Can You Use Proxies for Changing your Netflix Region?

The situation has changed a little since this post was originally written several years ago.  One of the most important changes is that the difference in the various local versions of Netflix has changed a lot.  Most of them are fairly similar now due to Netflix investing heavily in their own content over the last few years.  This means that they can license this content across their entire network not just on specific regions.  The US version is still arguably the biggest and best, and of course you’ll get lots of content linked to specific regions still.

I’ve had a few comments with this question, so I thought since this blog has covered the use of proxies for many years I’d better try and answer.  So, can you use a Proxy for Netflix?   Well, the simplest answer is no, they don’t work – it’s kind of sad but true, the days of simply using a proxy server to bypass region locks are pretty much gone.

Of course, although there’s thousands of proxies available for free across the world unfortunately most of these are of very little use now, except for accessing a few more obscure sites.

The problem is that all the big media sites, governments and intelligence agencies can easily automatically identify the use of a proxy now, it’s then very easy to block them.  They haven’t worked with Netflix for some time and in fact the only real use for UK proxies was to access the BBC iPlayer which never seemed that bothered about them – but even they blocked access from a proxy last year too though.

To access these media servers from a different country you can forget using a proxy for Netflix – you need to use something more difficult to detect like a VPN.

If I can’t Use a Proxy for Netflix? What Now?

A Netflix Proxy Which Works

This has the advantage of allowing access to US Netflix whilst minimizing the use of these residential addresses which reduces the cost. Transferring entirely to a residential IP network would involve a hefty price rise simply to break even.

So forget using a proxy for Netflix now, but you can always use Identity Cloaker – test the trial here.  It works for all the other media sites too but only uses residential addresses for US Netflix currently.

Netflix Ban Targets Residential Ip Addresses Too

Netflix recently implemented a ban on residential IP addresses as part of their efforts to combat unauthorized access to their streaming platform. This ban, which affects third-party services and VPN users, aims to ensure that only legitimate users can access their content. By targeting residential IP addresses, Netflix aims to eliminate the use of VPNs and proxies that allow users to bypass regional restrictions and access content not available in their respective countries. This measure is part of Netflix’s ongoing commitment to protecting the rights of content creators and maintaining a fair and secure streaming environment for all subscribers.