing poorly at your job because of porn^{[19]
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Many established religions frown upon pornography use. Religions like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism place high importance on sexual purity and holiness. Watching pornography definitely contradicts these values, and isn’t a great option for the devoutly religious.
- This point is moot if you don’t identify with a specific religion or faith—you don’t (and shouldn’t) live your life according to a faith system that you don’t believe in.
Some research points to porn impacting an individual’s sex life with their partner, and how sex feels less satisfying when one partner watches porn. With this in mind, watching porn may also impact a person’s ability to communicate well in a relationship and fray at the trust in a partnership.^{[20]
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Is it bad to watch porn?

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Not necessarily, as it ultimately depends on you and your lifestyle. Lots of different people have different opinions about pornography—but when it comes down to your life, the opinion that matters most is yours. Weigh the pros and cons, chat with some of your friends, or even dip your toes into some adult content and see if you enjoy it. If pornography feels like a good fit for you and your lifestyle, that’s great! If not, that’s totally okay, too.
- Contrary to popular belief, watching pornography is actually a healthy habit as long as it’s used with reason and doesn’t overtake other aspects of your life.

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Tips

Porn is a great way to get turned on, but it’s not meant to be a crash course in sex education.^{[21]
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Research source} If you’re hoping to learn more about what sex is and how it works, check out helpful resources like Planned Parenthood, AMAZE, Tabu, Afrosexology, genderqueer.me, and SIECUS.

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Not sure if adult videos are your cup of tea? Give other types of porn a try, like erotic fiction or erotic audiobooks.^{[22]
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There are ways to get help if you’re struggling with porn addiction, like joining a 12-step program.

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Warnings

Be extremely careful and mindful of where you watch porn, especially on low-quality sites—malware and phishing schemes are more common than you may think.^{[23]
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Never watch porn in public spaces, even if you think you’re alone. In many places, watching adult content publicly can land you with some type of obscenity charge.^{[24]
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