How to Change Netflix Region or Country
Due to complex international licensing agreements, Netflix maintains completely different content libraries for every country in the world. Shows like The Office or Studio Ghibli films are available in select overseas markets, but remain heavily geo-restricted in the US and Europe.
To change your Netflix region, you must route your internet traffic through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to spoof your geographic location.
However, Netflix utilizes one of the most aggressive proxy-detection firewalls in the world. Of the 78 commercial VPNs we physically tested in Q1 2026, only a handful possess the server infrastructure capable of consistently bypassing the M7111-5059 proxy error. Here is the verified data.
Performance Leaderboard: Verified Netflix VPNs
| Rank | Provider | Libraries Unblocked | Speed Score | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NordVPN Lab Winner | 29 / 30 | 95.5% | Check Live Pricing |
| 2 | Surfshark | 27 / 30 | 88.2% | Check Live Pricing |
| 3 | ExpressVPN | 14 / 30 | 82.1% | Check Live Pricing |
1. NordVPN
#1 Streaming Hub Score
29 / 30
299 Mbps
9.8 / 10
Included
While the raw data proves NordVPN is fast, what the numbers don’t show is how seamless the actual viewing experience is. I’ve used NordVPN personally for over five years to access Japanese and UK Netflix, and the biggest differentiator in 2026 is its proprietary SmartPlay technology.
Obfuscation and Consistency
Netflix routinely blacklists VPN data centers. During our stress tests, competitors often required me to manually cycle through 5 or 6 different servers before finding one that wasn’t blocked. NordVPN circumvents this by automatically updating its DNS routing under the hood. You simply click “Japan” on the map interface, and SmartPlay finds the working, un-blocked IP address for you instantly.
During a 48-hour continuous stream test, the NordLynx protocol maintained Ultra HD (4K) resolution without a single buffer, even when routing traffic from our UK lab to a Los Angeles server.
Verified Regional Access Logs
| Netflix Region | Verified Server City | Access Status | Avg. Initial Load Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | New York / Manassas | Unblocked | 1.2 seconds |
| United Kingdom | London / Manchester | Unblocked | 1.5 seconds |
| Japan | Tokyo | Unblocked | 2.1 seconds |
2. Surfshark
Best Value & Device Limit
27 / 30
595 Mbps
Unlimited
Included
Surfshark acts as the high-value foil to NordVPN. While it successfully penetrated slightly fewer regional libraries in our tests (27 compared to NordVPN’s 29), it completely bypasses our mathematical scoring cap by offering genuinely unlimited simultaneous device connections.
Household Streaming Performance
To test the “unlimited” claim, I set up a simulated household load. I successfully streamed 4K Netflix content on seven different devices simultaneously (including three Smart TVs and two iPads) using a single Surfshark account. The bandwidth degradation was negligible, dropping only 12% from the baseline connection. For families looking to bypass the Netflix household password-sharing crackdown across multiple devices, Surfshark is the objective statistical winner.
Verified Regional Access Logs
| Netflix Region | Verified Server City | Access Status | Avg. Initial Load Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Chicago / Seattle | Unblocked | 1.4 seconds |
| Australia | Sydney | Unblocked | 2.6 seconds |
3. ExpressVPN
Best for Custom Routers
14 / 30
175 Mbps
Native
Lightway
ExpressVPN unblocked significantly fewer libraries than NordVPN or Surfshark during this testing round. However, it retains a top-three placement due to its unparalleled hardware compatibility.
Most VPNs require highly technical firmware flashing to install on a home router. ExpressVPN offers a native, custom-built router app. By installing ExpressVPN directly at the router level, every device in your home—including devices that don’t support VPNs, like the PlayStation 5 or older Apple TVs—automatically accesses your target Netflix region. Their proprietary Lightway protocol also ensures rapid connection handshakes, meaning streams load almost instantly.
How to Change Your Netflix Region (Step-by-Step)
The physical process of altering your digital IP location depends heavily on the device you are using to stream. Follow the lab-verified instructions below for your specific hardware.
Method 1: PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android (The Native App Method)
If your device supports downloading native applications from an App Store, changing your region takes less than two minutes.
- Download a verified VPN: Subscribe to one of the providers that passed our lab testing above and download their official application.
- Clear your cache (Browser only): If you are watching on a PC or Mac browser, clear your cookies. Netflix stores legacy location data in your cache which can conflict with the new VPN IP address.
- Connect to a target server: Open the VPN app and search for the country whose library you wish to access. Wait for the app to display “Connected.”
- Launch Netflix: Open the Netflix app or website. The catalog will automatically refresh to reflect your new target country.
Method 2: Smart TVs, Apple TV, and Gaming Consoles (The Smart DNS Method)
Devices like Roku, older Apple TVs, and PlayStations do not natively support VPN apps. To change your region on these devices without a dedicated router, you must use a provider that offers Smart DNS.
- Register your IP address: Log into your VPN provider’s online dashboard (via your computer) and whitelist your home network’s IP address.
- Obtain the DNS codes: The dashboard will generate two specific DNS server addresses.
- Alter device settings: Go to the Network Settings on your Smart TV or Console. Change the DNS settings from “Automatic” to “Manual” and input the numbers provided by your VPN.
- Restart the device: Power cycle your TV or console to flush the old DNS cache, then open Netflix.
Technical Troubleshooting FAQs
How do I fix Netflix proxy error code M7111-5059 or M7111-1331-5067?
This specific error code appears when Netflix’s firewall detects that your IP address belongs to a known VPN or data center. Netflix immediately halts the stream to enforce its regional copyright laws.
To resolve this: Do not panic. Simply disconnect your VPN, open the server list, and select a different server in the same country. Premium providers constantly add new, un-blacklisted IP addresses to their network to combat this exact error. Additionally, ensure you clear your browser cookies before attempting to reconnect.
Can a free VPN access regional Netflix libraries?
In our 2026 testing of 25 popular “free” VPNs, zero were able to consistently unblock the US or UK Netflix libraries. Free VPNs rely on shared, static IP addresses. When Netflix sees 5,000 users attempting to stream from a single IP address simultaneously, it permanently blacklists that IP. Furthermore, free VPNs impose strict data caps (often 500MB per day), which is not enough bandwidth to finish a single HD movie.
Does changing your region violate Netflix’s Terms of Service?
Using a VPN to protect your online privacy is perfectly legal in most countries. However, using it specifically to access geo-blocked content does violate Section 4.3 of Netflix’s official Terms of Use. In practice, Netflix does not ban user accounts for using VPNs; they simply deploy the M7111 proxy error to block the stream until the VPN is turned off.
Our Netflix Testing Methodology (Q1 2026)
The provider rankings on this page are derived directly from the Streaming Service Compatibility and Speed Retention metrics within the central Comparitech testing matrix. For this specific guide, our lab utilized the following protocol:
- Account Sourcing: We utilized 3 paid, non-flagged, standard-tier Netflix accounts based in the US, UK, and Australia.
- Library Penetration: We systematically connected to VPN servers in 30 different countries and attempted to load a region-exclusive title. Providers were scored linearly based on their mathematical success rate.
- Speed Benchmarking: Speeds were tested utilizing a 1 Gbps fiber-optic baseline connection to measure percentage retention, ensuring that 4K streaming (which requires a stable 15 Mbps) would be possible without buffering across long-distance global routing.
- IP Leak Verification: All providers were stress-tested for IPv6 and WebRTC leaks, which are common culprits for triggering Netflix’s proxy detection algorithms.
For our complete algorithmic scoring formulas and to download the raw `.csv` datasets powering these reviews, please visit the Comparitech Data Hub.