YouTube is undoubtedly one of the most popular video-sharing platforms on the internet and currently has over 37 million channels. There are currently over 800 million videos uploaded to YouTube with more than 1 billion videos being watched each day by its over 2 billion users. You can find just about any sort of video on this platform including documentaries, vlogs, news reports, reviews, short stories, music videos, and tutorials.
Although there is a huge amount of content to check out on YouTube, some users may be disappointed to find that videos or even entire channels are blocked in their country. You might not be able to access a certain video if you live in a highly restrictive country as governments can order specific content to be inaccessible to its citizens. Alternatively, YouTube may block videos that violate copyright laws or if a larger organisation does not have the right to broadcast videos in certain countries. Whatever the reason, encountering a blocked video can be extremely frustrating, so we’re here to help. Using a VPN you can spoof your location and access all YouTube videos, even those that are blocked in your country. Keep reading to discover the best VPNs for YouTube in 2022!
The best VPNs for YouTube quick guide
- NordVPN – Best overall choice
- ProtonVPN – Privacy-focused
- Surfshark – Cost-effective
Try out NordVPN* for YouTube now!
Why you might consider using a VPN for YouTube
If you’ve watched content on YouTube before, then you’ve likely come across a blocked video. The platform will typically display a generic error message along the lines of “This video is unavailable” which means you’ll never really know why you cannot access a specific video. The reasoning for blocked videos can vary but usually it’s due to a larger organisation not having the rights to broadcast their content in your country, or, in extreme cases, you live in a restrictive region where your government has blocked specific videos. As annoying as this can be, we luckily have an easy solution that allows you to unblock most videos on YouTube regardless of why they were blocked in the first place.
All you need to unblock and watch YouTube videos from anywhere is a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN works by establishing a private network through a public internet connection and provides remote servers that users can connect to. When you connect a VPN’s server, your real IP address (which determines your exact location) is hidden and temporarily replaced by the server’s IP address. Once connected, you’ll appear to be located wherever the VPN server is based.
For instance, if you live in the US but connect to a VPN server that’s based in the UK, then you’ll have a UK IP address. So, when you head to any website, service, or app online including YouTube, you’ll be displayed with any content that is available in the location of the VPN server. Using this trick, you can spoof your location to access YouTube videos that, for whatever reason, are restricted where you live.
Our top recommended best VPNs for YouTube in 2022
The best VPNs for YouTube will have wide server networks that spread across various countries all around the world. This will allow you to spoof your location and trick the website/app into thinking you’re located in any other country. Additionally, a suitable VPN will provide super-fast connection speeds so that you can watch YouTube videos in HD and without any buffering. If you’re also concerned about your privacy when online then you should also opt for a VPN that has an independently audited no-logs policy. With this in mind, we’ve handpicked three VPNs that we believe are best suited to unblocking videos on YouTube. Let’s take a closer look at our top recommendations –
- NordVPN
NordVPN is a reliable and feature-rich VPN that can provide unbeatable connection speeds and robust security, allowing you to stay safe when spoofing your location. This VPN ensures that you can unblock and watch YouTube videos from anywhere in the world without having to deal with any buffering or other interruptions, making it our top choice VPN for YouTube in 2022.
As this VPN has over 5600 servers across 60 countries, wherever you are in the world, you’ll undoubtedly have a suitable server that’s available to connect to. If you encounter any blocked videos on YouTube, then you can swiftly connect to one of NordVPN’s many high-quality servers to bypass any censorship or governmental restrictions. For an even better YouTube streaming experience, you can also enable NordVPN’s ad blocking technology, CyberSec. This feature will automatically block all ads before they have a chance to load including pop-ups, banners, and auto-play videos. By blocking all ads with CyberSec, you can enjoy even faster page loading speeds and a completely buffer-free streaming experience.
In addition to fast speeds and a wide server network, NordVPN also provides top-notch security measures for its users. This VPN uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption to secure all user traffic along with various other security features including a kill switch, private DNS, double VPN protection, MFA, obfuscation, and dedicated IP. NordVPN also has a split tunnelling feature that allows you to reroute just some of your internet traffic through the VPN server. This means you can spoof your location to unblock videos on YouTube whilst still accessing the rest of the internet locally. Additionally, this VPN has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited.
With NordVPN, all users have unlimited bandwidth and can use the app on up to 6 devices simultaneously. This app is supported by all major operating systems including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. You can also install NordVPN on your router, gaming console, or Smart TV. This provider has a 24/7 support team who are available via live chat or email and can assist you with setting up and using your VPN. You can also check out the knowledge base for tips, FAQs, and detailed tutorials.
Try out NordVPN* for YouTube now for free for 30 days with their money-back guarantee!
- ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is a privacy-focused VPN that provides exceptionally fast connection speeds, so you can stay both anonymous and entertained when using a VPN for YouTube. If you’re interested in remaining completely private when online but still want to enjoy a VPN that’s packed with useful features, then look no further than ProtonVPN.
This VPN currently has over 1700 servers based in 63 countries, so you can easily circumvent geo-restrictions to watch an endless amount of YouTube videos including any that are restricted to specific areas. ProtonVPN uses Secure Core architecture that helps to defend against network-based attacks by rerouting user traffic through multiple servers rather than just one. These servers provide fast connection speeds so you can avoid buffering and slow page loading times when online. You can also enable ProtonVPN’s built-in ad blocker, NetShield, to further improve your connection speeds and stay protected against malware and website trackers.
ProtonVPN protects its user’s internet connection with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption and uses the world’s most secure VPN protocols – OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard. Other security features provided by this VPN include DNS leak protection, built-in Tor support, and a kill switch.
ProtonVPN is fully open source and has a no-logs policy that has been independently audited. Users can sign up with this VPN with an anonymous ProtonMail account and are not required to reveal any personal identifying information when purchasing a plan. Users have unlimited bandwidth and can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously. The ProtonVPN app is available on any Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux device along with a selection of other devices such as Chromebook and Android TV.
Try out ProtonVPN* for YouTube now for free for 30 days with their money-back guarantee!
- Surfshark
Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN that is packed full of useful features and has an intuitive app that is suitable for beginners and experts alike. If you’re new to the VPN world but want to enjoy all the benefits at a low cost, then this VPN is best suited to you. Using Surfshark, you can easily bypass any restrictions to unblock and watch YouTube from anywhere in the world.
With this VPN, you’ll have over 3200 servers in an incredible 95 countries to choose from, so you’ll have no trouble accessing any YouTube videos that are blocked in your country. This provider tries to prioritise speed for its users so you can enjoy high-quality streams and a streamlined browsing experience when using YouTube and other apps. Surfshark also supports trusted VPN protocols – WIreGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 and uses 100% RAM-only servers to protect the privacy of its users.
When using this VPN, your internet traffic will be secured with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption along with a selection of helpful security features such as a kill switch, private DNS with leak protection, a camouflage mode, and a NoBorders mode. Surfshark also has a built-in ad blocker known as CleanWeb that can speed up your connection speeds and protect you from malware by blocking all ads and malicious websites. Additionally, this VPN has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited.
Surfshark allows for unlimited simultaneous connections and provides users with unlimited bandwidth, so you can enjoy watching YouTube videos on all your favourite devices without any limitations. The Surfshark app is compatible with most major OSs including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. You can also install Surfshark on your Smart TV (Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung TV), gaming console (Xbox, PlayStation), or router.
Try out Surfshark* for YouTube now for free for 30 days with their money-back guarantee