If you’re having difficulty accessing internet content from overseas using your Apple TV, the good news is that you may change the region or nation of your Apple TV using a VPN. This will then enable you to access geo-restricted content. A VPN stands for “virtual private network” and encrypts a device’s traffic before routing it via a chosen intermediate server. This masks your genuine IP address and, consequently, your location, thus increasing your privacy.
While Apple TV does not support VPN software, there are a few alternatives accessible to Apple TV owners. You may do this by installing a VPN on your home network or by using a smart DNS. We’ll look at them in further detail later.
How to change the region of your Apple TV’s iTunes (3rd gen or earlier)
Apple TVs come pre-loaded with applications. To access applications from another country, you’ll need to change your Apple TV’s iTunes region.
How to change the region of iTunes on Apple TV:
- Navigate to Settings.
- Choose an iTunes Store.
- Navigate to iTunes > Locations.
- Select your desired iTunes region from the list.
- Restart your Apple TV to see the updated applications.
- You may now access the content using a VPN such as NordVPN or a smart DNS.
How to change the region of Apple TV’s iTunes (4th gen or later)
The procedure for changing the iTunes region on your Apple TV 4 is somewhat different. In this situation, you must have an iTunes account in the nation to which you want to change. To begin, sign out of your existing iTunes account:
- Select Configuration.
- Navigate to the iTunes Store.
- Sign Out of Apple IDs by selecting Apple IDs > Sign Out.
You may now establish a new iTunes account in the nation from which you wish to unblock content.
How to alter the location of your iTunes library:
- Select your selected nation at the bottom of iTunes.
- Locate and pick a free application.
- Establish a new Apple ID.
- Provide a different email address than the one associated with your primary Apple ID.
- On the payment screen, click “None.”
- Provide a legitimate billing address for the nation to which you are trying to gain access.
- Log in to your Apple TV using your new credentials.
How to use a router to change the area of an Apple TV using a VPN
Since Apple TV by default does not allow VPNs, we must set up the VPN on an upstream device. For the majority of us, this entails configuring the VPN on a wireless router. Connecting your home network to a VPN is one method of changing your Apple TV’s region or country. Certain VPNs make this even easier by including router applications. Of course, you’ll need to verify compatibility with your router or purchase a pre-configured router. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish all offer routers that are pre-configured to connect to their VPN servers.
You may access your router’s dashboard by opening a web browser and typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into the address bar. After that, you’ll be prompted to input your credentials. Once on the dashboard, you should see an option to configure a VPN connection. The precise configuration procedure differs according to your VPN provider and router type.
If not, you may upgrade the router’s firmware to one that supports VPNs. We strongly suggest DD-WRT and Tomato as two free and open-source solutions, and NordVPN, in particular, provides excellent free and easy-to-use firmware for subscribers with compatible router types. However, flashing your firmware involves considerable technical expertise and, if not done correctly, might permanently destroy your device. If you’re not comfortable with the dangers, you might want to buy a pre-configured router, such as the one offered by ExpressVPN.
How to use a DNS proxy or smart DNS to alter the region of your Apple TV while connected to a VPN
Another method for changing the region of your Apple TV is to use a DNS proxy or clever DNS. DNS is an acronym for “Domain Name System,” and it is responsible for converting domain names to IP addresses. When you open a website on your browser, it makes a DNS request to a DNS server, which resolves the IP address to the correct one. DNS queries are normally routed via the servers of your internet service provider (ISP) in your country of residence.
Numerous streaming services examine the origin of DNS queries to ascertain a user’s location. By instructing your Apple TV to make DNS queries to a server in another country, you may circumvent these geo-restrictions and access Apple TV content in other countries.
Unlike VPNs, Apple TV supports custom DNS servers natively.
The following instructions describe how to change the DNS servers on Apple TV (4th generation and later):
- To access the Apple TV’s main menu, click here.
- Navigate to Settings > Network.
- Manually configure DNS by selecting Configure DNS > Manually configure DNS.
- Enter the IP address of your internet service provider’s smart DNS server and click Done.
- Reboot Apple TV.
If your Apple TV is third-generation or older, the method will be somewhat different. You may need to relocate. What you need to do is as follows:
- Navigate to the Settings menu.
- Navigate to the iTunes Store and then Location.
- Choose the country that corresponds to the content you want to unblock.
- Return to the Configuration.
- Navigate to General > Network.
- Choose between WiFi and Ethernet.
- Manually configure DNS by selecting Configure DNS > Manually configure DNS.
- Provide the DNS address.
- To ensure that the changes take effect, navigate to Settings > General > Restart..
If you choose this path, we strongly recommend ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer, which is included with your subscription. It enables you to use ExpressVPN’s DNS servers independently of the VPN.
Using a VPN to create a virtual router hotspot on your laptop
Another option to modify the location or nation of your Apple TV is to create a virtual router hotspot on your laptop. This enables your laptop to transmit wifi to other nearby devices, such as an Apple TV. Any device that connects to the hotspot will be routed via the laptop’s VPN.
If establishing a physical router or utilizing smart DNS is not an option, you may follow our guides on creating a virtual router on a Macbook or on configuring a virtual router on Windows.
The best VPN for changing the location or nation of your Apple TV
NordVPN
Our top choice for an Apple TV VPN is NordVPN. This company has a very extensive server network, with about 5,000+ servers in several countries, and can effectively unblock a huge number of famous websites. NordVPN is notable for its compatibility with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. During our speed testing, it beats all other VPNs. We have seen no buffering or latency throughout our testing of these streaming sites. This is possible because of the limitless bandwidth and stable connections. Additionally, there is 24-hour live chat help available.
NordVPN is an extremely secure VPN in terms of security. It features 256-bit AES encryption and DNS leak protection, as well as an automatic kill switch that prevents traffic from being blocked in the event of a VPN connection failure. Additionally, NordVPN provides a variety of specialized servers, including Double VPN and Dedicated IP. A no-logs policy ensures that your personal information stays private.
To install NordVPN on your Apple TV, you may do it through your network. While the procedure varies per router, NordVPN does provide instructions. If your network is not VPN-compatible, you may purchase a pre-configured NordVPN router. Alternatively, you may configure a VPN on your laptop and share it with your Apple TV.
Apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV are all available for download from the NordVPN website. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions are available.
Is it possible to use a free VPN to change the location on my Apple TV?
It’s quite improbable that you’ll discover a free VPN that works well with Apple TV, much alone one that is free. The majority of free VPNs need you to download their applications, which makes them hard to configure on a router. Even if you were able to utilize a free VPN to change the area of your Apple TV, you’d almost certainly encounter a bandwidth or data limit. This implies that while streaming Apple TV content, there will be some buffering and slowness.
Apart from the fact that they are incompatible with Apple TV, free VPNs are often risky to use. Some may bombard you with irrelevant advertisements, while others may even include malware. Worse still, free VPNs are known to monitor and sell user data. Regrettably, this is the cost of using a free VPN service. After all, they must earn a living somehow. In general, it is not worthwhile to use a free VPN.
Which countries are supported by the Apple TV app?
The Apple TV app is available on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. Only the following countries and regions are supported by the Apple TV app:
- United States
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Mexico
- Norway
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
If the Apple TV app is not available in your country or area, the Videos app will be installed on your Apple device. Any movies or television series that you purchase from the iTunes Store will appear there.
What is available on Apple TV?
With a plethora of accessible applications, Apple TV enables you to enjoy a broad variety of television episodes and movies. You can view the following on your Apple TV:
- Netflix
- HBO Now / HBO Go
- Amazon Prime Video
- PlayStation Vue
- ESPN
- Hulu
- YouTube TV
- Plex
- Discovery Go