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Netflix is available in over 190 countries so that you can find it almost anywhere apart from China, North Korea, and a couple of other places. Because of this, you can’t access the service there unless you try to connect to another Netflix library.
Besides the restrictions of these countries, you also find the other catch with Netflix.
One way you can do this is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN); some of these can fool Netflix into thinking you’re in a different region.
As you connect to a VPN server in another country, the server assigns you a new IP address. Thus, any service or person watching thinks you are connecting from inside that country.
It takes a few minutes to change your Netflix region or country, yet there are many other things to know before choosing VPN’s to tackle this small hurdle.
Here you can learn all you need to know how to change the Netflix region so you can access the best of streaming services in blocked countries, or you can view from a much more extensive library of Netflix content.
Why Access Netflix in Different Regions?
Owing to Netflix’s contracts with TV and movie studios, the distribution of some content is limited to certain territories. It means TV shows and movies you watch in your home country may be unavailable from abroad.
There is one other reason why you would want to change your Netflix country, and that is to access a more extensive library of shows than you currently have available for viewing.
As we have seen, Netflix is now available in most global regions apart from a handful. Although Netflix as a service is available in so many countries, the amount of movie and TV show availability will vary between regions.
Not only are there licensing arrangements, rights reserved, and all that, but there can also be laws or restrictions in place because of the nature of the content.
Here you can see the number of movies and TV shows available between the more popular regions. You can quickly see why many sign up to Netflix, change country to access other catalogs.
| Country | # of TV Shows | # of Movies |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1157 | 4593 |
| Puerto Rico | 1073 | 3807 |
| Ireland | 544 | 2419 |
| Mexico | 592 | 2406 |
| Brazil | 562 | 1672 |
| United Kingdom | 442 | 1586 |
| Australia | 443 | 158 |
| New Zealand | 440 | 1569 |
| Netherlands | 390 | 1494 |
| France | 387 | 1485 |
| Germany | 328 | 1440 |
| Japan | 393 | 1181 |
| Spain | 236 | 1042 |
| Malaysia | 174 | 509 |
| Singapore | 169 | 469 |
| Hong Kong | 134 | 392 |
| Taiwan | 135 | 385 |
How to Change Netflix Region
Here’s how to change Netflix region or country:
- Set up for Netflix if you don’t have one (one month free)
- Download, install and log into your VPN.
- Connect to a server in the country you wish to access.
- Navigate to the Netflix website. You may have automatic redirection to the site’s location where your selected server is.
- Log in to Netflix if you haven’t already and select your content.
Can I Use My Netflix Account Overseas?
With an account on Netflix, other countries access is possible, and Netflix is aware that its subscribers are attempting to use VPNs to access geo-restricted content. As a result, they crackdown on VPN services.
If they discover a particular IP address or range of IP addresses from a VPN provider, they block traffic from those addresses. If you encounter this, you will see a proxy error:
“Whoops, something went wrong. Streaming error. You seem to be using an un-blocker or a proxy. Please turn off either of these services and try again.
Netflix has the most stringent restrictions, which is why countless VPN providers have since given up trying to access this service. It costs money to stay ahead of this VPN ban, and you’ll only find a few VPNs that consistently and reliably avoid it.
On top of this, you need a premium VPN for streaming. It has to be fast and reliable. You’ll also need to know that the provider you choose maintains user privacy and security.
Here we have the best VPNs that enable Netflix access for different regions. Here is the full range of criteria each needs to meet to allow it to be on our list.
- Bypasses Netflix proxy errors
- Offers a large selection of server locations
- Delivers a fast, reliable service
- Uses secure encryption and other
- Retains no logs of activity or IP addresses
- Offers around the clock customer support
Can I Use a Free VPN to Change Region on Netflix?
Finding free VPN services is very easy and can be tempting. However, the advice is to stay away from them for various reasons. It requires a lot of effort to get access to Netflix from a provider, and these free services are not cost-effective to warrant such resources continuously.
Free VPNs may enable you to browse through another country’s Netflix catalog, but when it comes time to watch, you’ll most likely find yourself with a proxy error.
What’s more, these services typically provide users with a limited selection of servers, which means you’re less likely to be able to access the Netflix libraries you’re looking for. Even if you do get access, chances are you’ll face slow speeds and waiting in a queue.
While the above reasons are good enough, the main concern is what free providers do with user data.
Free VPN service providers have to make money and frequently do so through controversial methods. Some disrupt your experience with record your activity and sell your data to third parties for ad purposes.
Others have been caught selling your bandwidth, injecting their ads as well as placing tracking cookies into your web browsing sessions.
My VPN Isn’t Working
Any of the recommended VPN providers can offer reliable region unblocking Netflix’s other country’s content. However, because of the struggles, you can occasionally run into an issue.
If you face this, you can try the following:
- Contact your VPN customer service team. They should be able to advise which servers currently access Netflix. If your provider doesn’t offer live chat, check your providers support library for info.
- Disconnect from your VPN server and log in again. This can result in acquiring a new IP address, which Netflix is not blocking.
- You can try a new server location from the same country. This will enable you to retrieve a new address, preferably one that is not blocked.
- Enter your browser settings to clear your cache, cookies, and temporary files. Attempt a connection again.
- Sign out of any accounts that can store your IP address in their cache, including Google.
- Turn off location services on your browser or device
For more tech-savvy users, you can also try these options:
If you can access your Wi-Fi router, rename the network by adding “_nomap” (without quotes) onto the end of your network’s name. (If your Wi-Fi access point has a name “SecretLAN,” the new name would be “SecretLAN_nomap.”)
Doing this will stop your network from being a part of Google’s geolocation services. After doing this, disconnect and then reconnect to your network.
Best VPN for Netflix
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for changing your Netflix country. The provider offers the fastest connection speeds on 3,000 servers in 94 countries, all stream 4K HDR streams of your favorite shows. Users have unlimited bandwidth and server switching to the city level.
In addition to Netflix, it unblocks Hulu, iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming sites.
Get ExpressVPN & Change Netflix Region
With military-grade encryption, a kill-switch, zero-logging policies, and a location outside any jurisdiction.
Customer services are 24/7 with live support chat, email support, among others. There are native apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Amazon Fire TV, and Linux. The MediaStreamer DNS can be set up on devices that don’t have an app to work with Netflix.
You also have browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. Users can have 5 connections or install on routers, and then it is unlimited. (Read our full ExpressVPN review)
2. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access offers good security with online privacy coming from military-grade encryption and the best VPN protocols. You also find there is a strict zero-logging policy.
It uses the Mace built-in malware and blocker, and you can have up to ten device connections, which is more than enough to unblock Netflix. Devices are Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, Firefox, Chrome, and routers.
The VPN service has over 3,200+ servers in 29 countries and delivers decent speeds for streaming Netflix or HBO NOW and others with minimal buffering or lag.
3. NordVPN
NordVPN delivers reliable Netflix access U.S., Canada, Japan, and the U.K. as well as others. It can also access Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video.
NordVPN’s server network spans over 5,100 servers, in 60 countries. Connection speeds provide smooth HD content streaming, so changing your Netflix region is trouble-free.
You have lots of bandwidth, and all the while military-grade encryption. You are safe from prying eyes with the kill switch, no-logs policy, and double hop internet connection if you desire.
The virtual private network (VPN) has 24/7 support chat, email support, and an extensive support library for answers.
Native apps are available to Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms. Browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox. It can be used on routers if you wish to have more than the six device connections it offers.
4. Surfshark
Surfshark is an excellent choice to watch Netflix for families with unlimited simultaneous connections. It offers an accessible Netflix location in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Japan, and others. It also accesses US Prime Video, HBO Go, and iPlayer.
Now with 1,700 servers in 63 countries, it continues to grow. Streaming speeds are more than sufficient for 4K streams.
It delivers great online privacy using high-level encryption, a kill-switch and an ad, and a malware blocking system. You have 24/7 live support available, along with a contact form and extensive FAQ library.
Surfshark device platforms cover apps for Linux, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Fire TV devices, with Firefox and Chrome browser extensions. To test the features, there is a month’s refund policy.
All these VPN’s are ideal, although ExpressVPN offers the best experience for hopping around Netflix.
To see how well it performs, you can make use of the 30-day money-back guarantee and cancel if you see it doesn’t meet your requirements.
