Crave not working with VPN: FIX it in 5 minutes (proven method)

Crave is a Canadian streaming service home to TV shows and films. You can watch from abroad if you’re using a VPN, but what if you see error messages? In our troubleshooting guide, we’ve listed common fixes that can help if Crave isn’t working with your VPN.

There are a number of reasons why Crave might be locked for you. For one, your VPN could be suffering a server outage, or it might be that your internet speeds are causing issues. Keep scrolling for the details.

Which VPNs work with Crave?

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Why is Crave not working with my VPN?

Here’s the quick answer: Crave isn’t unlocking because you’re trying to use the website from a restricted territory (outside of Canada) and the website knows it. A superior VPN can help you solve that problem.

A message on the Crave website explains: “Crave is only available for use within Canada. All videos downloaded while in Canada can be watched when traveling outside Canada. However, offline downloads expire 48 hours after a video has been watched. An unwatched offline download will expire after 30 days.”

How does Crave detect my VPN?

If your VPN isn’t very good and doesn’t hide your location 100% of the time, Crave will blacklist the server you’re using, which means your VPN is useless. Bad VPNs take a long time to replace blacklisted servers, which means you have no way of gaining access to films and TV shows streaming on the Crave website.

In summary:

• Crave is blacklisting one of your VPN servers, preventing access to the streaming service
• A weak network connection is to blame for your streaming issues
• Browser cookies are giving up your real location to Crave, which is no good
• Your VPN is flawed and failing to mask your IP address

Try these Crave fixes

1. Use a different VPN server

VPN servers can break if placed under heavy strain or through a block implemented by a streaming service. If Crave isn’t useable, the issue might be your VPN server. We suggest swapping to an alternative.

2. Check your VPN is up to date

If Crave is showing you error messages that mention geo-restrictions, make sure you’re using the most recent version of your VPN. To update your VPN from a computer, load up the VPN and then choose Settings.

If you’re using Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile and then choose Manage apps and device. Select Update.

From an iPhone, open the App Store and tap your profile in the top-right corner of the screen.

3. Message Customer Support

The most popular VPNs employ teams to address technical issues. If you’re having trouble using Crave with a VPN, consider reaching out to them for assistance.

Access your VPN provider’s website and head to the Support or Contact Us pages. Some VPNs even provide a 24/7 live chat service for their members, which is great if you’re reaching out in the evening.

4. Restart your VPN

Turn your device off and on again so you can relaunch your VPN fresh. If that doesn’t work, you can go a step further and reinstall the VPN. Connect to a Canada-based server and try Crave again.

5. Check your internet

Disconnect from your wi-fi, reconnect and try Crave once again. You can also do something a little more drastic and reset your internet router using the button on the back. Check in with your ISP if you’re unsure how to do it.

We suggest you run a free internet speed tool and compare the download speed with your ISP’s ‘minimum guaranteed speed’ promise.

Also worth trying:

• If you’re on a phone, clear cache and cookies. From an iPhone, you need to choose Settings > General > iPhone storage, then choose the Crave app. Hit Offload app. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Crave > Storage > Clear cache.
• Are your details public due to a DNS leak? A broken VPN can’t conceal your IP address and location when you load up Crave. To test if your VPN is working, disable it entirely and head to the IP Address Lookup tool. Note down your IP address. Then, turn on your VPN and run the test once again – if you aren’t assigned a new IP and location, your VPN is faulty.
• On desktop, clear cache and cookies. From a Chrome window, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. On Safari, go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
• Re-enter your VPN username and password. Double-check your credentials. If you can’t remember your details, choose the ‘Forgot’ option on your VPN provider’s website.
• Check the VPN servers are online. If you can’t connect to a Canada-based server compatible with Crave, your provider might be experiencing an outage.
• Check that your firewall allows VPN use. If you’re experiencing issues with Crave streams, make sure your VPN is mentioned in the ‘Allow’ list. On Windows, head to open Windows Security > Allow an app through the firewall. On Mac, try System Settings > Network > Firewall.
• Are you using the latest version of your web browser? Your current web browser version might be incompatible with your browser-based VPN. If you’ve already updated your VPN, make sure you update your browser as well. On Chrome, you would go to Settings > About Chrome.

For a printer-friendly overview of the tips we’ve discussed above, you can download our free VPN troubleshooting poster.

Best VPNs for Crave

ExpressVPN

• 1-month subscription: £10.53 per month
• 6-month subscription: £8.12 per month
• 1-year subscription + 3 months free: £5.42 per month (49% off)

🌎 Number of servers	160
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	5
⏱️ Our speed test results	-8.7% download, -5.5% upload (London)

If your current VPN refuses to work with Crave, consider switching to ExpressVPN. We’ll happily recommend this VPN time and time again – it’s easy to use, speedy and works well if you’re looking to access Crave outside Canada.

ExpressVPN does a very good job of replacing its blacklisted servers when needed. That means that, even if Crave temporarily disables incoming connections, the VPN will have a replacement server up and running in no time. To access your account, all you need to do is open up ExpressVPN, connect to a server based in Canada and go from there.

Pros: Smartphone app lets you connect in seconds, 'favourite' most-used VPN servers for quick access, performed remarkably well in our chat support speed test

Cons: Rival VPNs are cheaper, can't use many devices at once

Try ExpressVPN today

NordVPN

• 1-month subscription: £10.49 per month
• 1-year subscription: £3.99 per month (40% off)
• 2-year subscription: £2.79 per month (58% off)

🌎 Number of servers	5,200+
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	6
⏱️ Our speed test results	-14% download, -7% upload (London)

Here’s another VPN that lets you enjoy Crave outside America. NordVPN has servers dotted across the globe and all of them are protected using military-grade encryption. With NordVPN’s enhanced encryption technology, you can even stay safe on public wi-fi networks without speeds being affected.

Connecting to a server using NordVPN is simple. To watch Crave abroad, pick a country that you’d like to connect through (in this case, Canada) or hit the Quick Connect button and get connected to the best server for you. If you need help at any time, you can use NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat service.

Pros: Built-in internet kill switch works well, profile page on app includes 'Security score' with privacy tips, takes less than a minute to reach a live chat agent (based on our tests)

Cons: Other VPNs tested are cheaper, some streaming services require multiple resets to work

Try NordVPN today

Ivacy

• 1-month subscription: £8.62 per month
• 1-year subscription: £3 per month (65% off)
• 5-year subscription + FREE password manager: 80p per month (90% off)

🌎 Number of servers	5,700
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	10

Ivacy works well with the Crave website and it’s a solid option if you don’t want to spend lots of money on a VPN. It’s built to support 256-bit encryption, which keeps cybercriminals at bay, plus you get public wi-fi security that protects against malware if you’re connecting to a hotspot in a public area.

Crucially, you can use Ivacy to access geo-restricted websites such as Crave without anybody knowing about it. That’s thanks to Ivacy’s strict no-logs policy, which prevents your valuable personal data from being sold to sinister third parties.

Pros: Connection is steady when using multiple devices, notifications mention if Ivacy is disabled, server locations split by country and city

Cons: We think the ExpressVPN mobile app is faster, below-average results in our chat support speed test

Try Ivacy today

PureVPN

• 1-month subscription: $10.95 per month (12% off)
• 1-year subscription: $3.74 per month (70% off)
• 2-year subscription + 4 extra months: $1.96 per month (84% off)

🌎 Number of servers	6,500+
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	10

If Crave is not working with your VPN, move over to a better service. PureVPN is a great example as it’s powerful enough to bypass geo-locked websites and services so you can enjoy Crave shows without a problem. You’ll be able to log in to your Crave account even if you’ve roamed outside of Canada.

Pros: Surprisingly affordable considering features, lots of UK and US-based servers, generous with simultaneous devices

Cons: Takes a couple of minutes to reach live chat agents (based on our tests), performs better on iOS compared to Android (in our experience)

Try PureVPN today

FAQs: Streaming shows on Crave

How to watch Crave on Windows

1. Pick one of our recommended VPNs and sign up – let’s use ExpressVPN for this example.
2. Once you’ve created your ExpressVPN account, sign in using your username and password.
3. From your Windows device, open ExpressVPN and select a server located in Canada.
4. Once you’re connected to that server, head to the Crave website.

Watch Crave on Mac

1. Pick one of our recommended VPNs and create your account – we’ll use ExpressVPN for this example.
2. Once you’ve created your ExpressVPN account, sign in using your username and password.
3. From your Mac, open ExpressVPN and select a server located in Canada.
4. Once connected, head to the Crave website.

How to watch Crave on iPhone

1. Head to the Apple App Store from your iPhone.
2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your device.
3. Download the Crave app to your device – it’s on the Apple App Store.
4. Sign in to your ExpressVPN account, and then connect to a server based in Canada.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Crave app and log in to your account.

Watch Crave on Android

1. Head to the Google Play Store from your Android tablet or smartphone.
2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your device.
3. Download the Crave app to your device – it’s on the Google Play Store.
4. Sign in to your ExpressVPN account, and then connect to a server based in Canada.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Crave app and log in to your account.

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