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How to Use ExpressVPN with Netflix & Fix It Not Working
Our Verdict
ExpressVPN still reliably works with Netflix, unblocking 18 Netflix libraries including those in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan. If it’s not working for you, make sure you’re using the Lightway protocol and are connected to a compatible server in a supported country.
Depending on your location, Netflix will show you a different array of movies and TV shows. If you want to watch something from a different country’s library, you can use a VPN to change your IP address and spoof your location.
ExpressVPN is a reliable streaming service, focused on helping you bypass geo-restrictions and unblock more movies and TV shows from different regions.
Quick Guide: How to Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN
- Sign up for ExpressVPN.
- Download and set up the app.
- Connect to a compatible server in a country where ExpressVPN unblocks Netflix: It works in most popular regions, including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the UK, and the USA.
- Open Netflix and start streaming.
The VPN service also offers a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee that lets you try ExpressVPN for up to 30 days.
However, Netflix is effective at detecting VPN traffic, so ExpressVPN may occasionally stop working. If this happens while you’re using it, we have a list of quick and easy troubleshooting tips below.
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How to Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN
Follow these instructions to watch Netflix with ExpressVPN:
- Subscribe to ExpressVPN and Netflix if you haven’t already.
- Install ExpressVPN and log in: ExpressVPN has apps for all popular platforms, including desktop, mobile, and streaming devices. There’s also a Smart DNS tool for games consoles and Smart TVs.
- Decide which Netflix region you want to unblock: If you want to watch a specific movie or TV show, try searching uNoGs for what country it’s streaming in.
- Connect to a server in that country: For example, connect to a Japan VPN server to stream Netflix Japan.
- Open Netflix and start streaming the content: You’ll now be able to watch geo-blocked Netflix content.
You can see how quickly and easily we were able to watch unblock the American Netflix library with ExpressVPN in the video below:
If you encounter an error message, can’t log in with the correct details, or you can only see Netflix originals, the ExpressVPN server might not be working with Netflix. View our workarounds to fix this.
How to Fix ExpressVPN Not Working with Netflix
ExpressVPN is a superb VPN for bypassing Netflix’s geo-blocks. However, the VPN occasionally stops working as Netflix is always discovering new ways to block VPN traffic.
Netflix’s ‘Pardon the interruption’ streaming error message.
If you’re having trouble streaming Netflix with ExpressVPN, try one of our quick fixes below:
1. Connect to a Compatible Country
Through our testing, we’ve found that ExpressVPN unblocks more Netflix regions than most other VPN services.
However, there are still several countries where it does not work. If you connect to a VPN server in one of these regions, the workarounds listed below, such as clearing the cache, will not be effective.
Make sure you’re connected to a VPN server in the following countries:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Turkey
- UK
- US
ExpressVPN always works to access the UK Netflix library.
2. Connect to a Working ExpressVPN Server
Here’s how to change server location in the ExpressVPN app:
- Open the ExpressVPN app and press the ‘Location’ button.
- Search for one of the servers listed in the table below, such as New Jersey - 1 for the US library.
- Tap the server location. You will now be connected to an ExpressVPN server that works with Netflix.
If you’re connected to a compatible country and Netflix still detects the VPN, it means the streaming platform has blocked the IP address of that specific VPN server. To restore access, you’ll need to connect to a different server in the same country.
For example, ExpressVPN automatically connects you to New York when you select the United States. It’s a very popular server location, and Netflix has blocked the IP address since August 2021.
ExpressVPN allows you to select specific servers to get a new IP address.
To beat these IP address blocks, connect to one of the ExpressVPN servers listed below. We keep testing these servers to confirm they still work with Netflix.
| Netflix Library | ExpressVPN Server |
|---|---|
| Australia | Sydney – 2 |
| Canada | Vancouver |
| France | Strasbourg |
| Germany | Frankfurt – 3 |
| Japan | Yokohama |
| UK | Wembley |
| US | New Jersey - 1 |
Once you’re connected to a working ExpressVPN server, refresh your browser if you’re on desktop, or restart the Netflix app on mobile.
3. Open an Incognito Window
Here’s how to use incognito mode in Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome. Click the three dots in the top right corner.
- Click New Incognito Window.
- Visit Netflix.
Using a normal browser window, Netflix can store information about your location in cache and cookies. By deleting cache and cookies, Netflix can only guess your location with the VPN server IP address.
The quickest way to do this is to open a new incognito window in your web browser, so you can start again with a clean slate. No cache or cookies will be carried over.
Opening an incognito window is a quick and easy way to clear cache.
Alternatively, you can delete the cache and cookies in your browser, but this takes a few extra steps and means you’ll have to re-login to every web service in that browser (e.g. email and other streaming services).
If you’re using Android, clear Netflix’s cache and cookie files from within the Settings app. On iPhone, you’ll have to restart your device to clear cache and cookies.
4. Change to the Lightway Protocol
Here’s how to change VPN protocol in the ExpressVPN app:
- On desktop computers, click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top left. On mobile, tap Options in the bottom right.
- On desktop computers, click Protocol and select Lightway – UDP. On mobile tap Settings > VPN Protocol > Lightway – UDP.
If Netflix isn’t working with ExpressVPN, try changing your VPN protocol. Due to the different encryption and obfuscation methods each protocol uses, some are better at bypassing Netflix’s VPN ban than others.
We recommend ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol. Our tests found this protocol to be more reliable at bypassing Netflix’s geo-blocks than other ExpressVPN protocols (OpenVPN and IKEv2).
Lightway works with Netflix more often than OpenVPN and IKEv2.
It’s also extremely fast, with minimal speed loss. It can stream content in HD and 4K without any buffering provided your internet speeds can support it.
5. Use MediaStreamer
Here’s how to use ExpressVPN MediaStreamer:
- Make sure you’re not connected to a VPN server. Log into the ExpressVPN website.
- Click DNS Settings on the left-hand side. Click Register my IP address and ensure Automatically register my IP address is enabled.
- Change your device’s DNS address to the MediaStreamer DNS address. You will now be able to access US Netflix.
If you can’t find an ExpressVPN server that works with US Netflix, try MediaStreamer.
MediaStreamer is ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS proxy. It’s included in your ExpressVPN subscription at no extra cost and is intended to unblock US Netflix on Smart TVs and games consoles, where the VPN app is not available.
However, in the past, we found that MediaStreamer was more reliable at accessing US Netflix than any regular ExpressVPN server. Though this hasn’t been the case lately, it’s still worth trying as a last resort.
MediaStreamer sometimes works with US Netflix.
MediaStreamer works independently of the ExpressVPN application, so you can use it on every internet-connected device you own. This includes devices that don’t support VPN apps, like Smart TVs and games consoles.
Is ExpressVPN Good for Netflix?
ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN for Netflix and the best VPN for streaming. It consistently works with every desirable Netflix library, it has fast speeds across servers in 106, and supports a wider range of devices than any other VPN.
The only downside is its relatively high price, but we think it’s worth paying to get the most seamless experience when streaming Netflix.
You can read more about what makes ExpressVPN a top VPN for Netflix in the sections below.
Reliably Works with Every Popular Netflix Region
According to our data, over the past five years, ExpressVPN has been the only VPN that could access more than 50% of the 8 most popular Netflix libraries.
The chart below highlights ExpressVPN’s stable and reliable performance, in stark contrast to the inconsistent effectiveness of other VPNs over the years.
Notably, even during the 2021 Netflix VPN ban, ExpressVPN managed to unblock 4 of the 8 most popular Netflix regions, while other VPNs, like NordVPN and Surfshark, failed to access any.
Unblocks 18 Total Netflix Libraries
During our tests, we found that ExpressVPN is compatible with more Netflix regions than nearly any other VPN service, including challenging regions like India, Turkey, and South Korea.
Full List of Netflix Libraries That ExpressVPN Unblocks:
Full List of Netflix Libraries That ExpressVPN Unblocks:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Turkey
- UK
- US
You can see how well ExpressVPN compares to other popular VPNs, like CyberGhost and Surfshark, in the chart below:
Windscribe is the one VPN that accesses more libraries than ExpressVPN. Despite this, Windscribe streams Netflix content at a noticeably lower resolution and can only be used on a limited range of devices due to its lack of Smart DNS and a router app.
Fast Speeds for HD & 4K Streaming
A VPN must be fast to stream Netflix content in HD without buffering or lag. According to Netflix, you need a download speed of 5Mbps for HD streaming and 25Mbps for 4K streaming.
ExpressVPN consistently delivered exceptional download speeds, easily meeting these requirements. Our Netflix content always loaded instantly, and we’ve never encountered buffering or lag during years of use.
When connecting to a local US server on our 100Mbps connection, we recorded download speeds of 97Mbps and an average international speed of 85Mbps.
You can see our full results from ExpressVPN’s speed tests in the table below:
Compatible with Every Streaming Device
Thanks to its superb device compatibility features, ExpressVPN allows you to access geo-blocked Netflix content on virtually any device.
The VPN service has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. There is also a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox.
There’s also an easy-to-use app for Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and Android TV.
ExpressVPN has intuitive apps for desktop and mobile.
If you’re using a Smart TV or a games console, you can set up the MediaStreamer Smart DNS service. It’s not a full VPN, so it won’t encrypt your traffic or protect your privacy.
However, MediaStreamer is enough to change Netflix regions without using a full VPN. Most other VPNs, including PIA, don’t offer a Smart DNS proxy that works with Netflix.
Additionally, you can install ExpressVPN on your router, which extends compatibility to devices that don’t support VPN apps or DNS settings changes, such as Chromecast and Roku.
