There is nothing more annoying than trying to enjoy a video on YouTube, only to be met with that dreaded "This video is blocked in your country" screen. You might really want to watch this video, but what can you do if it is simply blocked in your area?
Well, this is where a VPN can really come in handy, especially when you use a VPN service that has servers based around the globe. Getting past YouTube blocks isn't very difficult when you understand how you can use different VPN servers based in different countries to check out the content you are hoping to see.
Why Would a Video Be Blocked in the First Place?
The first thing you should understand is that a YouTube video could be blocked for several different reasons, including but not limited to:
A block on your local network
Schools and business organizations could block access to YouTube for productivity reasons. Many schools might not want students having easy access to adult content on YouTube, for example, while some companies might not want employees watching videos on company time.
A block put up by YouTube
Sometimes, a video will include content that is restricted in some countries, or a copyright could exclude certain countries. Whatever the case, YouTube will often put up blocks on some videos which contain content restricted in certain geographical locations.
While a block on YouTube could certainly affect you watching the content you would like to see, it doesn't have to mean you can't view the content at all. This is where your VPN comes in to play to unblock a YouTube video.
Using Your VPN to Access Blocked YouTube Videos
Depending on your VPN provider, the steps you will end up following might differ a little from the steps discussed here, but the process is largely the same across all major VPN providers.
The first thing you will want to do when you want to watch a blocked YouTube video is to make sure you aren't using an IP address that is in the blocked range. You see, when you use a VPN, your digital location, or virtual identity, changes, giving you a new IP address and making you appear as though you're operating from a completely different part of the world.
You can probably already see the advantage to this when it comes to unblocking YouTube videos so you can watch them anytime. Let's assume you are an American user noticing a video you would like to see is blocked in your region. All you need to do, then, is switch over to a non-American VPN server.
Here are the steps you will take to accomplish this on most major VPN providers:
1. Log into your VPN: Log into your VPN with your username and password, if required.
2. Find the servers area: Some VPN applications will feature a picture of a flag or simply show the word "servers" or "locations". Find this area on your VPN app and move on to the next step.
3. Switch servers and try to watch your video: Click on a different geographical area on your servers tab, choosing an area that is completely different than your current one. When done, try to reload the YouTube video.
If done correctly, you should now be able to watch your video without a block message. You can switch servers back to your original location using the same screen at any time.
Is There a Certain VPN You Should Be Using?
When it comes to finding the right VPN for you, it is all about cost and whether you like how the VPN is laid out and whether it covers all of your needs. When you have a trusted VPN on your side, you can easily not only unblock any YouTube video you want to see, but also protect your online privacy by hiding your online identity. It couldn't be simpler.
