Netflix revolutionized the online video streaming market by providing customers with a convenient way to watch almost any movie. However, over the years, people noticed that content availability dramatically differs depending on your location.
Luckily, there’s a way to digitally change your country and unlock movies and TV shows ordinarily unavailable to you. All you need is a high-quality VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. Continue reading to learn how to change your Netflix region with a VPN and access region-exclusive content.
Why are some movies and TV shows unavailable in my country?
Let’s begin by clarifying the most fundamental problem – why are some Netflix movies and TV shows unavailable worldwide? After all, that would mean you’re not getting the full potential of your Netflix subscription.
The main issue is that Netflix doesn’t own the movies and TV shows on the platform. Instead, it purchases a license from studios to distribute that content digitally.
Unfortunately, sometimes the license only allows showing that content in a limited number of regions because another service has exclusive rights in other markets. As such, Netflix checks where viewers are and grants access to a particular list of movies and TV shows.
This state of affairs is frustrating to viewers because it means you’ll never have access to the entire Netflix library. Furthermore, sometimes you need multiple streaming service subscriptions just to watch an entire franchise.
Thankfully, you can minimize this issue using a VPN to change your location and unblock geo-restricted content. But how does a virtual private network do that?
How a VPN works
In simple terms, a VPN reroutes your online activities through a remote server. This process masks your whereabouts while making it appear that you’re located wherever the VPN server is.
To be precise, your online activities are encrypted, making them utterly unreadable to your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and other onlookers. Plus, you gain a foreign IP address, which is essential for changing your Netflix region.
However, it’s important to note that redirecting your connection through a VPN can slow down your connection speed. After all, now your data has to travel a greater distance between you and the world wide web. Of course, this speed reduction is unnoticeable if you’re using fast VPN services, which utilize the latest VPN tunneling protocols for efficiency.
On the other hand, low-quality VPNs can impede your connection so much that you will experience lagging while watching online videos. Also, some can’t change your Netflix region properly because they leak your IP address. Therefore, it is essential to sign up for tested and well-performing services.
How to change Netflix region with a VPN
Changing your Netflix region with a VPN is surprisingly simple if you have one of the best VPN services available. Just follow these simple steps.
- Purchase a subscription to a fast VPN with loads of servers abroad. Alternatively, grab a free trial on either the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Download the VPN app on your preferred TV-viewing device.
- Open the application and connect to a server in another country.
- (Optional) Make sure your IP address changes via online IP-checking tools.
- Refresh your browser or restart the Netflix app and watch geo-exclusive content.
Potential issues when changing your Netflix region
It should come as no surprise that Netflix doesn’t take kindly to virtual private network use. And while it doesn’t ban VPN users outright, it may restrict you from accessing the service if it notices a VPN connection. Thankfully, there are a few tricks you can try to get back on track.
- Check for IP and DNS leaks. You should conduct a thorough test of your VPN connection via tools like dnsleaktest.com
- Change servers. Netflix and other online services restrict VPN users by blocking their server IP addresses. Luckily, all of your provider’s IPs are unlikely to be banned, so just switch to another and try again.
- Update your software. Ensure you’re using the latest version of your VPN software.
- Clear the browser cache and cookies. Residual information can undermine your efforts to thwart Netflix geo-blocking.
- Use a proxy or browser extension. Consider a different approach if possible. For example, you can use a VPN browser extension if you’re trying to watch Netflix on a PC.
Can you unblock Netflix with a free VPN?
Some think changing your Netflix region with a free VPN is viable. Sadly, that’s completely impossible because no-cost VPNs have no incentive to be effective in this scenario. At best, they can hide your IP address and online activities. On the other hand, the most nefarious free VPNs collect your data and sell it to make a profit.
There are trustworthy free VPNs, but they have other potential downsides. For starters, they’re freemium, meaning they have both paid and free plans. On the plus side, they don’t have to resort to user data selling because the paid subscription keeps everything operational. However, the free plan is like an introduction and includes many limitations that make it unsuitable for streaming.
- Limited servers. Non-paying users typically have a limited server selection, usually only in a few countries.
- Data caps. Some include data limitations to prevent overuse. That means you’ll likely run out of data before finishing a movie or TV series.
- Slow speed. Free users have their connectivity throttled to ensure that paying customers get the fastest possible upload and download speeds.
- Decent cybersecurity. Don’t expect airtight protection when you’re not investing anything. You’ll likely remain vulnerable to malicious ads, trackers, and phishing attacks.
Ultimately, it’s not worth trying to change your Netflix region with a free VPN because you won’t get a pleasant streaming experience. Plus, it can result in your data on the digital black market.
Conclusion
Using a VPN to change your Netflix region is a great and low-cost way of maximizing your streaming service subscription. Additionally, a virtual private network is an essential digital security and privacy tool, meaning you get many benefits from one product. Just remember that you’ll get the best results with premium providers.