Having Trouble Accessing Your Netflix From Abroad? 

Have you ever wanted to magically unblock Netflix? Of course, this will ring a bell with avid Netflix users around the world, particularly those that travel. Some of you may already have Netflix unblocked with the setup we have laid out for you below. Unblocking Netflix may read like a typo for some, as it will not make sense to Netflix users who do not travel or find themselves physically outside the borders of their native country from time to time. For explanatory reasons, we’ll first look at Netflix at a glance, define what a VPN is, and finally lay out a roadmap to the step-by-step process on how to unblock Netflix from anywhere. 

Later, you will see how to do this in a completely legal, legitimate, leisurely, and surprisingly simple way with the use of a commercially available cybersecurity tool known as the VPN.

About Netflix

The media streaming giant has completely captivated the eyes, ears, brains, and attention spans of hundreds of millions of people over a surprisingly short period of time. Those of us that are into the early stages of adulthood say Millennials, will be familiar with the beginnings of Netflix. Younger generations may be quite surprised to hear that Netflix had ridiculously humble beginnings, hanging on to a thread and trying to compete with now long gone Blockbuster in the mid to late 2000s. What would save Netflix from disappearing would be a revolutionary idea called digital streaming, which was no man’s land in the 2000s. At the time, just like Blockbuster, Netflix’s mode of business was renting DVDs via postal service, mostly, as this was very much the zeitgeist of the 2000s and a precursor of what was to come.

Today, Netflix is unrecognizable. The once unassuming company is a legitimate success story. A long time has passed since physical media like CDs and DVDs were the way to consume media. Although, mail-in DVD services do still exist on a much smaller scale and Netflix still offers this old-school option.

Now, with the advancement of technology that has brought high-speed internet, cloud storage, and smart TVs, it is possible to digitally stream an endless amount of material from a Netflix-operated server at your fingertips without having to move a muscle.

Netflix today has amassed over 200 million paying subscribers of various ages across the board, most of which will be accessing Netflix through a friend’s or family member’s subscription. The company has a multi-billion dollar revenue, employs almost 10,000 people, and owns half of the total playback time on streaming services. Imagine if Blockbuster had taken up that offer to buy Netflix for $50 million in 2000? Alas, Blockbuster is no more and Netflix’s digital streaming gamble paid off at the right place, at the right time.

As far as original production goes, Netflix is second only to big boss Disney’s Disney+, averaging 1 original title per day with 371 original titles in 2019. However, Netflix’s large swath of awards and cult status means that competition is going to find it difficult to compete, so it may be better to “Netflix and chill.” 

What is a VPN And Why Use One for Netflix?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a tunneling network security software that also encrypts and anonymizes a user’s connection. VPNs also allow users to connect to several servers around the world, which then physically changes the IP address of the user’s internet connection to match it to the country being connected to. This is a trick that premium VPNs do particularly well.

The case for VPN usage during Netflix streaming is related to how digital streaming services license and broadcast their material. For instance, you cannot access your U.S. Netflix collection from the UK which has completely different laws for broadcasting and licensing streaming services. For this, we need to trick Netflix servers into thinking that you are still in the U.S. That’s it, fairly simple! Keep in mind that you should not use a free VPN in general, save for a few ones like Proton, because not only will your speed and server selection be limited, you may fall victim to malware and cybercrime.

Also, users wishing to access different regional Netflix libraries can use the magic of a VPN to do so in a completely legal, and smooth way. You can do the same thing no matter which digital streaming service you are subscribed to. For the cherry on top, a premium VPN will encrypt your connection, allow you to browse the internet more anonymously, and block your ISP and the government from looking at your internet traffic. Finally, you can also unblock apps that may be censored in certain countries (but watch out if this is banned, or if VPN usage is banned.)

How to Setup a VPN For Netflix

This is a simple process, only in that first of all, you have to know how to download a premium VPN such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN (among others) for your specific device. You can also do Surfshark or Cyberghost, the quality will be the same as these are top-tier VPNs with more than enough headroom to unblock and stream Netflix in high quality.

Once you have downloaded and subscribed to a premium VPN service, you will have downloaded the app to your device. Now, install and run the app, clicking on “allow” to any permissions your device requests you to adjust. Then, you must activate the service and select a server to connect to depending on which Netflix collection you want to access (or which subscription.) Remember, do not launch Netflix before you do this, have it closed. If for some reason a particular server, say in the U.S., doesn’t work then just try another one.

Now, you will have your internet connection routed through your country of choice, putting you within the region as far as Netflix is concerned. Now, finally, launch Netflix and enjoy VPN magic with your friends and family!