It’s unlikely you’ll encounter YouTube TV streaming errors while in the US — the only country in which it’s available. However, if you happen to travel abroad, it’s a different story. Geo-blocking means that you’ll see streaming errors along the lines of “Sorry, but YouTube TV is not available in your area just yet.” It’s for this reason that many people choose to use a Virtual Private Network (or “VPN” for short) in order to bypass geographic restrictions.
With the help of a VPN service, you can connect to a server back home in the US. This ensures you have a US IP address so that it looks as if you’re still streaming from back home. PrivateVPN is one of the best VPNs for YouTube TV and works consistently with the TV streaming service. However, it may be that you’ve found that PrivateVPN isn’t working with YouTube TV at this moment in time. Don’t worry, this post will talk you through the simple steps to troubleshoot any problems.
Why does YouTube TV block access to content from abroad?
YouTube TV holds the necessary rights to show its content within the US. The same can’t be said for other countries, however. YouTube TV respects licensing agreements by ensuring that content on its platform is region-locked beyond the US. This is common practice for streaming services and broadcasting platforms, with the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu all doing the same.
Why isn’t PrivateVPN working with YouTube TV?
Bypassing the geographic restrictions put in place by streaming services like YouTube TV is a tricky process, and not all VPNs have the capability. PrivateVPN is one of the ones that can, but this doesn’t mean you won’t come across some (fixable) issues along the way. below are some common problems you might encounter.
PrivateVPN not working with YouTube TV? It’s probably for one of these reasons:
- IP blacklist: Perhaps the most common reason for PrivateVPN not working with YouTube TV is that the IP address you’re using has already been blacklisted.
- Server location: It’s important to remember that YouTube TV is only available in the US. You must be connected to a VPN’s US server to access it.
- Cache and cookies: YouTube TV may still remember your previous IP address due to a cookie stored in your browser. As such, the new IP address isn’t acknowledged.
Don’t worry if it’s any of these issues, they’re easy enough to fix.
How to fix PrivateVPN not working with YouTube TV
Here are some things you can try to get PrivateVPN working with YouTube TV:
- Make sure you’re connected to a server in the US. This is how you get the US IP address necessary for unblocking YouTube TV from overseas.
- If you’d like to check your current IP address and location, take a look at our IP Address Check tool or a similar service such as whatismyip.com.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies. Doing so ensures YouTube TV forgets your previous IP address and physical location.
- If content is still blocked, try another server in case the first one is blacklisted, and clear your cookies once again before reconnecting to YouTube TV.
- If you’re struggling to find a working server, try contacting PrivateVPN’s customer support team, who should be able to point you towards aa server that works with YouTube TV.
Following the above steps should get PrivateVPN working with YouTube TV. However, if you’ve tried everything with no success, you might want to consider trying a different VPN. Check out our article on how to watch YouTube TV from abroad for some quality alternative VPN providers.
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How to sign in to YouTube TV with PrivateVPN
When PrivateVPN works with YouTube TV, getting signed in and streaming is simple. Even if you opt for another one of the best YouTube TV VPNs, such as NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN, the process is so similar that you can still use the instructions below.
Here’s how you can sign in to YouTube TV using PrivateVPN:
- Start by signing up with PrivateVPN. This only takes a minute or two, and you’ll benefit from PrivateVPN’s risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Download and install the VPN app that’s compatible with your streaming device. You can use PrivateVPN on up to 10 devices simultaneously.
- Enter your login credentials to sign in to the PrivateVPN app. You can now connect to a server in the US to get a US IP address.
- Access your YouTube TV account and stream your preferred channel. All being well, you should no longer see a streaming error.
- Blocked? Clear your cache and cookies and reload your browser. You may need to try more than one server. PrivateVPN support may be able to tell you which server works best.
Watching YouTube TV with PrivateVPN: FAQs
What can I watch on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV offers more than 100 live channels as well as on-demand entertainment. Below is a list of some of the most popular channels as well as some TV shows carried by these channels:
Channels
TV shows
- Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
- Chicago Fire (NBC)
- CSI: Vegas (CBS)
- Killing Eve (BBC America)
- Peppa Pig (Nickelodeon)
- Shark Tank (ABC)
- Snowpiercer (TNT)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)
- The Rookie (ABC)
- The Simpsons (FOX)
How does YouTube TV know I’m using a VPN?
Your IP address gives away your approximate location when you access websites and services. While you can use a VPN IP address to spoof your location, YouTube can find out if you’re using one. If you’re sharing the same VPN IP address as other users who are also accessing YouTube TV, this stands out. While no action will be taken against accounts, the IP address in question may be blacklisted and stop working with YouTube TV. Fortunately, you can switch servers and change your IP address to continue streaming.
Are there any free VPNs that work with YouTube TV?
Free VPNs aren’t known for their unblocking ability and this extends to YouTube TV. Most free VPN IP addresses are blocked by the TV streaming platform. Besides, even if you were to find one that worked, speeds would be too slow for streaming anyway. Free VPNs frequently engage in bandwidth throttling, resulting in excessive buffering and lag.
We also have serious concerns regarding free VPNs and their general lack of security and privacy protection. For example, many free VPNs keep identifying logs that may be sold to third parties or otherwise leaked or stolen.
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