As brilliant as Netflix is in the UK, it's the US version that has the most content. If you've ever been the States, you'll know that while you're there your Netflix account switches region automatically and gives you the additional content. The good news is that you can fool Netflix into thinking that you're in American when you're really in the UK, so that you can get the wider-range of content whenever you want.
The trick is to use Virtual Private Networking (VPN) technology. This uses a virtual tunnel to route your internet traffic to the US, so that Netflix thinks that you're in that country. It's extremely simple to do, and this guide will show you how on practically any device. There's one caveat, though, these steps don't work on the current Android App, nor with the Chromecast, Nexus Player, Roku Streaming Stick and Roku 3, as they're locked down. We've rewritten this guide to make it simpler and to give you the two best methods for accessing US Netflix in the UK: the premium, best-quality paid-for way; and the (mostly) free way of using Hola.
How to downgrade to an older Android Netflix
For Android users, one option is to download to the Netflix version 3.7.1, which isn't blocked from accessing US Netflix. First, uninstall your current version of Netflix. Next, from your phone download the Netflix 3.7.1 APK file. You won't be able to do anything with the file at the moment, as your phone won't let you. In order to install this APK file manually (known as sideloading), you need to go to Settings, Security and enable the option to install from Unknown Sources. Finally, go to your phone's App drawer and select Downloads. Tap the APK file that you downloaded and tap the Install button. The older version of Netflix will be installed and you can follow the instructions above to get US Netflix.
Does Netflix allow this?
Netflix has turned a blind-eye to these kind of tricks for a long time, but it has recently stated that spoofing your country is against its terms of service. Thanks to Reedit user CrypticCraig, who spotted the updated terms and conditions, Netflix now says: "You may view a movie or TV show through the Netflix service primarily within the country in which you have established your account and only in geographic locations where we offer our service and have licensed such movie or TV show. The content that may be available to watch will vary by geographic location. Netflix will use technologies to verify your geographic location.
"We may terminate or restrict your use of our service, without compensation or notice if you are, or if we suspect that you are (i) in violation of any of these Terms of Use or (ii) engaged in illegal or improper use of the service."
In other words, Netflix has had to take a bit of a stand against the use of VPNs and now openly states that they should not be used. That doesn't mean that you should give up and stick with what's available in the UK, though. Netflix, most likely, needs to put up this kind of statement in order to keep its partners happy, as each media company has different distribution deals in every country. Secondly, Netflix needs subscribers, so it's more likely to try and block VPNs or send out initial warning letters before it starts blocking everyone.
Ultimately, using a VPN is not illegal, and may only constitute "improper use of the service". As far as we're concerned, using a VPN is fair game at the moment, and we happily do it with our own Netflix account and will continue to do so until it's outright banned or Netflix decides that it's going to block these kinds of connections.
Which method should I use?
In this article we'll show you two methods of getting US Netflix. Our preferred method is to use a smart VPN (see further down this page for full instructions). This doesn't require you to install any software, so it will work with games consoles and TVs, as well as computers and tablets. The second option is to install VPN software, which will work with tablets, smartphones and web browsers. We show you how on page two, with this method having the advantage that in most cases it's completely free.
How to get US Netflix using a smart VPN
The best way, to get access to US Netflix is to sign up for a smart VPN service. They don't require you to install any software; you just have to change your device's DNS network settings, meaning they'll work with practically any device. Domain Name Servers (DNS) are the address books of the internet. Your computer talks to a DNS server and hands it a human-readable web address, such as www.expertreviews.co.uk; the DNS server hands back the website's unique IP address, such as 54.247.85.215, which it connects to.
In the case of the VPN servers that we recommend you use, they're smart in the way that they work. When you want to connect to Netflix, for example, rather than handing your computer Netflix's real IP address, the service sends it back the VPN's IP address. Your computer then connects seamlessly to the VPN, routing its traffic to the US and the American version of Netflix, all without having to install a client. This means that you can use practically any device to get US Netflix, including games consoles and smart TVs.
WARNING: be wary of free Netflix DNS codes
The smart VPN service that we'll show you how to use is reliable and trustworthy, but there are free services out there called US Netflix DNS codes, which some sites foolishly recommend. Although they can work for a bit, they stop working regularly and hackers have been know to put out their own DNS server addresses, redirecting people to dangerous sites or simply using them to steal information. We investigated this problem thorougly in this article, are free Netflix DNS codes dangerous?
Get US Netflix with Unblock-Us for Apple TV, PS3, PS4, Xbox One and more
We recommend Unblock-Us, which costs $4.99 CAD a month, but supports HD streaming and is extremely reliable. There's a free trial, too, so there's no reason not to give it a go. Once you've signed up to the service, you need to change the DNS settings on your device to use the Unblock-Us servers (208.122.23.22 and 208.122.23.23); you can use just one server if your device won't let you enter two.
We have an article that shows you how to change DNS server settings on most popular devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, iPad and iOS. The guide is written to show people how to solve DNS issues with ISPs by switching to Google DNS server addresses, but you just need to use the Unblock-Us server addresses above in place of the Google ones. Our guide also shows you how to make network-wide changes, so that all of your devices default to using Unblock-Us.
The service also supports PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Apple TV and host of other devices, and Unblock-Us has excellent DNS set-up guides. Once your devices are configured you can start Netflix as normal, only this time you'll be taken to the US version of the site. If you're having problems playing video, you may need to restart your device, so that it picks up the new settings; the Apple TV is particularly bad at this: restart this one by going to Settings, General and Restart.
If you still can't play video, it may be because your home network's internet address isn’t registered with Unblock-Us (it verifies you by your location, and ISP's regularly change your internet address). Go to the Unblock-Us website and click Login, then enter your email address. An orange box will appear on the page if you're not configured; click the link to activate your current network.
Finally, on the Unblock-Us page you can use the region picker to set which country you're in. This lets you go back to the UK without having to adjust your network settings, for example. Pick your country and click Update. Remember, you may have to restart your devices for them to work again. For Android and iOS devices, that may require that you quit the Netflix app and relaunch it.
Hola is VPN software, which you install on your iOS or Android devices, or as a web browser extension. It automatically sends your traffic to the country you set and has the advantage that it's free for Android and web browser users. We don't find it as reliable or as easy to use as method one on page one of this article, but Hola's a good choice if you're an occasional US Netflix user.
Jump to how to use Hola with web browsers
Jump to how to use Hola with Android
Jump to how to use Hola with iPhone and iPad
Get US Netflix with Hola (web browsers) - FREE
Hola is a free tool for browsers that lets you change your region, fooling Netflix into thinking that you're in a different country. There are specific versions for Firefox and Chrome (we cover the Android version below), so install the version for the browser you use the most. Once installed, both versions work in the same way.
On your browser click the Hola button (top right) to bring up a list of popular websites to visit, including Netflix. Click the Go button to bring up a list of options. If you're on the default Chrome or Firefox, you'll get a list of popular sites, including Netflix. Click Go to visit the page.
If you're already on Netflix or you followed the advice above to go to the website, clicking the Hola button gives you a choice of countries. Just click US and the website will refresh, fooling Netflix into thinking that you're in America. Any time you want to stop using the US version, you can just click the Hola icon and change to a different country, or click the Power button to turn it off completely.
You can now log into your Netflix account as normal, but you'll see a completely different list of content to watch. The US version of the website supports HD streaming (the UK site doesn't support it, although certain players, such as the Apple TV, Android and iOS apps, do), but we found it a bit variable as to whether or not it was quick enough to support it. As you can see from the shots below, though, when you do get US Netflix to use HD video (top), the picture quality is a massive improvement over the SD UK version (bottom).
Get US Netflix with Hola (Android) - FREE
If you're using an Android tablet or smartphone, you can download Hola for Android. This step may not work if you've got the latest version of the Android app installed, which hard-codes the app to prevent this kind of service. If you have problems with this step, jump to the bottom of the article to find out how to install an older version of the Netflix app.
Once the Hola app's installed, run it from the App Tray. Tap the on button next to Unblocker and you'll get a prompt telling you that the software is attempting to create a VPN connection. Tap 'I trust this application' and then tap OK.
On the next screen, scroll down the list of installed software under My Apps until you get to Netflix. Tap the flag (should be UK) and choose United States. Hit the Play button that appears, or start Netflix manually. You'll now have access to all of the US content.
If you want to change region or turn off Hola, pull-down the Notification menu and tap Hola. You can tap disconnect to turn it off or Configure if you want to make a change.
Get US Netflix with Hola (iPhone and iPad) - Paid-for
Hola also has an iOS app, which you can use to access the US version of Netflix on your iPad or iPhone. It gives you a free trial, after which it costs $4.99 a month. Download the software and install it on your phone and, when prompted, create a free account by entering an email address and password. You'll then be prompted to log in to your account, after which you'll get a message telling you that Hola needs to install VPN services on your computer. Tap the button and, when prompted, tap the Install button. You'll need to enter your passcode to allow the changes to happen, which will bring up a huge list of warnings, telling you that everything you do could be monitored. If you're happy with this, tap the Install button and tap Done when the installation completes.
To turn Hola on go to Settings, VPN and select the country that you want to connect to (Hola United States is the default), then tap the Connected slider so that the VPN is turned on. Fire up Netflix and you can now watch US content. When you're done, don't forget to go back the Settings page and turn the VPN off. If you want to get rid of Hola, first remove the app, then go to Settings, General and tap Profile (Hola VPN). Tap Hola VPN again and tap Delete Profile. Enter your phone's passcode and tap Delete again to remove all of Hola's settings from your iPhone or iPad.
