How to Easily Change Netflix Region with or without a VPN (2024)

Netflix displays different movies, documentaries and TV shows based on the country you’re in. It uses your IP address to determine your geolocation and which content titles to show you.

Since some countries have much richer content libraries than others, learning how to change your Netflix region allows you to get the most out of your Netflix subscription.

The easiest, and most popular, way to change your location on Netflix is to use a reliable VPN for Netflix.

To change Netflix regions without a VPN, especially on Smart TVs and games consoles, we recommend using a VPN service with Smart DNS included, like ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through all six methods to change your location on Netflix. We’ll also explain how to change your Netflix account’s billing country.

Using a high-quality VPN is the simplest and most effective way to change your Netflix region and access geo-restricted titles available outside of your country.

A VPN lets you change your IP address with one from almost any country, depending on the VPN you use. You can switch between regions with just a click/tap in the app.

You can also watch our short tutorial video to see how you can easily access foreign Netflix regions using a VPN (in this case ExpressVPN).

Pros & Cons of Using a VPN

These are the main benefits and drawbacks of using a VPN to change country on Netflix:

If you don’t want to use a VPN, there are two main ways to change your Netflix region without one: using a Smart DNS service (the most effective option), or using a proxy server.

Previously, we had suggested also trying remote desktop software, the Tor browser, or setting up a home VPN server, however we’ve removed these methods since the setup was either too time-consuming or unblocking multiple regions wasn’t effective enough.

In the two sections below, we’ll explain in more detail how to use Smart DNS and Proxy Servers to unblock international Netflix libraries.

1. Smart DNS Service

A Smart DNS service lets you change your device’s DNS settings to re-route your connection through DNS servers in a country of your choice.

Like with a VPN, Smart DNS tricks platforms like Netflix into thinking you’re physically located in that country, allowing you to access that region’s content.

For example, if you live in France and want to watch US Netflix, you can re-route your DNS requests through a US server and easily stream American Netflix from overseas.

Two popular standalone Smart DNS services optimized for streaming are Smart DNS Proxy and Unlocator.

You don’t need to download software to use Smart DNS, enabling you to easily switch Netflix regions on devices such as LG Smart TVs and gaming consoles like Xbox, which typically do not support native VPN applications.

In fact, this is one area in which Smart DNS is better than a VPN for changing your Netflix region.

Smart DNS is also faster than VPN, although this doesn’t always translate to better streaming resolution.

While Smart DNS tools allow streaming on a wide range of devices, they do not encrypt your traffic or hide your IP address.

In other words, your ISP will be able to see what you’re doing and you won’t be protected from cybercriminals while connected to unsecured public WiFi networks.

Some VPNs for streaming also offer their own Smart DNS tools. Based on our latest round of testing, the two that work most reliably with Netflix are:

NOTE: Our tests found that Surfshark and NordVPN’s Smart DNS features do not work reliably with Netflix, while CyberGhost and PIA’s do not let you change Netflix regions.

How to Use Smart DNS to Change Netflix Region

We’ve already outlined how to use Smart DNS with Netflix above, however you can also watch how to do it in the video below:

The setup process will vary slightly depending on your provider and the device you’re using, but the general process is roughly the same across devices.

EXPERT ADVICE: MediaStreamer only unblocks US Netflix. However, some Smart DNS providers let you unblock multiple Netflix regions. To choose a region, open your Smart DNS account settings and switch country in there. Then, restart the device, load Netflix again, and you should see the new region’s content library.

2. Proxy Server

A proxy server can help you change your Netflix country by routing your traffic through a third-party server before connecting to Netflix.

Like with a VPN, a proxy server hides your IP address and tricks Netflix into thinking you’re located in the country where the proxy server is based.

In other words, if you connect to a proxy server located in the UK, you’ll get access to the UK Netflix library, regardless of where you actually are in the world.

Unlike a VPN, ​​proxy servers don’t encrypt your internet traffic.

Many Chrome VPN extensions are actually proxy servers, and not full VPN products. They route browser traffic through a remote server, but don’t encrypt it.

Examples of browser-based proxies that work with Netflix include Hide.me’s Chrome extension and Windscribe’s Firefox extension.

Proxy servers are application-specific, meaning they only re-route traffic from the application they’re running on.

You can use a proxy server to change regions on Netflix in your browser, but you won’t be able to do the same on an external Netflix app.

In general, proxy servers are less secure than VPNs, and less reliable than Smart DNS for changing your Netflix region. However, they’re free and can sometimes unblock foreign Netflix libraries.

EXPERT ADVICE: A “transparent” or “anonymous” proxy server won’t help you change Netflix region. That’s because an anonymous proxy hides your IP address but also tells Netflix you’re using a proxy, while a transparent proxy doesn’t even hide your IP address. Only “elite” proxy servers can unblock Netflix.

How to Use a Proxy Server to Change Netflix Region

Using a proxy server browser extension to change Netflix region is very similar to using a VPN browser extension. Read our guide to setting up a VPN on Chrome for instructions.

The best way to change your region on Netflix for free is to use a free VPN that unblocks Netflix.

In our streaming tests, very few free VPNs worked, and the ones that did performed much worse than paid services. They also lack advanced streaming features, like Smart DNS.

Despite these limitations, we found that Windscribe and PrivadoVPN are the two best free VPNs that still access certain Netflix libraries.

Windscribe currently works with the following 5 Netflix regions: France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom.

On the other hand, PrivadoVPN unblocks the UK library but more importantly the very popular American library.

Remember, paid VPNs for Netflix like ExpressVPN access many more Netflix regions than free ones, at faster speeds, and on more devices.

Regardless of your device, the best way to change your Netflix region is to use either a VPN or a Smart DNS proxy.

However, the best option depends on the device(s) you’ll be using to stream.

A VPN is the best way to change Netflix regions on devices that support native VPN applications including desktop PCs, laptops, and phones. With just one app, you can switch between multiple VPN locations and gain access to dozens of different Netflix libraries.

Smart DNS works better on devices without native VPN support, such as Xbox and PlayStation, and Smart TVs.

Some devices, like Roku, don’t support native VPN apps and don’t let you change the default DNS settings. In this scenario, you can set up a VPN on your router.

The table below details which method you should use to change your Netflix region based on the device you use. For detailed installation instructions, read our VPN setup guides.

EXPERT ADVICE: If you can’t unblock Netflix using the above methods, read our Netflix VPN troubleshooting guide. The workarounds are tailored specifically to VPN users, but most of them work for Smart DNS users too.

There is currently no way to change the payment region of an existing Netflix account.

To change the billing country on your Netflix account, you must close your current account and create a new one associated with your new country. To do this:

You don’t need to change your billing country if you’re trying to stream movies and TV shows unavailable in your geographic region. Instead, use a VPN service or a Smart DNS proxy.