Paramount Plus not working with VPN: How to fix it

Paramount Plus is a popular streaming service that provides links to loads of popular American TV shows and movies. However, the website and app are both region locked. Our guide explains what to do if your VPN isn’t working with Paramount Plus.

You shouldn’t have to deal with error messages every time you want to use Paramount Plus outside of America. There’s a good chance Paramount Plus has blacklisted the VPN server that you’re trying to use. Keep scrolling for the details.

Which VPNs work with Paramount Plus?

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Why is Paramount Plus not working with my VPN?

If the Paramount Plus website is brainy enough to realise you’re trying to access it from a restricted region, your connection will be blocked. To get past that temporary issue, you’ll need a trusted VPN to help.

Let’s assume that your current VPN won’t work with Paramount Plus. More often than not, that’s because your VPN isn’t doing a very good job of spoofing your location. Sticking with a dodgy VPN means many Paramount Plus servers will be unavailable to you. By swapping your VPN a superior alternative, you’ll be able to use Paramount Plus without a hitch.

How does Paramount Plus detect my VPN?

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

Typical Paramount Plus issues include:

• The video streaming website might have blacklisted the servers of your VPN
• You have a bad internet connection
• Cookies reveal your actual location, rather than the location you’re trying to spoof
• Your VPN may be revealing your IP address while using Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus fixes

1. Check your VPN is up to date

If your VPN doesn’t unlock Paramount Plus, check that you’re using the most recent version. The team behind the VPN might have fixed a technical issue through an update.

To update your VPN from a computer, load up the VPN and choose Settings. You should be able to find an Update option. Clicking Update will usually take you to the VPN provider’s website, where you can learn more about what’s new.

If you’re using an Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile and then Manage apps. Choose Update. From an iPhone, open the App Store and tap your profile in the corner of the screen.

2. Try using a different VPN server

VPN servers can fall apart at random moments. If Paramount Plus isn’t functioning, the issue may lie with the VPN server, so swapping to an alternative could improve your experience.

Top-rated VPNs provide a number of servers within each country. For instance, ExpressVPN has a ‘UK – Docklands’ server, plus options in East London, London, and the Midlands.

Disconnect from the server that you’re using with Paramount Plus. The next steps you take will vary, but ExpressVPN users can select the three dots icon to see a list of alternative servers in the same country.

3. Reach out to Customer Support

Popular VPNs have teams that tackle technical issues. If you’re having trouble with Paramount Plus, 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 late in the day.

4. Reset your VPN

Restart your PC or phone and then relaunch your VPN straight after. If that doesn’t resolve the issue with your VPN, completely uninstall and reinstall it. Open both your VPN and the Paramount Plus website to see what the results are.

5. Check your internet connection

Start by disconnecting from your wi-fi entirely and then reconnect. Once your connection is restored, try your VPN again. You can also consider restarting your internet router for a full factory reset.

Run an internet speed tool such as Ookla and compare results alongside your ISP’s ‘minimum guaranteed speed’ promise.

More Paramount Plus fixes:

Clear cache and cookies. On Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. On Safari, go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.

Re-enter your username and password. Double-check your credentials. If you can’t remember your details, choose the ‘Forgot’ option on your VPN provider’s website.

Make sure you aren’t the victim of a DNS leak. If you’re using a broken VPN, it doesn’t disguise your real IP address and location when you visit Paramount Plus. To check it’s working, turn it off and head to the IP Address Lookup tool. Make a note of your typical IP address, activate your VPN, run the test again and see if those details change. If you don’t see a difference, your VPN isn’t working.

Check the VPN servers. If you can’t connect to a server, your provider might be experiencing an outage.

Check your firewall supports VPN use. If you’re experiencing issues on desktop, 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.

Check your web browser. Your current web browser version might be incompatible with your 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.

Make sure you’re not overworking your VPN. When streaming, gaming and using social media at the same time, your VPN might struggle to keep up. We suggest you close a couple of apps to test if doing so has a noticeable impact.

Best VPNs for Paramount Plus

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 the VPN you’re using breaks, switch to ExpressVPN. We’ll happily recommend this newbie-friendly VPN time and time again – it’s easy to use, nippy and works brilliantly if you’re looking to access Paramount Plus from abroad. You won’t have to stare at annoying error messages on the Paramount Plus website if you’re protected by this tried and tested VPN.

ExpressVPN does a top job of replacing its blacklisted servers. That means that, even if Paramount Plus disables incoming connections from ExpressVPN, the VPN will have a replacement server up and running ASAP. To access your account, all you need to do is open up ExpressVPN, connect to a US-based server and go from there.

This VPN keeps your real IP address hidden, so websites won’t know if you’re accessing content from abroad. Every ExpressVPN member can enjoy servers in over 90 countries around the world. ExpressVPN works on lots of different devices including Mac, PC, Android or iOS smartphone.

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

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 is worth a closer look if you want to enjoy Paramount Plus shows while you’re travelling. This is one of the most popular, affordable VPNs around, thanks in part to its battle against blacklisted servers.

This trusted VPN will hide your real location so you can use all of Paramount Plus’ features, even if you’ve roamed outside the US. Use our exclusive link below and you get instant access to over 1,000 VPNs servers across the world. A single membership to Ivacy also means you can protect up to 10 gadgets at a time.

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

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 for your shortlist if you want to use Paramount Plus abroad. NordVPN has servers all over the world and all of them are protected by military-grade encryption. That means they’re extremely secure and you can connect without handing over your valuable personal data to companies that shouldn’t own it.

If you run into trouble while getting to grips with NordVPN, you can make use of the live chat feature for a helping hand.

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

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 your current VPN doesn’t work with Paramount Plus, treat yourself to a better alternative. PureVPN is a great example, being powerful enough to unlock geo-locked websites so you can enjoy them without a hassle. You’ll be able to log in to your Paramount Plus account even if you’re in a country where it doesn’t usually work.

PureVPN also works with ITV Hub, Hulu and Amazon Prime. There are around 2,000 secure PureVPN servers based in over 130 different countries.

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: Using a VPN with Paramount Plus

How to watch Paramount Plus 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 the US.
4. Once you’re connected to that server, head to the Paramount Plus website.

Watch Paramount Plus 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 the US.
4. Once connected, head to the Paramount Plus website.

How to watch Paramount Plus on your iPhone

1. Head to the Apple App Store from your iPhone.
2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your device.
3. Download the Paramount Plus 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 the US.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Paramount Plus app and log in to your account.

Watch Paramount Plus 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 Paramount Plus 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 the US.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Paramount Plus app and log in to your account.

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