Have you ever found yourself annoyed because you were traveling abroad and couldn’t binge-watch your favorite show on Netflix? Or maybe you couldn’t even watch Netflix at all? This has happened to most of us at some point in our lives, and let it be said, it’s definitely not a pleasant experience. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere without being able to enjoy a good series. Fortunately, we have a solution to that problem, so sit back and relax, because today we’re going to show you how to change Netflix region.
Netflix Around the World
Netflix is the largest streaming platform in the world and has been for quite some time. Even despite the emergence of services such as MAX, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, it has managed to maintain its position as the market leader. The main reason for this, of course, is the insane amount of shows and movies it releases each year. Not only do we constantly see bigger budgets, but also various new investments around the world. The company was the first to make the wise choice of taking not only its platform but also its production studios into the international arena. And thus, Netflix fans had access to original movies from Spain, Mexico, Japan, and many other places around the globe. Unfortunately, this came with some complications.
Why Do You Need to Change Your Netflix Region?
Currently, Netflix is available in 190 different countries. This is certainly an impressive number, considering that Disney+, for instance, is only available in 60 countries. Why the huge gap? Well, while launching an online platform around the world may seem easy, it’s actually quite complicated, especially when it comes to entertainment.
Each country has its own regulations regarding aspects such as licensing and censorship. This means that a platform like Netflix has to follow different rules in each particular region. For example, Middle Eastern cultures tend to be stricter than European countries when it comes to things like censorship, meaning that programs like Sex Education or Never Have I Ever won’t be suitable for their audience, and therefore Netflix can’t put them on its platform there.
What’s more, despite the impressive number of 190 countries, there are still several nations that do not have access to Netflix at all. As a result, while staying there, foreigners will not have access to the platform, even though it is perfectly legal and thriving in their homelands.
But Why Can’t YOU Watch Your Favorite Shows?
You may be asking yourself why YOU, as a foreigner, can’t watch the same programs from your account as you always do. After all, you created it in your country, which is also your Netflix billing country. So isn’t that enough to be able to work around some country’s regulations?
Not exactly. This is because no matter what device you stream Netflix on, the website is able to detect your IP and determine the location you are currently in. So don’t be surprised if you can’t access your favorite Netflix shows, even though you’re using the same iPad you do at home. Fortunately, there are other ways to get around this system, and that is to change Netflix regions.
How to Change Country Netflix?
There are a few methods of changing Netflix region, however, the most basic and popular one is definitely through a VPN service.
What Is a VPN Service?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It may sound fancy, but in practice, it is simply a VPN server that acts as an intermediary. This means that when you use it, you do not access the Internet directly, but through a third party. Doing so allows you to change your IP address and thus your location. For example, you can be streaming Netflix in the UK, but as long as you do it through the VPN app, you can actually change the settings so that the platform treats you as if you were doing it in the US.
How to Use VPN Services?
As aforementioned, using a VPN is extremely simple. All it takes is following these few simple steps:
- Download the VPN provider of your choice. Make sure it provides access to the VPN server location from which you want to stream Netflix.
- Open the VPN app and connect to the country of your choice.
- Open the streaming platform as usual and see if you succeeded in changing the IP address. You can do this by checking the Top 10 recommendations or by searching for a show that is now only available in a given country’s Netflix library.
And that’s it! You can repeat this step an unlimited number of times and change VPN IP addresses over and over again. You will never miss a show from another country.
Can You Get a Free VPN Connection?
So a VPN subscription is a great thing that allows you to do much more than just stream Netflix anywhere in the world. However, it often comes at a price.
Fortunately, there are several free VPNs available. Most of them come in the form of a free trial. Still, they are really good and usually last for at least 30 days, which is more than enough for international travel.
Here are some examples of great VPN apps that you can access for free:
- Express VPN
- CyberGhost VPN
- Surfshark
- Nord VPN
- Private VPN
These 5 all offer a long free trial period, which will be perfect for your next trip. But if you’re interested in a permanent solution, here are some examples of a free VPN service. None of them require you to spend a single dime, but may come with some limitations:
- Proton VPN
- Tunnel Bear VPN
- Bitdefender Premium VPN
- Hide.me VPN
- Atlas VPN
Are There Any Other Benefits to Using a VPN?
Yes! Absolutely.
A VPN server offers many advantages that go far beyond the issue of streaming on Netflix. As you probably know, everything you do on the Internet stays on the Internet. However, this is only true if you access it directly.
When using a VPN, the service encrypts your data and hides your IP address, making you surf the web virtually incognito. This allows you not only to change your location, but also to avoid unwanted ads, any data retrieval, and the risk of having important information stolen. In fact, the biggest advantage of a VPN is that it increases your online security.
CashYea
If your trial period with your favorite VPN has expired and you have no way to pay for it, give CashYea a try. An account on the platform grants you access to a number of simple tasks, for the completion of which you’ll receive Gems. These are a special form of currency that can later be exchanged for various rewards, such as free Spotify accounts and gift cards, or simply paid out in the form of a traditional bank transfer. With the collected funds, you can pay for the best VPN service!
Can You Change Your Netflix Region Without a VPN?
As we mentioned at the beginning, there are many ways to change your region on Netflix. A VPN is just one of them. However, this doesn’t change the fact that using it is by far the easiest method, which will additionally bring you plenty of other benefits at the same time.
That said, if you would like to try some other approaches, here are our suggestions:
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Smart DNS
Smart DNS is the most similar solution to a VPN, as it also relies on the principle of an intermediary DNS server. When using it, you don’t access the Internet directly, which allows you to easily change your location. However, it doesn’t come with any online security benefits, and your data is still as accessible as when using a regular server.
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Proxy Server
Proxy servers are definitely one of the more technically challenging methods of accessing Netflix content from different countries. We wouldn’t recommend them to people who aren’t tech-savvy. Using a VPN is much easier. Plus, it will encrypt your data, whereas such servers only hide your IP.
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Tor Browser
Tor browsers were very popular in the days when everyone wanted to access the Dark Web (then I guess everyone saw what was out there and quickly backed off). While they do in fact hide IP addresses and allow users to access Netflix anywhere in the world, they are extremely slow and not suitable for streaming. It is by far the worst of all the solutions on our list and we recommend using a VPN or Smart DNS service instead.
Conclusion
Whether you want to watch Netflix abroad or gain access to international Netflix libraries, there are several ways to accomplish this. Fortunately, some of them are free and thus, available to anyone who wants to bypass the system. As previously mentioned, we recommend using a VPN service, which is by far the easiest and most convenient. However, if you prefer to try other methods, a Smart DNS service or a proxy server are also great.
