Video-streaming giant Netflix has over 6,000 movies and 4,000 TV shows in its catalog, but not all shows are available in every country. This is thanks to the fact that studios charge Netflix for the rights to stream on a per-region basis. If you’re using Netflix in Azerbaijan, for example, you can only access around 2,100 titles, but even in the larger market of the United States, you still won’t have access to certain titles only available in other regions, such as the UK or South Korea.
By using a VPN, you can get around this and view your favorite shows or movies from anywhere. If you watch Netflix on your Android phone, you can use an Android VPN to connect. The best VPN services have servers in hundreds of countries, so you can browse whichever Netflix catalog you want.
- Want more viewing variety? Here's how to change region on Netflix
How to download and install an Android VPN
We’ve outlined the best Netflix VPN services, and all our choices have Android apps, so you can use them on your phone too. We’ll use ExpressVPN in this example, but the process is virtually identical for the installation of other VPNs.
The process is started by going directly to the VPN provider’s website. This helps you avoid downloading a copycat VPN from the Google Play Store. Create an account with the VPN service. Next, you’ll need to choose and pay for a plan, unless the provider offers a free trial – ExpressVPN has monthly, bi-annual, and annual plans. You’ll then need to enter your payment details, which is usually a credit card or PayPal, but other forms of payment are accepted.
After purchasing ExpressVPN, you’ll be sent a welcome email to open on your Android device. A link in the email takes you to the correct ExpressVPN client in the Google Play Store, so just press Install to add the app to your phone.
How to unblock Netflix
You’ll have to sign into the VPN app the first time that you use it, and after that you can decide which country that you want to connect through. If you want to view the British Netflix catalog, for instance, choose a UK VPN from the list and press connect. Once the VPN has connected, which will take a few seconds, switch to your Netflix app and watch your favorite shows at your leisure.
If you don’t know which regions the TV show or movie you want to watch is based in, you can check Flixwatch. It has a Netflix search engine with a database of 100 countries’ available shows.