The popular YouTube TV live streaming service works in over 99.5% of households in the United States, but you’re likely to encounter an error message if you try to access its content from abroad.
YouTube only has the rights to show content within the US, even if you’re from the region and you have an active YouTube TV subscription. A VPN like IPVanish is the best way to watch Youtube TV from abroad, but there’s always a chance that you could run into issues along the way. Here are some of the best methods to try if IPVanish isn’t working with YouTube TV.
Why isn’t IPVanish working with YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is exclusively available in the US, so content is geo-blocked in other countries. IPVanish is one of our top providers for accessing YouTube TV streams, but there’s still a chance that something could go wrong.
Here are some potential reasons why IPVanish isn’t working with YouTube TV:
- You might have connected to a server that isn’t located in the US by mistake. YouTube TV is only available in the United States, so you need to use a US VPN server.
- The streaming service might remember your real IP address due to cookies stored on your browser.
- YouTube TV might have blacklisted the IP address used by IPVanish.
Here’s how to fix IPVanish not working with YouTube TV:
- Clearing the browser cache is a good place to start. Get rid of any cookies, so you’ll be sure that YouTube TV doesn’t remember your device.
- If this doesn’t work, make sure that you’re connected to a server in the US. Try switching to a different server within the country to get a new IP. (IPVanish has servers in 17 different locations across the United States.)
- You can also try a desktop device, or switch to the web browser version of YouTube TV.
- Get in contact with IPVanish’s customer support, as they may know which server is best to connect to for YouTube TV.
Alternatively, you could look to some of the top alternatives, such as NordVPN or Surfshark.
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How to sign in to YouTube TV with IPVanish
If you’re just getting started, we’ve prepared a quick step-by-step guide to signing in to YouTube TV with IPVanish.
Here’s how to sign in to YouTube TV with IPVanish:
- Sign up with IPVanish if you haven’t done so already. (It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, just in case.)
- Download the VPN app for your device. IPVanish has apps available for all popular desktop and mobile operating systems.
- Open the IPVanish app, and enter your details to log in.
- Select a server in the United States and wait to be connected.
- Go to YouTube TV and sign in to your account. Choose your content, and start streaming.
- If you do run into any issues, be sure to check out the solutions listed above, such as clearing your browser’s cache and cookies.
Which are the best VPNs for streaming YouTube TV?
Only some providers will be able to access YouTube TV consistently. If you’re not sure about IPVanish, we’ve listed some of the best VPNs for YouTube TV below.
Here are the best VPNs for streaming YouTube TV:
- NordVPN: Our top VPN for YouTube TV. Exceptional speeds, unblocks a large number of streaming platforms, and comes with a 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark: Best value YouTube TV VPN. No connection or bandwidth limits, useful for streaming, including fast US server speeds for YouTube TV.
- ExpressVPN: Reliable provider for streaming, can be trusted to unblock numerous services, servers in 94 countries, multiple US locations for YouTube TV, great speeds.
- CyberGhost: Great for new users, lots of US speedy streaming-optimized servers, can access YouTube TV, 7 simultaneous devices.
- IPVanish: Perfect for streaming, solid encryption, ideal speeds for YouTube TV, unlimited simultaneous connections.
- PrivateVPN: Quick servers, can access multiple streaming services, 10 device connection limit, simple apps.
- AtlasVPN: Decent connection speeds, can bypass region-blocks, 60 countries, support for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
IPVanish & YouTube TV FAQ
What can I watch on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV lets you stream 85+ channels including ‘ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, HGTV, TNT, Univision and more in English and Spanish. It’s a comprehensive selection in multiple languages, and includes the NFL, NBA, and MLB networks.
Is it legal to use a VPN for YouTube TV?
Yes. You’ll face no legal repercussions for using a VPN like IPVanish to access YouTube TV from overseas, although it violates YouTube’s terms of service to do so. Instead of banning user accounts, the streaming service is more likely to ban the IP addresses used by VPN providers.
The laws may differ in your country, so make sure to check out the local rules surrounding VPNs.
Are there any free VPNs that work with YouTube TV?
Potentially, as the majority of free VPNs do have a US server location on offer. However, many free VPNs are likely to have been blocked by YouTube TV, making the service inaccessible. Even if you could get access, free providers tend to limit the amount of data you can use, or will cap max connection speeds.
Free providers are also a major security risk. They may not be able to handle encryption correctly, as was the case for UFO VPN in 2020. Others will sell user data to third-party sites, so it’s not worth it if you’re interested in protecting your online privacy.
How does YouTube TV know I am using a VPN?
YouTube only has the rights to broadcast content within the US. It and other streaming services are obliged to block users from other countries. To do so, they check to see if your IP address corresponds with the region you’re attempting to connect to.
It’s not just YouTube TV. Many websites and services will check your IP address to see where you’re located.
Youtube blacklists connections from IP addresses known to belong to VPN servers. It might be able to detect that you’re connecting from a data center instead of a residence, see dozens of users connecting from a single IP address, or see a mismatch in your IP address location and the location indicated by your GPS or DNS requests (the latter indicates your VPN leaks).
Can I download content for later from YouTube TV?
Yes. You’ll be able to download and stream episodes and films offline using supported devices. You can download content in the Library tab by selecting the show and tapping the Download button. Your files will be found in the Downloads section.
Will a VPN for YouTube TV cause buffering?
VPNs may reduce internet speeds, as data is being encrypted, routed through the VPN server to and from your device, and decrypted. But the providers listed above offer more than enough bandwidth to avoid buffering on Youtube TV, even in higher resolutions. You’re unlikely to stop and buffer when using our recommendations.
YouTube TV recommends a download speed of at least 3 Mbps to stream a standard definition video. For 4K videos, you’ll need speeds of at least 25 Mbps.
