How To Watch Netflix With ExpressVPN in 2021: Worldwide Content

Netflix is great in and of itself, but it's made even better by using a VPN. In this piece, we go over how to watch Netflix with ExpressVPN, our favorite service of the bunch.

Mark O'Neill
By Mark O'Neill
— Last Updated: 2020-12-18T19:56:23+00:00

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are used for many different things, the most prominent one being protecting your identity and privacy online. However, many people also use VPN servers to watch Netflix and access other geo-restricted content on streaming services.

VPN services are a dime a dozen — some are excellent and some are downright awful — but the one we love the most here at Cloudwards is ExpressVPN. It may be a bit pricey, but it works like a charm. Just take a look at our ExpressVPN review to see what we think of the service. It’s one of the few that works consistently with Netflix.

Key Takeaways:

  • ExpressVPN is the best virtual private network by far for watching Netflix.
  • If one server doesn’t work, ExpressVPN offers numerous other servers that users can try.
  • Regardless of your reasons for using a VPN, whether it’s for privacy or for unlocking entertainment content in a particular location, you can’t go wrong with ExpressVPN.

Read on to find out how ExpressVPN can instantly be your Netflix VPN and help you access Netflix today without any hassles, no matter where you are in the world. We’ll also show you what to do if you run into any issues with ExpressVPN not working with Netflix.

  • Yes, ExpressVPN works with Netflix, although you may experience the occasional hiccup here and there. If that’s the case, just switch servers.

  • The best VPN for Netflix by far is ExpressVPN. With multiple servers in numerous countries, military-grade encryption, outstanding customer support, unlimited bandwidth and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, ExpressVPN can’t be beaten for viewing geo-restricted content.

  • If you see an error message on Netflix while using ExpressVPN, such as m7111-5059, then it’s possible that the ExpressVPN server you have chosen has been blocked by Netflix. The best thing to do is choose another server and see if that helps.

Why ExpressVPN: Netflix Unblocked

Netflix works in almost 200 countries across the globe, with more countries being added all the time. However, when you access Netflix, what you get on Netflix U.S. is not what you will get on another Netflix. There are regional programs on each one, as well as movies and shows that can’t be shown everywhere due to rights and licensing issues.

It’s not just geoblocked content that’s the issue. You could be travelling somewhere in the world and have a sudden yearning to watch your favorite shows. Without a local IP address — which you can get through a VPN — you may be blocked from watching your latest episodes.

The problem, though, is that Netflix is exceptionally good at blocking VPN services. Only a few VPN services have the ability to get past the barriers and unblock Netflix. ExpressVPN is one of those that works with Netflix, and with unlimited bandwidth, you can binge-watch all the shows you want.

Step by Step: How to Use Netflix With ExpressVPN

So let’s now take you on a step-by-step on how to use ExpressVPN servers to stream Netflix. We are assuming you already have the ExpressVPN app installed and you have an account set up with them.

  1. Open ExpressVPN

    Open up ExpressVPN and click the three dots in the gray circle next to the location. This will open up a list of every location that ExpressVPN covers. Some countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have multiple ExpressVPN servers. You can view them by clicking the right-pointing arrow next the location in the list.

    netflix-expressvpn-login-page
    Logging in to ExpressVPN is easy.
  2. Connect to the Country You Want

    Go to the country in the list that you want to watch Netflix in and connect to a server by double-clicking it. In the case of the United States, we chose New Jersey. It will then connect in a matter of seconds, if not immediately.

    netflix-expressvpn-country-connect
    Connect to the country you want.
  3. Double-Check the Connection

    To double-check that the new internet connection is actually working, we recommend that you now check your IP address. A good one is What Is My IP Address. Upon visiting the page, it will show your current IP and location. As you can see, the website thinks our location is New Jersey, so the VPN connection is working.

    netflix expressvpn check-ip
    Check your IP address to make sure the VPN is working.
  4. Enjoy Watching Netflix With ExpressVPN

    Now go to Netflix and sign in. It should open Netflix in the country you connected to. If not, try refreshing the Netflix site or swapping VPN servers.

    netflix expressvpn watch-netflix
    Enjoy watching Netflix with ExpressVPN.

Streaming Netflix may be a little slow at first, but when we experimented with it, we noticed that it rapidly sped up the more we watched it. Just let it do its buffering and all will be well soon. Now just sit back and start watching your favorite Netflix shows.

What to Do: ExpressVPN Not Working With Netflix

We’ve just shown you how to use ExpressVPN with Netflix. However, sometimes we don’t live in a perfect world. So what should you do if ExpressVPN is not working with Netflix? There are a couple of things you can try.

1. Have You Tried Turning It Off & On Again?

It may be the classic joke from the geek TV show The IT Crowd, but sometimes this is all it takes to blow the cobwebs away. Turn off the ExpressVPN app, then restart it. Sometimes the best solution is the easiest one.

2. Try Switching ExpressVPN Servers

We mentioned earlier that some countries have multiple servers available. The U.S. ExpressVPN has servers in New York, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., so if one of them doesn’t work, connect to a server in another part of the country instead.

netflix-expressvpn-change-servers
If you can’t access Netflix with one server, try another.

Some IP address connections may be blacklisted with Netflix, so the solution may be as simple as trying another address. All you have to do is open the dropdown list of available server locations in the app and double-click on the one you want to use. Then look up the IP address to make sure that ExpressVPN has really taken you there.

3. Restart Your Internet Router

If your streaming internet speeds are not what they are supposed to be, then you’re never going to get anywhere with a VPN. After all, VPNs take your regular internet and funnel it through a VPN server.

If your streaming speed is already subpar, imagine what it will be like when it gets rerouted through the VPN — though ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, so you shouldn’t have too much of an issue with this. This is why the next step is to carry out a speed test.

netflix expressvpn speed-test
A speed test will help identify any bottlenecks in your system.

Check your streaming speed using the free Speed Test tool. If it looks a bit under the weather, try rebooting your internet router and see if that gives your internet connection a bit of oomph in the speed department.

ExpressVPN: The Best VPN for Netflix

ExpressVPN is a highly regarded VPN and for good reason. It is a reliable military-grade encryption VPN with multiple servers all over the world. It is also able to connect to Netflix and allows torrenting, which is a boast that not many other VPN services can claim. 

With servers in 94 countries, you’re guaranteed to find a server that works. Connection speeds are very fast and the company keeps no logs, which ensures your privacy. If that wasn’t enough, ExpressVPN offers users a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you literally have nothing to lose by giving it a shot.

Final Thoughts

Although some people might relate using a VPN with unethical practices, we have already shown that there are very legitimate uses for using VPNs such as ExpressVPN. Tourists may be missing their favorite shows back home or simply can’t access Netflix in a particular country.

What VPN do you use with Netflix? Is ExpressVPN your favorite, like it is ours? We hope this guide has been useful for you. If you have any problems or questions, leave a comment below and we will do our best to help you. As always, thanks for reading.