Having issues with YouTube TV not working with VPN? Your VPN has been identified and blocked by YouTube TV.
If you’re getting the “VPN/Proxy Detected,” error for YouTube TV it means your VPN has been blocked. Don’t panic, though – it isn’t all doom and gloom. There’s several fixes you can try to fix YouTube TV not working with VPN.
This article will explain how you fix YouTube TV not working with VPN so you can get back to watching your favourite content again in no time!
The best VPNs for YouTube TV
Our Pick 🥇
ExpressVPN
- Best-in-class performance
- Super-fast dedicated servers worldwide
- Specialised Lightway protocol
Highly Recommended 🥈
NordVPN
- Incredibly reliable servers
- Proprietary NordLynx protocol
- Available on most devices
Runner-up
Private Internet Access
- Install on an unlimited amount of devices
- Independently audited no-logs policy
- A bundle of features for an affordable price
Budget Option
Ivacy
- One of the most affordable VPNs
- Advanced features like port forwarding
- Option for a personal dedicated IP address
Budget Option
CyberGhost
- Reliable NoSpy servers
- Servers in over 90 countries worldwide
- Kill Switch and Split Tunneling support
YouTube TV not working with VPN: Fixes
Total Time: 3 minutes
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Change to a different US server
YouTube TV doesn’t have the ability to block a VPN entirely, but it can block the IP addresses your VPN provides.
If you’re coming across YouTube TV not working with VPN errors it might be because the streaming service has detected you’re using a VPN and has blocked the IP address it has given you.
Changing to a different US server will give you a different IP address. And if this one hasn’t been blocked, your VPN will work with YouTube TV again.
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Upgrade to a VPN that works with YouTube TV
If changing to a different US server doesn’t fix YouTube TV not working with VPN, then your VPN has had all of its IP addresses blocked by the streaming service.
This has happened because your VPN doesn’t have measures in place to ensure it can work reliably with YouTube TV.
Fortunately, there is a VPN that does work reliably with YouTube TV. From our tests in New Zealand, the best VPN for watching YouTube TV is ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is an incredibly fast and secure VPN that works very well with YouTube TV.
Part of the reason we recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is because it has measures in place to ensure YouTube TV can’t block all of its IP addresses. If an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) gets blocked by YouTube TV, it will close that IP address and open a new one.
This will ensure you can watch YouTube TV reliably anywhere in the world. And will also ensure you don’t run into the same YouTube TV not working with VPN issues you’ve come across with your current VPN.
Why is YouTube TV not working with VPN?
VPNs are getting more and more popular every day. Statistics are showing that globally, one in four people are using a VPN to view entertainment that is geo-blocked.
YouTube TV pays a lot of money for their digital streaming rights and they try to protect this investment by not allowing users outside of the countries where they have these rights, to view their content.
VPNs can potentially allow you to watch YouTube TV anywhere in the world. Including countries where YouTube TV doesn’t ahve the rights to broadcast its content.
Because of this, YouTube TV needs to be seen trying to prevent users outside the US from accessing its platform. It does this by trying to block VPNs from accessing its service.
If YouTube TV didn’t try to block VPNs, it would potentially face severe fines for breaching copyright and licensing agreements it has with its content partners.
If you’re coming across YouTube TV not working with VPN issues, then chances are your VPN has fallen victim to YouTube TV’s VPN blocking techniques.
Does YouTube TV work with a VPN?
Yes, YouTube TV works with a VPN, however you need a VPN good enough to get around YouTube TV’s VPN blocking methods.
In order to work reliably with YouTube TV, you need a VPN that meets a few key criteria. First it needs to have a lot of IP addresses in the US. If a VPN only has a limited amount of IP addresses, it forces its customers to share them, and this makes it easier for YouTube TV to identify you’re using a VPN.
Second it needs to have fast and secure servers all over the world. Servers are the driving force behind VPNs. Without a good server network, a VPN will be slow and won’t be able to stay ahead of YouTube TV.
And third it needs to have measures in place to ensure it works reliably with YouTube TV. Without these, all of its IP addresses will get blocked by YouTube TV, and you’ll come across YouTube TV not working with VPN issues.
From our experience the VPNs that work best with YouTube TV and the ones that meet all three of these criteria are ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month). Both of these VPNs work well with YouTube TV, and we’ve been using them to watch the streaming service reliably outside the US for years.
Will YouTube TV work with a free VPN?
While a free VPN may seem tempting, from our experience they very rarely work with YouTube TV. This is because free VPNs often set limitations in regard to how you can use them, and more often than not, they aren’t secure enough to hide your actual location from YouTube TV’s VPN blocking techniques.
A lot of free VPNs have gone against what they stand for and have been found logging users data. This means they collect your online data and sell it to the highest bidder. The exact opposite of what you want from a VPN.
Also, because they’re free, they simply can’t provide each user with their own individual IP address. This makes it much easier for YouTube TV to identify you’re using a VPN because you’re forced to share IP addresses with other customers.
In order to fix YouTube TV not working with VPN you need a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) that have the finances and the infrastructure to supply enough IP addresses, so you don’t have to share with other customers.
The best VPN services (September 2023)
1. ExpressVPN 🥇 $6.66/month
The fastest and most reliable streaming VPN of 2023
- ✔160+ IP addresses in 94+ countries
- ✔5 simultaneous devices
- ✔Live chat support
- ✔Over 3,000 servers
- ✔>80% connection speed
- ✔Unlimited bandwidth
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
Special Offer for you!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. NordVPN $3.79/month
An incredibly fast and trustworthy VPN
- ✔Over 5,000 servers worldwide
- ✔6 simultaneous devices
- ✔Reliable customer service
- ✔Fast NordLynx protocol
- ✔Cybersec ad and tracker blocker
- ✔Easy to use interface
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Read our full NordVPN review.
Special Offer for you!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. Private Internet Access $2.03/month
An affordable, reliable VPN
- ✔35,000 servers worldwide
- ✔Unlimited simultaneous devices
- ✔24/7 chat support
- ✔Servers in over 80 countries
- ✔MACE ad blocker included
- ✔Supports multiple protocols
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, MAX, Disney+ Amazon Prime, and many more.
Even better, it allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time. So you can share the account with all of your friends.
Read our full Private Internet Access review.
Special Offer for you!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
4. Ivacy $1.00/month
A trustworthy and affordable VPN
- ✔5700+ servers worldwide
- ✔10 simultaneous devices
- ✔24/7 customer support
- ✔Dedicated IP address option
- ✔Available on all major platforms
- ✔Great price
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.00/month) is a great option.
While it doesn’t do much more than the other VPNs on this list, the main attraction is the price. This is an affordable VPN that will allow you to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick. You’ll also be able to unlock other services like US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, MAX, Amazon Prime, etc. with ease.
Read our full Ivacy review.
Special Offer for you!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost $2.19/month
A solid VPN package
- ✔Deloitte verified no logs policy
- ✔Servers in 91 countries
- ✔7 simulatenous devices
- ✔Proprietary NoSpy servers
- ✔Multiple protocol options
- ✔Split tunneling support
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
It also offers NoSpy servers which are specially designed to provide an extra layer of security and privacy for users.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
Special Offer for you!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
YouTube TV not working with VPN additional fixes
Most of the time, changing to a different US on your server will fix YouTube TV not working with VPN. If not, here’s some other fixes you can try:
- Delete your Cookies: This will ensure YouTube TV isn’t using your Cookies to figure out you’re using a VPN
- Change protocol: Check to see if your VPN supports multiple protocol. You might be running into YouTube TV not working with VPN issues because the protocol you’re using is no longer compatible with YouTube TV
- Reinstall your VPN: This is the turn it off, turn it on again fix. Reinstalling your VPN will give you a fresh installation of the software with all the updates and potential bug fixes that will prevent YouTube TV not working with VPN.
Is using a VPN with YouTube TV legal?
Yes, it’s completely legal to use a VPN with YouTube TV, provided you’re in a country where using VPNs is legal.
There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.
If you’re outside these countries and are using a VPN, you’re legally allowed to do so. However, it’s important to know that using a VPN with some streaming services may breach that service’s terms of use.
If you subscribe to a streaming service, you automatically accept its terms of use. If we look at YouTube TV’s terms of use, it doesn’t actually state using a VPN to access its platform is not allowed, however it does say “YouTube TV is only available in the United States.” and “Your current location will find which programs and networks you see. Your access may be limited based on where you’re attempting to use YouTube TV. If you’re traveling, you’ll see the local channels from your current location. YouTube TV is not currently available outside of the United States.”
This means, YouTube TV could potentially stop your subscription and ban you from the streaming service if you try to access its content outside the US with a VPN turned on.
With that said there are many legitimate and legal use cases for VPNs, like online privacy and anonymity. It’s fair to suggest that banning customers for using a VPN would be a heavy-handed and financially costly policy for YouTube TV (and other streaming services) to enforce.
In theory, if you’re trying to watch a streaming service (that you pay for) in a region where it does not traditionally operate, you risk having your account banned. However, as VPNs use military-grade encryption, it’s impossible for streaming services to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from. And there’s one final thing to note on the subject: YouTube TV has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.
