You can change your location by using a VPN in addition to your IP address to watch geo-restricted content on streaming websites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, etc. You can also gain access to live sports events that are otherwise not available in your country.
The usage of VPN is wide, just like the internet itself. So, changing your location is a very basic feature which majority of the paid VPN providers offer to their users. It does not matter that you are logged on to the internet via your desktop, cell phone, tablet, or other devices. Even if you use a VPN on your router, you can still change your location, including your IP address.
You may be familiar with the term ‘geo-spoofing.’ It is a term used over the internet for the process where you can hide your true location and portray your device as somewhere else rather than its original location.
Even though it seems simple, but it isn’t easy to execute. To make this happen, you need help from a server placed somewhere in the world in your desired location. VPNs make it easy for you by providing you with a wide range of servers spread across the globe that all VPN clients can access.
If you already have a VPN installed on your device, you can change your location with that VPN along with your IP address easily. The process is pretty straightforward.
Note: If you have a FREE VPN installed, it might be difficult for you to change the location of servers as it might not allow you to do that or at least would not have that much variety of servers to offer. That’s why we always recommend our readers pay a small subscription fee and get a paid VPN like Surfshark VPN, NordVPN, or ExpressVPN, as they are pretty cheap to begin with and do not compromise on the quality of their service.
How to Change your Location & IP Address with a VPN?
Changing your location with a VPN is simple, and you can perform this task by following the below-mentioned steps:
- Open your VPN application from the device on which it is installed.
- Login to that application.
- Go to the server location options.
- Now pick the country you want to change your location to, and click the connect button.
- Your location will be changed, and the VPN application will give you a new IP address.
This is the general process you can follow to change your device’s location, and you can follow these steps on whatever device/VPN you are using.
Best VPN Overall for your Location and IP Address Protection
The top three VPN companies which have stood the test of time and are the most trusted VPN brand all over the world by security are listed below. You can rely upon these VPN software for the protection of location and IP address all at the same time.
NordVPN
NordVPN is famous for its no-logging policy and takes care of its user’s identity by masking their IP address and location via several state-of-the-art set of security features.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN kills two birds with one stone by providing the best geo-unlocking services with complete anonymity.
Surfshark VPN
Surfshark VPN comes integrated with a huge number of features which work coherently to create virtual space full of privacy and security.
What to do if VPN is not Unblocking Geo-Restricted Content?
The following might be the reasons or causes which are stopping your VPN from accessing region-locked content:
Use various servers by switching again & again. Nowadays, websites can recognize a VPN and block VPN users even if they attempt to access the region-locked site via different locations. For instance, we can look at Avast Securline VPN. It is blacklisted by Netflix, and no matter how many times you try to access Netflix via this VPN, you will not be given access.
So, use VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or Surfshark VPN; these will help you get over that VPN restriction barrier. You can keep on changing servers until you get access to your desired geo-blocked site.
Clear cookies
Remove all types of browsing history before you use your VPN to access your desired site by deleting and clearing your cookies, including the browser history. Websites save cookies from your browser every time you visit them, so changing your IP address might not suffice. Clear cookies, change location and try accessing again. The chances are, you’ll gain access.
Leaking IP Address
Many VPN users face this problem with free VPNs. The problem arises when you are connected to a VPN with a changed location. Still, you are not able to access your desired geo-locked site. This can happen when your real IP is leaking.
To check this phenomenon, you can go online to various websites that allow you to check your IP address online and see if it shows your real IP address. If you see your real IP address, then this means that your VPN is malfunctioning, and you need a new & much secure VPN provider.
HTML Geolocation API
Applications and Websites use the attribute of HTM Geolocation API to find out where you are and form where you are logging into their site. This function can track you even if you are logged on via a VPN as you might have previously visited their site and has permitted them to track your location.
To resolve this issue, you can check your browser and applications for permissions and delete those causing you a problem.
Benefits of Using a VPN with Changed Location and different IP Address
The advantages you can get and enjoy by changing your location & IP address with a VPN are endless. Internet is growing, technologies are evolving, and the pool of data is increasing. Everyone’s digital footprint is massive, and this can cause a problem in the longer run.
Agencies, governments, and other types of organizations are tracking, spying, and collecting data of every internet user for their malicious purposes. Using a VPN gives you a fighting chance to deal with this breach of security and privacy.
Most of the state-of-the-art VPNs utilize 256-bit AES encryption, which remains unbeatable to this day. Not even the supercomputers can decipher this encryption, which means that you can safely secure over the web freely as the internet was supposed to be.
Here are some of the highlighted benefits you can acquire via the usage of a VPN:
Privacy & Security:
Under the umbrella of a VPN, your internet traffic gets encrypted and moves inside of that encrypted tunnel. Your location gets changed, and no one can trace your activity.
You can gain protection from all types of cyber criminals online, and none of the third parties can trace you or spy upon your activity.
In addition to security, you also get the benefit of privately surfing over the internet. VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark VPN offer features where your internet traffic hops from one server to another every time to switch from one website to another. So, even if someone is trying to track you, they lose track of your digital footprint with every switch you make.
Unblocking Region Locked Content:
You can access region-locked content via VPN like your favorite TV shows or sports events which you can live stream over the internet. VPN helps you get over the government set restrictions by changing your location to that area which allows you to access it easily.
Selling of Data:
Most top-of-the-line VPNs do not keep logs of your whereabouts over the internet, i.e., they offer a complete no-logging policy. Not even a single bit of your data is collected by VPN companies, which means that no one can come knocking on their doors and demand them for your internet browsing history.
Since there is no logging policy, your data cannot be sold to any third-party advertisers. Huge companies like Google track your every move and feed you ads by selling your data to third-party advertisers. A VPN will help you get over that barrier and protect your data.
ISP Throttling & Tracking:
Internet Service Providers are getting more interested in their users’ online activities. That’s why they track your activities and sell your data to interested third parties. Not only that, if you are watching streaming content online, ISPs tend to apply practices like ISP Throttling, where they intentionally slow down your internet speed to optimize bandwidth for all connected users.
If you are using a VPN, this will hide you from your local ISP and will help to prevent all of this tracking and throttling.
Public WiFi Security:
When you access your home WiFi, the router is protected with a password and has encryption protocols to keep your internet traffic safe. In contrast, public WiFi is completely open, and everyone can access it. That’s why hackers mostly sit on this public WiFi and regularly steal data from users who connect to these public WiFi’s.
So, it is a good idea to use a Virtual Private Network when accessing the internet in a public space, as even if an attacker intercepts your traffic, the data will be scrambled.
FAQs
You can change your IP address on a free VPN. However, most free VPNs are subjected to IP leaks that can expose you to the web.
To perform a change in the IP address, you can connect to your free VPN, and it will automatically generate you a different IP address (other than your original). We recommend that you check on some website that can show you your “IP address.” If the IP address is the same as your original, then this means that your free VPN is subjected to an IP leak.
A VPN protects your data by encrypting your internet traffic, changing your location, assigning you a new IP address, encryption of sent and received data, and overall hide your online identity by masking you completely.
Google only sees that IP address via which you log on to their site. Your original IP address allotted to you by your server will be hidden from sight not just from Google but also from everyone who is trying to track or trace your online activities. No one can identify that you are the original user of that IP address.