It’s no secret that the catalog of series and movies on Netflix for viewers in the United States differs significantly from other regions. Titles like The Last Airbender or Ant-Man and the Wasp were not available in India at the time of writing. This is because content licensing terms vary from region to region. However, this is not the end of the road. You can safely access American Netflix from your home via VPN.
Although VPN services are primarily used for anonymity, they can only be used to bypass geo-locked content like Netflix movies and TV shows in the US. The right VPN can open the entire international Netflix catalog of content. So if you want to watch The Flash or any show from outside the US, you can.
For now, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are two of the best VPN services that allow you to access and stream American Netflix with minimal hassle. Let’s see how to get them to work, but before that, let’s have a quick overview of the legality of using Netflix over VPN.
Is It Legal to Use a VPN on Netflix?
Netflix has been known to aggressively block VPNs. For some VPN services, you may see a Proxy Detected error when you press the Play button. As such, it raises the question – is it illegal to stream Netflix shows using a VPN service?
Technically, it’s not illegal. Streaming content outside of your region is not covered in the company’s terms of service. In its Terms of Use, Netflix states, “You may view Netflix content primarily within the country in which you created your account and only in geographic locations where we offer our service and where we license such content.” and “You further agree not to circumvent, remove, modify, disable, downgrade, or interfere with any of the content protections on the Netflix service.”
So what happens? According to the same terms of service. “We may terminate or restrict your use of our service if you violate these Terms of Use or engage in illegal or fraudulent use of the service.”
In short, the company has the power to restrict or terminate your account. However, the company is unlikely to ban you.
So, is there a rule that says one shouldn’t use a VPN service? After all, you can use it for privacy purposes. Netflix’s Help section has a section for VPN, where “A VPN or proxy may prevent you from streaming content that is not available globally. Disable any VPN or proxy and try Netflix again.”
So if you choose to go ahead, here’s how to access American shows on Netflix with the help of NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
1. How to Access Netflix with ExpressVPN for Windows and macOS
Stage 1: Open ExpressVPN on your Windows system and click the Selected Location card. This will ask for VPN locations to be turned on. Next, search for ‘United States’ in the search tab.
Click the little arrow icon to see all sub-positions.
Once you’ve settled in a location, click to select it. Then click the Connect icon, start the connection.
Step 2: Next, open Netflix and watch your favorite shows. Last I heard, The Last Airbender has been added back to Netflix.
If you run into any issues with streaming shows, connect to a different server and start. If you experience persistent problems, contact the VPN service’s customer support.
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2. How to Access Netflix with ExpressVPN on Fire TV Stick
One of the good things about ExpressVPN is that it’s a dedicated app for the Amazon FireTV stick. Yes, you read it right. With this, you can watch Netflix content directly on your TV.
Stage 1: Go to the search tab and search for ExpressVPN. Once found, click the Download button.
After installing the app, click the Sign In button to sign in to the app. The only problem you may encounter is entering a complex password using the keyboard of the Fire TV remote.
Step 2: After logging in you will see the option to choose your server.
All you have to do is select a US server from the list and connect.
Stage 3: Next, return to the Fire TV Stick’s home page and open Netflix and browse the catalog.
After you finish watching a movie or TV Show, disconnect from VPN from the VPN app’s Home page.
The best part about the Fire TV Stick is that frequently used apps are always displayed on the homepage, saving you the hassle of searching for them.
3. How to Access Netflix with NordVPN for Windows
Stage 1: Sign in to Netflix in your browser. I have often noticed that if I log into Netflix after connecting the VPN, it gives an error. Therefore, your best bet is to log into Netflix beforehand.
Step 2: Once done, open the NordVPN app and choose a US server from the menu. Click on the three-dot menu to select the region and server. By default, NordVPN connects you to the fastest server in the area. However, if you want to connect to a region-specific server, you need to select a server from the list.
Alternatively, you can search directly for ‘United States’ and all region-specific servers will appear in the left menu.
From there you need to click on a server to connect.
Stage 3: Once the connection is established, go back to your browser and refresh the page; You should be able to see US-based headlines.
Even if you find the usual homepage, all you have to do is search for the name of the movie you want to watch and you’ll most likely find it there.
If playing some titles is causing a problem, try switching to a different server.
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4. How to Access Netflix with NordVPN for Android and iOS
Accessing Netflix via NordVPN apps for Android and iOS users is also simple and easy.
Stage 1: Open the app and navigate to the USA using the Map. Alternatively, you can open the server menu and search for United States.
Tap a server to connect. If this is your first time connecting through a VPN service on an Android phone, the app will ask you to confirm the connection request.
Step 2: Once approved, open Netflix and search for the title you want to overdo. This much.
Do you know: You can use a pin pin to lock your Netflix profile.
Sit back and binge
So, this is how you can access the American Netflix catalog with the help of VPNs. The best part about both VPN services is that they allow several simultaneous connections. This way, you get rid of the hassle of repeatedly signing in and signing out on different devices.
Next: Worried about maximizing your data cap when using Netflix? Click on the link below to discover how to reduce Netflix’s data consumption.
