Is Changing Your Netflix Country Legal?

Netflix has thousands of movies and shows on its catalog, but sometimes you will notice that searching for a movie or show on Netflix brings up zero results. Instead, the streaming platform gives you related titles instead.

Well, due to content licensing agreements, Netflix content is geo-restricted. Meaning the content you can watch on Netflix depends upon your current location. Netflix checks your IP address and then offers you content accordingly. So, viewers in the US and UK have different Netflix libraries.

In other words, there will be shows in the UK that US residents will not be able to watch and the same goes for the UK and other countries, Netflix offers its streaming services. 

However, there are plenty of ways to trick Netflix into thinking you are located somewhere else and watching another country’s Netflix. One popular way to do that is by using a VPN. In this article, you'll find a list of the best VPNs for Netflix. With a VPN, you can switch Netflix region and trick the streaming platform into thinking you are accessing it from somewhere else.

Is it legal to change your Netflix region?

Yes, it is perfectly legal to change your Netflix region using a VPN. VPN’s are legal in most countries, but there are a few exceptions, such as China, Russia, or Iran. Apart from these countries, it is completely legal to change your Netflix region by using a VPN and accessing geo-restricted content.

Using a VPN to change your Netflix content library is legal, but it goes against Netflix’s service terms. Netflix cannot offer movies and shows to viewers in countries where it does not have broadcasting rights. That is why there is a different Netflix library for all countries.

Even if it is against Netflix’s rules, changing the Netflix region is not illegal. So even if you do get caught, don’t worry as Netflix does not suspend accounts even if you are caught using a VPN several times. After all, you are paying for its services. The least that can happen if Netflix detects you are using a VPN is you will be getting a proxy error saying disable the proxy to access Netflix content.

If you are concerned about copyright infringement, don't worry, as changing your Netflix region to watch content is not considered illegal. Netflix does have to confine to licensing agreements with production houses, but that is for Netflix to deal with. You can watch any content anywhere using a VPN. 

Why does Netflix have different libraries for countries?

The reason why all Netflix movies and shows are not available in all countries has to do with broadcasting rights. Netflix has agreements with content copyright holders and can only show a specific title in countries where Netflix holds broadcasting rights.

In every region, Netflix has to compete with local platforms for broadcasting rights. For example, in the United States, Netflix has to compete with Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and others for streaming rights. If these competitors get broadcasting rights for a movie in the US, Netflix will not air the movie even if it is available on Netflix in other regions.

This is the reason why Netflix has a different content library for countries. But you can use a VPN to change your Netflix region and watch geo-restricted content from your country.

How many versions of Netflix are available?

Netflix started out in a few countries, but slowly it expanded its services and is not available in more than 190 countries across the world. It is available in almost every country, with a few exceptions, such as China, Syria, North Korea, and Crimea, to name a few. In China, Netflix has signed a deal with iQiyi, China’s biggest video streaming service.

Each country’s version of Netflix is different, offering a mix of local and international content. Aside from having different movies and shows, some regions also offer a very small selection of titles. Some countries have content in thousands, while others have only a handful of movies and shows.

Here are some of the largest Netflix libraries in the world:

Can Netflix detect if I’m using a VPN?

Netflix uses VPN detection technology and can tell if you are using a VPN if you are connected to a blocked IP address. When you are connected to a VPN, a lot of people use the same IP address, so a lot of traffic is coming from a single IP address which makes it easier for Netflix to detect and block access to such IP addresses.

So if you are using one of such IP addresses, Netflix will detect VPN and give you the proxy error. This is the reason why most VPN services continuously refresh their IP address so you can always change your Netflix region and stream its content from abroad.

Conclusion

Changing your Netflix region is perfectly legal. If you are using a VPN to access another regional Netflix library, there is no harm in it as it is absolutely legal. You can now unblock one of the biggest Netflix libraries like Japan and the US and stream geo-restricted content from anywhere in the world.