You can find Amazon Prime Video in almost every country. However, if you travel abroad, some content will no longer be available to stream based on your new location. If this happens, you’ll see an error message along the lines of: “This video isn’t available due to geographical licensing restrictions.”
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) such as PrivateVPN allows you to bypass the geographic restrictions imposed by Amazon Prime Video. This is achieved by connecting to a server in your home country and changing your IP address. You’ll then be able to spoof your location and continue streaming as if you were back home.
Although PrivateVPN is a great choice for Amazon Prime Video – as well as platforms like Netflix and BBCiPlayer – it’s not infallible. If you can’t connect to Amazon Prime Video with PrivateVPN, the good news is that it’s normally easy to fix. Find out how below.
Why isn’t PrivateVPN working with Amazon Prime Video?
Amazon Prime Video produces much of its own original content. The advantage of this is that this isn’t subject to geographic restrictions because Prime Video owns the rights and is available in most countries.
However, the same can’t be said for titles from third-party networks and studios. Prime Video rarely holds exclusive worldwide rights for such titles and has to make sure the content is region-locked to certain countries to respect existing licensing agreements.
PrivateVPN can help you access geo-restricted content on streaming platforms such as Prime Video. If it’s not working, it’s probably for one of the following reasons:
- Amazon Prime Video remembers your previous IP address and location, which doesn’t match that of the country version you’re trying to use.
- The VPN IP address you’ve been assigned has already been identified as belonging to a VPN and added to a blacklist, preventing it from working.
- It may be that you’re not connected to a server in the appropriate country. Some titles on Prime Video are only available to stream in a small number of countries.
Don’t worry, the good news is that all of the above issues are easily fixed. Indeed, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes of your time. Just follow the steps below.
Here’s how to fix PrivateVPN not working with Amazon Prime Video:
- Start by clearing your browser’s cookies. This helps Prime Video forget your previous IP address and accept the new location provided by the VPN.
- You may need to try multiple servers in case the IP address you’ve been assigned has been blacklisted. Clear your cookies between each new attempt.
- If neither of the above works, it’s a good idea to get in touch with PrivateVPN’s support. They may be able to recommend a server to use with Prime Video.
Whether a VPN can access a major streaming service such as Prime Video is very much a fluid situation. If you’re having trouble now, you may find it works again in a few days.
Still no luck? In the worst-case scenario, you might need to change VPNs. Some of the best VPNs for Amazon Prime Video includes NordVPN and Surfshark. These both come with 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can try them out without risking anything financially.
How to sign in to Amazon Prime Video with PrivateVPN
Once you’ve got your VPN all set up, there’s not much you need to do to start streaming Amazon Prime Video. Below is a step-by-step guide to save you some time.
Here’s how you can sign in to Amazon Prime Video using PrivateVPN:
- Sign up with PrivateVPN if you don’t already have a subscription. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can always change your mind.
- You’ll now be prompted to download and install the VPN app that’s compatible with your streaming device. PrivateVPN permits up to ten simultaneous connections, so you should be able to download the app for each of your devices.
- Log in to the PrivateVPN app and select a server in the location of the version of Prime Video you’re trying to access. For example, if you’re trying to access the US version, you need to connect to a US Server. Click to connect.
- Now you can access Prime Video and select your preferred content. If all is working well, you shouldn’t encounter any streaming restrictions.
- If PrivateVPN isn’t working with Amazon Prime Video, go through the troubleshooting steps listed above in this post (such as clearing your cookies).
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PrivateVPN with Amazon Prime Video: FAQs
Why do streaming services region-lock their content?
Amazon Prime Video is like Netflix in that it’s accessible in almost every country. Despite this, you can still encounter geo-restricted content when traveling overseas. This is because third-party content is subject to copyright and licensing restrictions. Prime Video may only hold the rights to show a particular TV show or movie in a handful of countries. To avoid breaching agreements, it’s easiest for Prime Video to region-lock titles in select countries.
While the above is understandable, it’s fair to say that it’s a little unfair for paying subscribers. It may be that you’ve traveled abroad on vacation and want to continue watching your favorite TV show only to find it geo-blocked. It also means that customers in some countries have to wait much longer to catch the premieres of new shows or new seasons. These are just a couple of reasons why people use a VPN with Prime Video.
What can I watch on Amazon Prime Video?
An Amazon Prime Video subscription allows you to stream a wide range of TV shows and movies. With the help of a VPN, you’ll have access to even more titles than before:
TV shows
- The Vampire Diaries
- Sherlock
- The Office
Movies
- Saltburn
- The Great Wall
- Shutter Island
- Legend
- The Secret Life of Pets
- Little Women
- Her
- The Truman Show
- Fifty Shades Darker
- House of Gucci
How does Amazon Prime Video know if I’m using a VPN?
Amazon Prime Video is no different from most other websites and services that impose geographic restrictions. It primarily detects your location by looking at the IP address of your device. While your IP address doesn’t directly reveal your name or exact location, Prime Video can determine the country. A VPN helps you get around this by spoofing your location. However, if Prime Video detects that many incoming users are on the same IP address, it will assume it’s coming from a VPN and will likely then block it.
Are there any free VPNs that work with Amazon Prime Video?
While a free VPN may be tempting, the reality is that this isn’t a suitable choice for use with Amazon Prime Video. Free VPNs do not work with the streaming service (they only offer a small number of IP addresses that quickly become blocked), and they’re far too slow for streaming. The result – if you were somehow able to connect – would be stuttering, low-resolution streams. Besides, free VPNs lack many of the features that protect your online activity. These include kill switches and AES encryption. If money really is an issue, you’re better off taking advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantees of the subscription-based services and switching between them before the 30 days are out.
