Want to watch American Netflix on Apple TV outside the US?
Netflix is ‘captain of industry when it comes to streaming entertainment. Moreover, American Netflix has a wide-ranging library of content as compared to other countries’ Netflix. No wonder, people want to stream American Netflix even outside the US.
However, Netflix streaming is geo-restricted. Copyright and license issues indicate that Netflix’s content library on your Apple TV will vary as per the country or region. You can only watch the shows and content available in the country you’re currently in. Say you travel from the USA to France, you will get to view very few shows and limited content as you won’t be able to access the American Netflix services any longer. If you try to log into American Netflix, you will get an error pop-up.
What to do in this case? Simple! Use a premium VPN (Virtual Private Network) that will mask the location of your streaming device. Here’s how:
What does a VPN do?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) will securely tunnel your entire web traffic via an intermediate server located in the US or any other country of your choice. This masks your original IP address and displays an IP address from the selected country, thereby hiding your current location.
A VPN helps you access your native streaming services when abroad. Not just that, a VPN also encrypts your internet traffic so as to prevent activity monitoring. Not even your ISP can monitor what you do online.
Once you configure a VPN, it will bypass the Netflix geo-blocks. How? It does this by masking your IP address, encrypting your web traffic and helping you securely access the American Netflix library even outside the US by connecting to a US-based remote server.
Now, Apple TV is not compatible with all VPNs. In this post, let’s see which VPNs you can leverage to get the best out of American Netflix.
What more can a VPS do?
Apart from accessing geo-blocked content, a VPN also helps you stay private, safe and secure on the internet.
Many users access the internet through public Wi-Fi for general browsing or work, which may expose them to cyber-attacks and other security threats online. These networks are NOT secured and act as a perfect means for hackers to sniff your passwords, log-in details, personal information and so much more.
A VPN will secure your passwords and sensitive information as it encrypts your data, thus making it difficult for hackers to interpret it.
With a VPN, not only can you securely browse the internet, but also retain your privacy. VPNs are not just perfect for Apple TV, but are ideal for most of the devices which you use to stream your favorite shows.
Step-by-step process to change Apple TV region or country:
- Select a premium, high-speed VPN with its servers located in the US. It is recommended to choose the one that has a clear-cut Apple TV installation guide. ExpressVPN is the best VPN option. Other great options are PureVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, etc.
- Install the VPN and connect it to a US-based server
- Open Apple TV and go to the settings. Change the iTunes Store Location to the US and now you can log into Netflix.
- Go to the home screen.
Once you’re done, now you can use any VPN of your choice for your Apple TV and watch American Netflix.
How to Watch American Netflix on Apple TV outside the US?
Apple TV does not allow use of a VPN application, hence it is a bit troublesome to unblock Netflix streaming. Here’s what you can do. First of all, configure a VPN (ExpressVPN or PureVPN or any other) for your router and connect it to a remote server located in the US. With this VPN-enabled router, you can now securely connect your Apple TV to the router connection.
Method 1: Use VPN through Airplay
- First of all, install a premium, secure VPN on your iPad/iPhone and turn ON Airplay on the Apple TV.
- Next, launch the VPN
- Log into your account and choose the US server from the given list
- It will now connect to the selected US-based server
- Next, log into your Netflix account via Netflix app. It will automatically redirect you to the American Netflix as your IP address is US-based.
- For AirPlay, choose your favorite show or any other content you want to watch. Ensure that your Apple TV is connected to the same internet as your computer.
- Tap on the “Screen Mirror” option and select your Apple TV
- Open your Netflix account and stream American Netflix easily.
Method 2: Set up a VPN on your Home Router
- To access the router’s dashboard, type your router’s IP address in the URL bar. Most routers use 192.169.1.1. address by default. But, not always. If you don’t know the IP address of your router, type cmd in the Windows search bar and press Enter. This will open the Command Prompt. Type ipconfig in the search bar and press Enter to run the command. This will open the information about your router. The ‘Default Gateway’ is your router and the number next to it is your router’s IP address.
- Once you log into your router dashboard, go to Services menu and choose ‘VPN’
- Enable the ‘Start OpenVPN Client’ option
- Connect with your chosen VPN service’s support desk for further configuration
- Launch the Apple TV and connect it to your Wi-Fi router
- Open the Netflix app and log into your account. This will automatically take you to the American Netflix as your IP address is US-based.
- Now you can start streaming.
How to use a specific VPN on your Apple TV?
- Open the home screen of the Apple TV
- Visit Settings > Network > Wi-Fi
- Choose ‘Configure DNS’
- Change DNS from Automatic to Manual
- Enter the DNS Server IP offered by your chosen VPN service such as ExpressVPN or PureVPN
- Click on Done.
Can you use Free VPN to access American Netflix abroad?
No. Free VPNs are limited and weak in terms of security and robustness. Hence, they may not be able to bypass strong geo-restrictions of Netflix. Such VPNs lack many features, quality and security. Thus, there are high chances of your IPs getting leaked due to use of free VPN software.
Conclusion:
With this, we conclude our guide on How to Access American Netflix on Apple TV when outside the US. Hope you follow the steps and enjoy your favorite content on Apple TV anywhere across the world.
Amrita is a cybersecurity technical writer with over eight years’ experience in the field. She is also a tech enthusiast and appreciated for her deep researching skills. When not writing, you can find her trying out new recipes and practicing yoga. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.