Imagine paying for a subscription to Netflix and not being able to watch your desired TV show because it’s not available in your country.
That can be heartbreaking and very annoying. If you’re a fan of Netflix (like most of us) and want to access their entire library of content, there’s a quick way around it.
By default, Netflix only displays content to you based on your location. This means a lot of amazing content that is geo-restricted isn’t visible to you.
This is because Netflix has agreements with different production companies, and it only has permission to broadcast content that is allowed in your region.
However, the good news is that it’s not very difficult to get past this problem. And once you do, you can unlock content from any country out there.
If that sounds interesting, let’s find out how in this post.
Benefits of Changing Regions on Netflix
Don’t even get me started on the kind of benefits you get when you change your region on Netflix. There are just too many of them, but here are some of my favorite ones:
#1. Wider Variety of Content 📺
If you’ve heard many good things about a particular show unavailable in your country, you can easily watch it when you change your region to that particular geo-location. For example, TV shows like Family Guy and Pretty Little Liars are geo-restricted; you can only access them if your region is allowed.
When you change your region on Netflix, you open a wide variety of content you can watch, which applies to any country out there. You can easily switch to the UK region to access TV shows that are UK-exclusive or switch to the South Korean region to get access to all the amazing K-Dramas you’ve wanted to watch.
Also, changing your region allows you to get access to content that was released in other regions first. For example, some movies are first released in India before they’re available in other countries, so by changing your region to India, you can access it without any wait time.
Also read: How To Screenshot Netflix On PC Without Black Screen
#2. Useful When Traveling Abroad ✈️
If you’re currently in a different country and open Netflix to find that your home country’s content has vanished from the Netflix catalog, you can bring it back by changing your region.
This also applies to any content you are allowed to watch in your home country but not in the country you’re in.
In this case, changing regions and enjoying watching your favorite TV shows and movies is very useful, especially if your stay is extended.
Also, if you’re an expat, it helps you stay connected with your home country and its culture.
#3. Great Way to Practice a New Language 🗣️
A lot of people turn to Netflix to learn a new language. One example is RM from the boyband BTS, who learned English by watching Friends on Netflix.
You can do something similar by changing your region and accessing content from the country that speaks the language you want to learn. For example, if you want to learn how to speak Korean and get the nuances right, you’d change your region to South Korea and access a variety of TV shows.
This will help you be more familiar with the pronunciation and grammar, especially when the subtitles are turned on for you to refer to each word in English.
It’s a fun way of learning a new language compared to some very boring ways, which ultimately leads you to quit practicing.
How to Change Region on Netflix Without VPN
Changing regions on Netflix without a VPN isn’t the most simple thing to do, but there are definitely effective ways that’ll successfully do the job.
#1. Smart DNS
Probably the best alternative to using a VPN, Smart DNS can help you change your region while maintaining the same IP address and establishing a faster connection.
You can get started by going to SmartDNSProxy and getting on their free trial. Once you’re in, it’s super easy to set it up. You can choose to use it on multiple devices and operating systems.
Configuring the DNS on your computer’s network settings will be a barrier between your real location and the demanding one. Ultimately, it makes Netflix think you’re accessing from the location that it’s demanding.
#2. Proxy Servers
A proxy server works in a similar fashion to a VPN. It proceeds by routing your traffic with the help of a third-party server, which then communicates with Netflix for the streaming platform to base your location the same as the proxy.
You can utilize two of the easiest ways to access a proxy server: a website or a browser extension. There are a lot of free and paid proxy websites, as well as browser extensions, that’ll do the job for you.
However, ensure that you choose a proxy that puts your security first.
#3. Tor Browser
Now, this is a hit or miss, and it might not work 100% of the time, but it’s still an option you can resort to if you don’t want to use the other ways.
You can simply download Tor Browser and start watching Netflix’s restricted content because this browser hides your real location and is fully encrypted.
The drawback to this option is that you don’t have control over which region you will be redirected to. On top of that, it’s not the fastest option out there.
So, if you’re just looking to change your region to a random one, only then I’d suggest using this option.
How to Change Region on Netflix With VPN
This is hands down the best way to change regions on Netflix. It’s fast, easy, and secure, so you don’t have to worry even a tiny bit.
When you use a VPN, your internet traffic is routed via its server, and your IP address is replaced with the server’s IP address. This makes Netflix think that you’re accessing the internet from the region where the VPN server is located.
It helps you bypass geographical restrictions and lift other limitations by changing your location to one of the available remote locations anywhere in the world. You can control which server and location you wish to connect to.
If you want to access Netflix’s “US only” content, you can simply connect to the US server on your VPN and start watching seamlessly.
Here are the exact steps for it:
Step 1: Install your desired VPN service on your device or use a browser extension for it.
Step 2: Connect to the server of your choice. In my case, I’ll select the US server for this example.
Step 3: Open Netflix on your device and click New & Popular to verify you’re ACTUALLY in that region. In this tab, you can view the popular content in the specific region.
Another way to verify if your VPN is really working is by searching for titles that are country-specific. For example, the movie Rogue Agent is only available to the UK audience, so when you enable the UK server on your VPN, you should see it appear on your Netflix search.
With that aside, it’s important to choose a VPN that’s reliable. To make your task easier, here are some of my favorites that you cannot go wrong with.
NordVPN
You get one of the best speeds while streaming when you use NordVPN. It’s highly optimized for faster streaming, all thanks to their thousands of VPN servers that are used for the distribution of traffic loads.
It also gives you more privacy and security by encrypting your online activity.
ExpressVPN
Quick setup and 24/7 support are what make ExpressVPN hard to ignore. It’s a very popular VPN service that does much more than just allow you to change your region on Netflix.
You can be assured you’ll get fast streaming, irrespective of which device you’re using it on.
IPVanish
You can enjoy great streaming speed, advanced security, and 24/7 support with IPVanish. It’s a VPN service that’s been around for a long while but hasn’t disappointed me.
You can seamlessly change your region on Netflix with this service and enjoy your favorite content from other countries.
Netflix’s Official Terms on the Use of VPNs
A lot of people confuse using a VPN with piracy, and it’s simply not true. When using a VPN to access geo-restricted content, you still do it within your paid plan. This means you’re not finding a way around not paying Netflix.
It’s not illegal in a general way; however, it’s still against the terms and conditions of Netflix, and it’s not something they advise you to do.
Here’s a little snippet from their Terms of Use that explains it:
“You may view Netflix content primarily within the country in which you have established your account and only in geographic locations where we offer our service and have licensed such content. The content that may be available to watch will vary by geographic location and will change from time to time.”
Now, it’s also true that Netflix cannot determine if you’re using a VPN for legitimate purposes (such as to protect your privacy) or for breaking the rules, so there’s little to no chance you’ll face any problem.
All in all, I do not recommend abusing the rules. You should only use a VPN when you really require it.
Closing Thoughts
Being one of the most popular streaming platforms, it’s a shame that it has geo-restrictions that prevent you from accessing certain content. However, the instructions in this post help you get past that limitation seamlessly (as long as you’re doing it for legitimate purposes).
Next, check out the best VPN For Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Disney Plus.
