YouTube TV is a paid online-streaming platform. It offers more than 100 channels for sports, news, and more. This streaming platform is currently exclusive to the US.
Users from other countries subscribe to VPNs or proxy servers to access YouTube TV.
However, you will most likely get a “YouTube TV VPN/Proxy Detected” error message when using an anonymity tool.
Continue reading to find out how to resolve this issue.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- “YouTube TV VPN/Proxy Detected” error occurs when using a VPN or proxy to access the platform from restricted countries.
- Clearing cookies can help dissociate your browsing activity from your default IP and resolve the error.
- Switching to a different VPN or proxy server will give you a new IP address and potentially fix the issue.
- Consider switching to a different VPN or proxy provider if the previous methods fail.
- Free services can be unreliable and pose security risks. Choose proxies or VPNs that offer IP leak protection, multiple servers, and encryption for safer streaming.
Ways to Fix YouTube TV Proxy Detected Error
The “YouTube TV VPN/Proxy Detected” error is not really unusual, even for the platform itself.
In a tweet, Team YouTube TV gave steps on how to troubleshoot this:
Hmm, make sure your PC is connected to your WiFi network. VPN bypasses the PC's correct location, which affects your local feed. If it’s linked to your WiFi network, restarting your PC and clearing the browsers’ cache and cookies usually fix the issue. Let us know how that goes.
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) November 21, 2019
However, if you keep on getting this error message—persistently, it is possible that your VPN or proxy has already been compromised and blocked.
Here are some of the ways to fix this issue:
1. Clear Cookies
Similar to YouTube TV’s suggestion, clearing cookies and cache typically resolves this problem.
Websites use cookies to give users a personalized experience, but this small piece of data also stores your device’s IP address.
YouTube can pinpoint your proxy or VPN usage due to the stored data about your actual IP.
| 📝 Note: This method only works if you are using a browser extension to play YouTube TV on your PC. |
Here’s how to fix the issue:
1. Close your browser and re-open it.
2. Clear your browsing data by pressing CTRL+Shift+Delete.
3. Check all items and select All time in the Time Range options.
4. Click Clear data.
This method will sign you out of most sites as it will delete your previously-saved logins.
However, this is necessary since you need a fresh start without cookies to dissociate your next browsing activity from your default IP.
| ✅ Pro-tip: Use incognito mode when accessing YouTube TV to avoid the “Proxy Detected” error. This method clears cookies and browsing data automatically, letting you browse without the risk of detection. |
2. Change VPN or Proxy Server
When YouTube TV detects a VPN, it may block the IP or even the whole server with the series of IPs associated with it.
You can switch to a different VPN server to get a new IP for your device.
Jumping to a completely different server might also work if the whole server is blocked. There are many ways to do this, depending on your VPN provider.
For proxies, getting a new proxy IP usually fixes this issue. You can manually set up another one through your device’s proxy settings or a proxy manager.
| 🎉 Fun Fact: Proxies have been used ever since the early days of the Internet, while VPNs were introduced in the late 1990s. |
3. Switch to Another VPN or Proxy Provider
If all else fails, then it’s time to re-think your VPN or proxy subscription. It cannot circumvent YouTube TV’s precautions, so switching to another provider is best.
If you are using a free VPN, then you have to drop it. Free VPNs can only maintain a limited number of servers, which are mostly abused or congested.
They also come with security risks, like being prone to IP leaks or weak encryption.
This is also the case with proxies. Free proxies lack encryption, and you might encounter malware-ridden ads while using them.
Reasons Why You Get YouTube Proxy Detected Errors
YouTube TV has acquired the broadcasting rights to its channels.
It is only reasonable for them to protect these investments and put anti-VPN measures in place to prevent streaming from unauthorized countries.
A low-quality VPN or proxy service may not be able to circumvent these geo-restrictions.
Here are the reasons why you are getting a YouTube TV VPN/Proxy Detected error on your device:
1. Using Blocked IPs
Your assigned VPN/proxy IP may already be included in YouTube TV’s red-listed IP database.
In this case, it does not matter whether you have just acquired this IP or not.
A cool-down period may remove this IP from YouTube TV’s list. However, changing to another VPN or proxy server is the quickest solution.
2. Default IP Was Leaked
YouTube TV is actively monitoring IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. Low-quality VPNs or proxy services are prone to leaks.
You may be unaware that your real IP is already exposed. Here’s how to check if your real IP is leaking:
- Turn off your VPN or disable your proxy.
- Check your real IP by searching “What is my IP?” on Google.
- Write it down on a notepad.
- Turn on your VPN or enable your proxy.
- Do an IP leak test to see if your real IP is showing.
A high-quality VPN should have IP leak protection and a kill switch feature.
If your VPN provider has none of these, it’s better to switch to another brand.
3. Too Many Users in an IP
VPN or proxy providers offer shared IP addresses for their users. This is a common practice and is not a problem in itself.
However, if there are too many users sharing the same IP, YouTube TV marks it as a VPN or proxy.
Changing to another VPN server and being allocated a new IP can resolve this issue.
When it comes to proxies, buying a dedicated or private proxy can ensure you are not sharing an IP with anyone.
Best Proxies for YouTube TV
Only high-quality VPN or proxy services can circumvent anti-VPN measures on streaming platforms as popular as YouTube TV.
Here are some top recommendations for the best proxies you can use:
1. SmartProxy
| Price: $7.5/month – 3 dedicated IPs |
| 🔑 Key Features: |
SmartProxy offers a large pool of proxy IPs. It has 400K IP data center private proxies plus millions of residential IPs in the US.
This is perfect for circumventing YouTube TV’s geoblocking. It also has an IP replacement feature, so you can replace your purchased IP if you have issues.
2. IPBurger
| Price: $8/month – 1 dedicated IP $20/month – 1 fresh IP |
| 🔑 Key Features: |
IPBurger is another great source of private IPs. In fact, they are also offering “fresh” IPs.
These IPs passed a cool-down period and are 100% abuse-free.
3. HighProxies
| Price: $2.07/month – 1 private proxy |
| 🔑 Key Features: |
Dedicated proxies for media streaming are what make HighProxies stand out.
It is also one of the most affordable options, with just $2.07 monthly for a single proxy.
Top VPNs to Fix YouTube TV Proxy Detected Error
A VPN for YouTube TV should have all of these features: IP leak protection, kill-switch, 256-AES encryption, no logs, and multiple servers from different locations.
These are the VPN recommendations that have all of these features (and more):
1. NordVPN
Price: $3.29/month – 2-year plan plus 3 months free
Key Features:
- 1970+ US servers
- Malware protection
- High-speed connection for 4K streaming
- 30-day moneyback guarantee
NordVPN is one of the best VPN services on the market.
With more than 1,970 servers in the US alone, you will always have servers to connect to if the one you are using is blocked.
NordVPN can also unblock region-restricted content in different streaming apps. Other plans include a password manager, cloud storage, and a data breach scanner.
2. ExpressVPN
Price: $6.67/month – 1-year plan plus free months
Key Features:
- 16 US server locations
- Uses OpenVPN and IKEv2 encryption protocols
- 30-day moneyback guarantee
ExpressVPN is one of the oldest premium VPNs on the market, with a reputation for top-quality service.
You can expect fast speeds and a secure connection at its 16 US server locations.
It is more expensive than competitors, but you can never go wrong with an industry leader like ExpressVPN.
3. Surfshark
Price: $2.39/month – 2-year plan
Key Features:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- 30-day moneyback guarantee
- Surfshark Anti-virus
Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN with all the features necessary for YouTube TV streaming.
It has 600+ servers in the US and 3200+ servers worldwide. All plans include anti-malware and an ad blocker.
Another thing to note is that Surfshark has an unlimited simultaneous connection feature. This works well with higher YouTube TV plans with multiple devices.
Conclusion
The top VPN and proxy providers included in this article have proven to work on the most popular streaming services in the US, including YouTube TV.
Do not try your luck with any free VPN or proxy providers, as they are mostly abused. Using them involves security risks.
Stick to trusted providers to enjoy YouTube TV anywhere in the world.
FAQs
Why do I keep getting an error when signing up for YouTube TV?
One reason is that you may be using a brand account when signing up for YouTube TV. You have to switch to a personal account to fix this issue.
How to bypass YouTube TV location without VPN?
You can set up a proxy or use GPS-spoofing software. However, YouTube TV has strong anti-location spoofing measures, so this may not always work.
Is it okay to disable a proxy?
It depends on your purpose. If you want to stop hiding your real IP and connect to the internet normally, you can safely disable your proxy.
Timeline Of The Article
By Harsha Kiran
Harsha Kiran is the founder and innovator of Techjury.net. He started it as a personal passion project in 2019 to share expertise in internet marketing and experiences with gadgets and it soon turned into a full-scale tech blog with specialization in security, privacy, web dev, and cloud computing.