How to watch region-restricted videos on Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and international channels

Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and overseas channels block you from viewing certain videos depending on your location. Even on subscription sites where you pay monthly fees to unlock content, you may be barred from enjoying the full catalog. For example, Netflix’s catalogue is larger for subscribers residing in the United States than in other countries.

If you want to watch news videos or live streams from online abroad channels, you may be blocked from trying to view it outside the region. Or maybe you live in a country where government censorship keeps you from accessing entire websites and services.

No matter where you are in the world, it’s incredibly frustrating when you want to watch a video, especially something specific like sports coverage you can’t find anywhere else, only to be blocked by that hair-tearing message, “Unavailable in your country.”

Thankfully there are a few nifty tricks to get around censorship firewalls and watch all the region-restricted content you want.

Add a proxy browser extension

Privacy apps allow you to unblock websites anywhere in the world and view YouTube videos that’ve been restricted in your country. They’re available for free and easy to install on Chrome and Firefox. The most popular plug-in, Hola, allows you to browse from a different country to bypass geography blocks.

While these free proxy apps work, they tend to have spotty performance. Some specific websites, such as Netflix, are capable of detecting them and won’t allow you access until they’re disabled.

Watch the video on a proxy site

An easy, free way to watch restricted videos that doesn’t require installation or adding browser extensions is to go to a proxy website and watch the blocked video there. This option is perfect for bypassing region-locked YouTube videos, but doesn’t work for websites that require a login, such as Netflix and Hulu. Simply go to the website, enter the link of the restricted video, and enjoy the unblocked show.

These websites come and go en masse, so your best bet is to Google “proxy video site” and give it a try.

Change your browsing location with a VPN

Using a VPN is a great way to trick websites into thinking you’re browsing from another country. It works by connecting your computer to a virtual server, encrypting your data and hiding your IP address and true location. Once you set one up, you can select a server from almost anywhere in the world to view videos that are only available in that region.

There are basic free versions that will get you what you need, but you can purchase more robust services for extra security and bandwidth. ProtonVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are a few excellent VPN options that can get past Netflix’s proxy block.

Use a DNS tunneling service

The best way to view region-restricted videos, including subscription sites like Netflix and Hulu, is with a DNS tunneling service. Instead of having to constantly switch servers with a VPN or proxy, you can use a DNS to browse multiple geo-blocked sites at once. Services have a relatively low monthly cost, and once you set up your wireless router, it works on all connected devices and unlike with VPN servers, your internet speed won’t be reduced or capped.

There are free basic DNS services available, however they generally don’t support as many sites as the paid versions.

Everyone all over the world should be free to enjoy content and access information internationally. Though geo-blocks and censorship firewalls will try and prevent you from accessing certain news sites and entertainment videos, there are ways around them that really work. By using one of these methods, you’ll be able to watch videos from all over the world, unaffected by frustrating region blocks.