Spotify Proxies & VPN: How to Unblock Spotify in Restricted Countries
Spotify generally does not work with proxies. Most of the time you will get an error that says “You seem to be using a proxy service.
But it is possible (and much more efficient!) to unblock Spotify with a VPN instead.
- Click here to get ExpressVPN
- Install the app on your device
- Open the app, enter the logins you used to register the account
- Connect to a USA server
- Enjoy a fully unblocked Spotify
Important: Sometimes you may need to connect to a few different servers before one works. This is normal! Your success rate with a VPN will still be significantly great than with a proxy (approx. 90% with VPN and 5%-10% with proxy)
Where can I use Spotify?
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming apps, but it isn’t yet available in every country. While it is accessible in most countries in Europe, North and South America, availability in Africa and Asia is limited. Spotify currently isn’t available in some large countries including China, Pakistan and Russia.
The library of music available has geographical restrictions due to copyright agreements. As a result, the content you can listen to is limited by where in the world you are. This restriction may annoy you if you travel overseas and can no longer listen to your favorite music.
Nevertheless, employing a VPN, particularly ExpressVPN, can effectively unblock Spotify. By connecting to a server in the US, you can gain access to the platform, circumventing geographical limitations.
Although Spotify doesn’t officially endorse or block VPN users, premium VPN services such as ExpressVPN provide fast and reliable connections. They also offer dedicated customer support, assisting users in consistently accessing their preferred music streaming application.
How to use Spotify abroad?
For Premium subscribers, you can travel anywhere anytime without changing your Country. Just as long as you have a valid payment method, geographical restrictions do not apply.
The good news is that if you are on the Spotify Free Plan and traveling for a short period, you don’t need to do anything to use Spotify abroad. Every time you log in to Spotify using the app or the website, it saves your authentication details for up to 14 days on the device you are using.
If you then travel abroad, you can carry on accessing Spotify using the saved authentication credentials wherever you are in the world. When you next log in or when the 14 days are up, Spotify will check where you are.
Spotify Free Plan subscribers traveling abroad for more than 14 days will need to either change their country setting or log in to Spotify from a server in their home country to listen as if they were at home.
If you try to log in to Spotify from the Country in which you are traveling, Spotify will give the following error message:
“Your country does not match the one set in your profile.”
The big problem is if you try to log in to Spotify from a country where it isn’t supported. In this case, Spotify will give the following error message:
“Sign up to be the first in line when Spotify launches in [Country]
Spotify is currently not available in [Country]. Enter your email address to be first in line when we launch!”
This error is less than helpful when you want to carry on listening to the latest hits and your favorite tunes.
How does Spotify know where I am?
Like all internet services, Spotify can see from where in the world you’re accessing it. It does this by checking your public IP address and in what Country the IP address is registered.
How can I access Spotify from a restricted country?
If you’re on holiday or traveling abroad, you may not be allowed to listen to geo-blocked Spotify content that you would ordinarily be able to access. Also, sometimes the registration country of your IP address may be different from where you are, which can also cause access problems.
So, if you want access to all the Spotify content available in your country without being there, you’ll need to change your IP address to one registered in that country.
The same is true for unblocking Netflix and its full Netflix catalogue from outside the USA.
One way to change your IP address is by using a VPN. A VPN can help you access geo-blocked content by routing your internet connection through a server in a different country.
For example, using the best Netflix VPN can help you access the full Netflix catalogue from outside the USA.
How can I access Spotify content available in a different country?
So what if you’re in a country where Spotify is available, but the music content you want to listen to isn’t available? To access all the Spotify content available in a specific country without being there, you’ll need to change your IP address to one registered in that country.
Using a Proxy Server to unblock Spotify
A Proxy Server is a device that will disguise your IP address to make it look like it is from any other country of your choosing. While this may sound great, it will markedly slow down your internet connection.
Free proxy servers aren’t that good, because they will also overwhelm you with their adverts, and they may even monitor your internet browsing habits.
It is vital to consider that you should not use a proxy service if you need to enter payment details. The owner of the proxy server will be able to see exactly the information you type into the payment details fields, including your credit card number, CVC code, and your card’s expiration date.
All of this sounds good in theory, but a Spotify proxy seldom works these days. You won’t get Spotify unblocked even with a residential proxy. Like a data center proxy, these are also banned by Spotify.
A smart DNS, in-out experience also does not work anymore.
These days only a VPN service with solid VPN servers is capable of getting Spotify unblocked.
Using a VPN to unblock Spotify
A VPN is, in essence, a secure network that encrypts all the data that you send and receives through the internet and re-routes it from your normal ISP to a remote server.
A VPN makes it appear as though the physical location of your computer is in a different country, so circumventing any geo-content filtering won’t work.
Sounds too complicated? Well, it’s quite easy. You need to use a Virtual Private Network with servers in the country where Spotify works (not all do).
Spotify and VPN services
Spotify doesn’t officially block VPN users from accessing their content. However, Spotify doesn’t officially support the use of VPNs and so will not assist in the event of connection problems.
It is a common problem for VPN users to be unable to connect to the Spotify servers, especially users of free and non-premium VPN services.
The big premium VPN companies have a significant advantage over other VPN services as they have the resources to run many servers, each with hundreds or thousands of IP addresses.
The best VPN providers offer dedicated support to manage those times when users cannot access Spotify so you can get back to listening to your favorite music.
Also, it is not unknown that the use of a VPN causes the flagging of an account for suspicious activity that requires the user to change their password. While Spotify discourages VPN use, being found using a VPN won’t otherwise affect your account.
What’s the best VPN to use with Spotify?
Different VPN services focus on other areas of technology. Some will mainly focus on providing an ultra-secure way to connect to the internet and might not have many servers or IP addresses available.
In contrast, others have high-speed servers optimized for streaming, with thousands of IPs that remain fresh enough to stay ahead of any VPN blocking actions.
The best VPNs require no specialised expertise to set up and start using. ExpressVPN is one of the cheapest and best VPNs available, costing just $3.32 per month.
ExpressVPN is currently the best available VPN service for accessing Spotify. Their servers have fast, throttle-free access to Spotify streaming.
If you do see an error, ExpressVPN offers excellent online support. It also comes with a kill switch and a money-back guarantee.
Once you choose the right VPN, sign up for one of the subscription options available and download their software.
This straightforward process will take just a matter of minutes. We’ve provided simple instructions for getting started with ExpressVPN at the end of this page; give it a try.
Using ExpressVPN with Spotify
ExpressVPN is considered one of the very best VPN services out there. They have top-notch customer support, so any time a server stops working with Spotify, you can be sure they will get it up and running again quickly.
While all VPNs will slow down your internet speed, there’s nothing you or anyone else can do about that.
However, ExpressVPN has some of the fastest servers, and users rarely notice a difference. This service makes streaming Spotify music a direct experience.
ExpressVPN is superb because it works with laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Alternatively, you can run the ExpressVPN app on your router and connect to Spotify.
ExpressVPN is great at unblocking Spotify because it has a network of stealth servers that can avoid Spotify’s VPN detection.
ExpressVPN is also good at unblocking other services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Google Play, and other streaming service apps.
You can check out our companion guide on how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad for more information.
ExpressVPN also works great if you use it as a Stake VPN or as a DraftKings VPN service.
On the other hand, you should avoid using a free VPN because you will encounter the same problems as with proxy servers.
Cyberghost VPN is another good option and works with Spotify Premium as well. It has both an Android and iOS app.
Check this guide on VPN routers for more information about running your VPN on your router.
Troubleshooting Spotify VPN connection problems
If you aren’t allowed to install the ExpressVPN app on your computer, you must use the ExpressVPN Chrome or Firefox extension on your web browser.
If, after installing ExpressVPN or the browser extension, your network still blocks access to Spotify, try connecting to different servers until you find one that will work.
If in doubt, visit the ExpressVPN website and send a quick message to the live chat support available on their website. They will let you know the best server to use with Spotify.
If, after installing ExpressVPN or the browser extension, you still have issues accessing the Spotify app, then try one of these steps:
- Restart the Spotify app
- Log out and back in
- Make sure the app is up to date
- Check it’s not in Offline mode in the settings
- Check @SpotifyStatus for any service issues
- Reinstall the app
You can use a VPN for several things other than just unblocking Spotify. For example, you can use a VPN to unblock YouTube or watch Hulu from outside of the US.
If you are a fan of ITV but not located in the UK, then with the help of a VPN, you can also watch ITV in the USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some people found answers to these questions helpful
Will my Spotify account be banned for unblocking?
No. Spotify will not ban or block you from using its services. Essentially, you are using a service you have paid for from another location. However, some unblocking methods may not work with Spotify. If this is the case, you may not access your Spotify. You will need to switch to other reliable methods.
Is it illegal to access Spotify with a VPN?
No. A VPN generally is used to enhance your online security and privacy. Its other benefits include bypassing geo-restrictions and censorship. There’s nothing illegal with that. However, some governments may restrict the use of VPNs. You may be fined for using a VPN in those regions.
Why can’t I find Spotify in the app store?
Spotify is a geo-restricted service. Hence, it might not appear in your app store if unavailable in your region. To get Spotify, you must change your geo-location to a region where Spotify is available.
Why are some songs unplayable on Spotify?
Unplayable songs may be due to copyright issues and geo-restrictions. To gain access to the songs, you will have to change your geo-location to regions the songs are available. You can do this using various unblocking methods, such as VPNs.