When Netflix detects a VPN, it either shows error E106, “You seem to be using a VPN or proxy,” or it limits the catalog to Netflix Originals without any error. In our November test, clearing cookies and cache fixed a detected connection to Netflix Canada, while switching servers, changing the protocol, and moving to the Netflix app didn’t. When the VPN server itself is flagged, no browser fix works, and the only solution is a VPN that Netflix hasn’t blocked.
Netflix VPN Not Working? Fixes Ranked by Our November 2026 Test
- Clear cookies and cache in your browser, then reload Netflix. This fixed our detected connection.
- Use a VPN browser extension with location spoofing, available from NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark.
- Switch to a VPN that unblocks Netflix, such as NordVPN, which unblocked the US, Canadian, and Japanese libraries in our tests.
- Get a dedicated IP address that no other VPN user shares.
- Check for DNS and IPv6 leaks that reveal your location.
- Check your Netflix plan. VPNs aren’t supported on ad-supported plans or for live events.
Which Netflix VPN Error Are You Seeing?
Netflix’s VPN detection shows up in two forms, and several unrelated messages get mistaken for it:
- E106, the “VPN or proxy” message: Netflix’s current error for a detected VPN, listed in its Help Center.
- M7111-5059, “You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy”: the older code and wording for the same block, still shown in outdated apps.
- Only Netflix Originals in the catalog: the block we saw in our test. No error appears, but licensed shows and movies disappear.
- “Your device isn’t part of the Netflix Household”: password-sharing enforcement, which a VPN can trigger by changing your IP address. It isn’t a VPN block.
- NW-2-5: a network error, often caused by DNS-level ad blockers.
Netflix also says VPNs aren’t supported for live events, such as WWE broadcasts, or on its ad-supported plan. No VPN setting changes that, so the only fix on those plans is upgrading or turning the VPN off.
Why Is Netflix Blocking VPN Connections?
Netflix licenses most shows country by country, so its catalog in Canada differs from its catalog in Japan. A VPN that makes you appear in another country breaks those licensing deals, and Netflix has blocked VPNs since 2016. It uses three main signals:
- IP address reputation: VPN servers are hosted in data centers, and Netflix keeps lists of address ranges that belong to VPN companies.
- Shared IP addresses: hundreds of users streaming from one IP address at the same time points to a VPN.
- Location mismatches: if your DNS requests or IPv6 address reveal a different country from the one your VPN shows, Netflix sees the conflict.
Premium VPNs replace flagged IP addresses regularly, which is why the same VPN can fail one day and work the next. A VPN that changes your IP address reliably and has enough fresh addresses for streaming gets detected far less often.
How to Fix a Netflix VPN Not Working in 2026
We reproduced the block on a Windows 11 PC in Europe, using Brave. On CyberGhost’s Canadian server, Netflix detected the VPN and showed only Netflix Originals. We then tried each fix separately:
| Fix tried | Result |
|---|---|
| Another server in Canada | Still Originals only |
| A different VPN protocol | Still Originals only |
| The Netflix app | Still Originals only |
| Clearing cookies and cache | Full Canadian library |
Clearing cookies has limits. On CyberGhost’s Japanese server and Proton VPN’s free US server, Netflix still showed only Originals after a full clear, because the servers themselves were flagged.
1. Clear Your Cookies and Cache
Netflix stores your detected location in cookies, so a block can persist even after you connect to a working server. Clearing them gives Netflix a fresh look at your connection. In Brave:
- Open the menu (three lines, top right) and select Settings.
- Select Privacy and security, then Delete browsing data.
- Choose All time and tick Cookies and other site data, plus Cached images and files.
- Click Delete data, restart Brave, reconnect the VPN, and reload Netflix.
Chrome and Edge use almost the same menus. Clearing cookies signs you out of most sites, so a password manager saves time when you sign back in.
2. Use a Browser Extension With Location Spoofing
Browsers can reveal your actual location through the geolocation API even when the VPN hides your IP address. NordVPN’s, ExpressVPN’s, and Surfshark’s browser extensions replace that location with the server’s, and in our streaming tests they unblocked every platform we tried, including ones their desktop apps couldn’t. Proton VPN’s extension has no location spoofing. The same extensions help when you change your Netflix region between libraries.
3. Switch to a VPN That Works With Netflix
When the server itself is flagged, browser fixes won’t help. In our streaming round, four paid VPNs got past Netflix’s detection in the US, Canada, and Japan:
| VPN | Netflix US | Netflix Canada | Netflix Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Unblocked | Unblocked | Unblocked |
| Proton VPN (paid) | Unblocked | Unblocked | Unblocked |
| ExpressVPN | Unblocked | Unblocked | Unblocked |
| Surfshark | Unblocked | Unblocked | Unblocked |
| CyberGhost | Unblocked | Unblocked after clearing cookies | Blocked |
| Windscribe (free) | Unblocked | Unblocked | Unblocked |
| Proton VPN (free) | Blocked | Not offered | Not offered |
NordVPN is our first pick, with occasional detections on other platforms but none on Netflix. Our list of the best VPNs for Netflix ranks them in more detail, and our guide to free VPNs for Netflix covers Windscribe’s free plan, the only free VPN that unblocked all three libraries.
8922 servers
150 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.8 /10
20396 servers
148 covered countries
30 DAYS money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
8.1 /10
3000 servers
113 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
4. Get a Dedicated IP Address
A dedicated IP address belongs to you alone, so Netflix doesn’t see hundreds of users streaming from it. It lowers the chance of detection without removing it. Prices from our checks:
- NordVPN: about $4.19 a month on a two-year plan, in 32 countries.
- PIA: about $2.50 a month, in 26 locations.
- Surfshark: 18 locations in 15 countries.
- ExpressVPN: included with its Pro plan and sold as an add-on on the others.
Our dedicated IP guide compares them in full.
5. Check for DNS and IPv6 Leaks
A leak shows Netflix your home location next to the VPN’s, which is enough to trigger a block. Connect to the VPN and open ipleak.net. Every IP address and DNS server on the page should belong to the VPN’s location. If your own ISP or country appears, enable the VPN’s DNS leak protection or disable IPv6 in your network settings. None of the VPNs in our streaming round leaked, and our guide to testing your VPN explains each check.
6. Fixes That Didn’t Work in Our Test
Switching to another Canadian server changed nothing, and neither did a new protocol, which surprised us. The Netflix app showed the same Originals-only catalog as the browser, and it seemed less reliable. These fixes can help when a single server is overloaded or an app bug causes the block, but they didn’t touch the detection itself. Updating the VPN app is still worth doing, since streaming fixes arrive through updates, and support chat can point you to servers that currently work.
ExpressVPN or NordVPN Not Working With Netflix?
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN worked with Netflix in the US, Canada, and Japan during our round, so a block usually comes from one flagged location. Try these in order:
- Clear cookies and cache, then reconnect.
- Pick another location in the same country. ExpressVPN lists several cities in the US, so one flagged location doesn’t mean the country is lost.
- Use the browser extension with location spoofing. By default it controls the desktop app, so keep the app open.
- Update the app. After the 2026 redesign, the protocol setting is under Profile.
NordVPN
NordVPN unblocked Netflix in the same three countries with no detections in our tests. When Netflix blocks it, clear cookies first, then pick a specific city or server number in the same country from the location list. NordVPN’s extension with location spoofing unblocked every platform in our round, including ones its desktop app couldn’t. A second VPN such as ExpressVPN is the backup if a whole country stays blocked.
Netflix Says You’re Using a VPN When You Aren’t
The E106 error can appear with no VPN active. Netflix’s own first check is Fast.com: if the country it shows doesn’t match your location, something on your device or network is changing it. The usual causes:
- iCloud Private Relay on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- A browser with a built-in VPN or proxy, or a proxy extension left enabled.
- Antivirus software whose bundled VPN connects automatically.
- A router with a VPN set up on it, or custom DNS settings.
- Your ISP’s IP address being flagged by mistake, often on shared mobile or carrier networks.
Turn each off in turn, restart the router, and reload Netflix. If Fast.com still shows the wrong country, contact your ISP.
Netflix VPN Not Working on Phones and TVs
- On phones, our Android results matched the desktop ones, so the same VPNs work. The app keeps its own data, so the equivalent of clearing cookies is clearing the Netflix app’s storage, or reinstalling it, before reconnecting the VPN.
- On smart TVs, the Netflix app has no browser to fix. Install the VPN app where the TV supports one, including Fire TV and Apple TV, or set the VPN up on your router so the TV connects through it.
Netflix Blocking VPN: Conclusion
A detected VPN on Netflix has two causes, and the fix depends on which one you have. If the block is stored in your browser, clearing cookies and cache solved it in our test, while server switches, protocol changes, and the Netflix app did nothing. If the server itself is flagged, as with CyberGhost in Japan and Proton VPN’s free US server, only a different VPN helps.
NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark had no Netflix blocks in any of the three countries we tested, and the location-spoofing extensions from NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark add a second layer when an app gets detected. Check your plan first, though: on Netflix’s ad-supported tier, no VPN is supported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Netflix now blocking VPNs?
Yes, Netflix blocks VPN IP addresses it identifies, and it has done so since 2016. Premium VPNs replace flagged addresses regularly, so several still unblock Netflix libraries in the US, Canada, and Japan.
Does the Netflix VPN trick still work?
Yes, with a VPN that Netflix hasn't flagged. NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark unblocked the US, Canadian, and Japanese libraries, while several free VPNs showed only Netflix Originals.
Will Netflix ban an account for using a VPN?
No, Netflix's Help Center mentions no account bans for VPN use. It tells users to turn the VPN off and try again, and a detected connection only limits the catalog or stops playback.
How can Netflix's VPN block be avoided?
Clearing cookies and cache fixes blocks stored in the browser. When the VPN server is flagged, a different VPN, a location-spoofing browser extension, or a dedicated IP address is required.
Why does Netflix show only Netflix Originals with a VPN?
Netflix shows only its own productions when it detects a VPN, because it owns worldwide rights to them. Licensed shows and movies return once the connection stops being flagged.
Why is ExpressVPN not working with Netflix?
ExpressVPN usually fails on Netflix because one location has been flagged. Clearing cookies, choosing another city in the same country, or using its location-spoofing extension typically restores access.
Can Netflix detect a VPN on a phone?
Yes, Netflix checks the IP address on phones the same way as on computers. Clearing the app's storage and reconnecting to a working VPN server can remove a block the app has stored.
