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How to bypass Netflix password sharing restrictions


As of 2023, Netflix has ended free password sharing in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and other countries. You may have received a letter from them informing you about the changes. Or you have already been blocked from enjoying your favorite series while borrowing a Netflix account.

The situation is a real game-changer for most users, as now you’re forced to pay additional bucks for adding a new Netflix member to the account. But you can also use other ways to bypass these Netflix password sharing restrictions, even without spending a penny.

The most effective and reliable Netflix password sharing workaround is to get NordVPN and enable the Meshnet feature. It can link up to 60 devices at once and helps you trick Netflix for free. But to find out why NordVPN Meshnet is the top solution, and what other ways are there that help bypass Netflix password sharing ban, continue reading the article.

How to bypass the Netflix password sharing ban

Bypass Netflix password sharing ban
  1. Sign up for NordVPN. You can either use Meshnet for free or get a NordVPN subscription at 72% OFF.
  2. Download and install the application.
  3. Enable the Meshnet feature.
  4. Send the Meshnet invitation to your friend through email or simply enable Meshnet on other devices in your household, and they will be connected automatically.
  5. Open Netflix and use it, as there are no password sharing restrictions!

How does the Netflix password sharing ban work?

Currently, the Netflix password sharing ban limits the use of the account for one, two, or four smart TVs and streaming devices simultaneously, and all the active screens must be located in the same household. The only Netflix-approved way of sharing the same account with members outside of your household is by getting a sub-account for an extra $7.99 monthly charge.

As for now, Netflix password sharing restrictions apply for over 100 countries, including the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, as well as Brazil.

To find out whether you’re sharing your Netflix account with members outside your network connection, Netflix will monitor for digital footprints, including:

  • IP address
  • Device’s ID
  • Location of your home
  • Netflix account’s activity information

Clearly, quite a lot of personal information is collected. Therefore, we recommend using a robust VPN to regain your online privacy while enjoying Netflix content in the USA, New Zealand, Spain, or another country with a password sharing ban.

Fortunately, Netflix doesn’t charge you for sharing your account with your friends yet. The person using the streaming device outside your household has to enter the four-digit verification code, sent to the primary email address or phone number within 15 minutes. If this isn’t done, the outside user will be simply blocked from accessing the account with the message saying, “This TV is connected to the primary location for this account.”

In the meantime, primary Netflix account users don’t need to verify themselves when accessing the account unless they are staying outside their homes for longer.

Ways to bypass the Netflix password sharing ban – detailed guide

Yes, buying a sub-account for an existing Netflix account is a legitimate way to bypass the Netflix sharing ban. But there are other ways to bypass the ban too. And they don’t require spending your money.

The additional methods include using NordVPN’s Meshnet, which aligns your and your friend’s IP addresses, logging to Netflix for the first time from the primary household network, and watching Netflix content on devices other than smart TVs or streaming gadgets.

Continue reading and explore four effective ways to continue sharing your Netflix membership with your friends and colleagues.

1. Purchase additional user accounts

Purchasing additional Netflix user accounts, or so-called sub-accounts, is a way of bypassing Netflix password sharing restrictions without going against the broadcaster’s terms and conditions. As adding sub-accounts is a method delivered by Netflix itself, you wouldn’t need to worry whether the solution will help you and won’t cause any trouble.

While it sounds like a method with guaranteed success, the downside is that you’d need to pay for an extra member $7.99 each month. This sum of cash is enough to get an additional streaming service subscription, for instance, Hulu.

Additionally, the sub-account option isn’t available for all Netflix subscriptions. You can only add a member to the priciest Standard and Premium plans. And what’s worse is that Standard plan owners are allowed to add up to one sub-account. Basically, Netflix is doing its best to force you into getting a completely new subscription and paying the full price for it.

2. Use NordVPN Meshnet

One of the most reputable VPNs on the market – NordVPN – offers all of its paid users and non-users the possibility to use a free Meshnet feature. With it, your Netflix account users can mimic their IP address with yours and trick Netflix into thinking that you are all streaming from the same location. The feature is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.

Here’s how to get and use Meshnet to get around Netflix password sharing ban:

  1. Head to the official NordVPN website or look for it on the app store. download NordVPN from the web
  2. Download and install the application on your device.
  3. Create or log in to your NordVPN account. Sign up for NordVPN
  4. Locate the Meshnet icon, which is four dots connected into a square.
  5. Enable the Meshnet.
  6. Complete reading the details about the feature and select Turn on Meshnet. Enable Meshnet on NordVPN app
  7. Locate the Link devices option and click on it. Link devices with Meshnet
  8. Select the Invite button next to Link external device.
  9. Enter the email address of an invite recipient and apply the permissions you want for the user’s device.
  10. Once the recipient accepts the invitation, you will share the same IP address. And this is when you can head to Netflix and enjoy the same account without extra charge.

Overall, the method is quick and easy. You can add up to 60 devices either in or outside your household. If anything goes wrong, NordVPN has 24/7 customer support, available through live chat and email.

3. Don’t stream via smart TVs and streaming devices

Thanks to the overlooked gap in Netflix’s policy, only smart TVs and streaming devices, like Roku or Fire Stick, are being monitored for sharing a user’s account outside the household. Meaning, connecting to a shared Netflix account via a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone allows you to get around the Netflix password sharing ban.

It’s no secret that watching episodes of “You,” “Manifest,” and other popular TV series on a big screen is much more flattering than watching them over an iPhone. Nevertheless, not everything is lost, as you can cast your computer’s or phone’s screen to your smart TV. Or you could also use the HDMI cable.

4. Log in using the Netflix account owner’s Wi-Fi

Another solution to bypassing Netflix account sharing restrictions is not permanent but effective. Since Netflix doesn’t vigilantly track the users that share the same network connection, you can simply head to the account owner’s home and log in to Netflix using the primary Wi-Fi connection.

Of course, it might come at the moment when you may need to re-login to the account. But as far as you are logged in, you should be able to enjoy streaming Netflix US or even other countries’ Netflix libraries without issues.

How does Netflix define household?

Netflix’s password sharing policy identifies households as “you and the people you live with.” This is also the error message that the shared account users outside the household receive in the US while trying to log in. Indeed, while fitting Netflix’s household approach, there should be no problem in using the same Netflix subscription for several people.

However, the streaming service doesn’t forbid using the account while traveling (as long as you fit the allowed screens’ number per subscription), nor does downloading films and TV shows rules change. This also means that logging into the Netflix account using the primary Wi-Fi connection can help you continue sharing the account with outside people.

The Netflix crackdown has intensified the surveillance of account activity, including password sharing. Therefore, next to the main monitored information, which is the IP address, there are additional details that the company looks after. Now, Netflix collects your device’s ID and the location of your home.

Luckily, you can make it seem as if your friends do live in the same household. To do so, you may use the NordVPN Meshnet feature, which mimics the same IP address across up to 60 devices simultaneously. Tracking IP addresses is the main aspect that Netflix relies on. So, having the same IP people with whom you share your account will make the streaming service think that everything is fine and nothing is against the law.

But speaking of the laws, the sad news is that password sharing on Netflix is considered a breach of the service’s terms and conditions. In the UK, for example, this is also a crime, as the Intellectual Property Office sees this as copyright-law violence.

Highlights of the new Netflix password sharing policy

As of May 2023, Netflix has upgraded its password sharing policy, and the most radical change surrounds US citizens. While this restriction has already been applied to over 100 countries previously, Netflix has tightened up the process now.

Below, you can find the message that Netflix uses to inform US residents about the changes in the password sharing policy:

Netflix password sharing policy update in the US
Netflix account sharing policy update

Here are the key Netflix password sharing policy details as of today:

  • The USA is the new target of Netflix. Just several months after Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal had to come across the new Netflix account sharing rules, the US was forced to join the group and begin using Netflix individually or with the household only.
  • Household definition. Right when password sharing policy has been upgraded, Netflix has clearly defined what the household is in its eyes. Simply put, it’s “you and the people you live with.” Meaning, anyone having different IP addresses than yours won’t be able to continue using the shared account unless they are using a method for bypassing the password sharing ban.
  • Buying sub-accounts. For those who don’t want to pay for the separate Netflix subscription yet (the cheapest Stadart with ads plan costs $6.99/month) and wish to continue sharing an account with friends, Netflix offers to get a sub-account. First, the monthly price is $7.99 per user. Second, only the priciest subscriptions have the honor to use it. Finally, those paying $15.49 a month for the Standard plan can add only one additional member. Meanwhile, Premium users can add up to two sub-accounts. Seemingly, even additional income doesn’t satisfy Netflix to the fullest until new subscriptions are bought.
  • Profile transferring. If buying a sub-account doesn’t seem like an option to you and you decide to get your own subscription, Netflix generously allows you to transfer your already existing profile to a new account. This is the way not to lose track of what you have watched already and which episode you are on your currently top TV show.

Is Netflix password sharing illegal?

Yes, technically, Netflix password sharing is illegal. However, the law hasn’t been escalated by Netflix itself, as back in 2016, the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that password sharing is a crime with reference to Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. And that’s the US case only. For example, in the United Kingdom, the Intellectual Property Office has also released a law forbidding password sharing due to a breach of copyright law.

However, should you be worried about going to jail or even getting penalized for giving your Netflix password to anyone who doesn’t live with you? Netflix stopping password sharing is a real thing, and it raises an abundance of frustration around the globe. The good thing is that the streaming service provider isn’t likely to bother spending time in court with thousands of users for going against the company’s password sharing policy.

So, even though Netflix loses around $500 million a year over people sharing their passwords, the company doesn’t seem to sue anyone over that yet. Instead, they update their policy and deliver new ways of technically restricting you from sharing your password.

Can you still access different libraries with a VPN?

Yes, you still can access different Netflix libraries with a VPN. In fact, using a VPN for Netflix was never supported by the streaming platform itself. So, basically, using a VPN to unblock different Netflix libraries is a breach of the company’s terms and conditions.

But is breaching the company’s terms and conditions stopping someone from going for what they want with the help of a VPN? Perhaps some, but not all. Putting it all together, nothing has changed in terms of VPN use for Netflix. You may still unblock Netflix Japan while staying in the US and vice versa.

Final thoughts

Netflix banning password sharing for US residents as well as other countries, has definitely impacted the satisfaction level of users globally. And while this Netflix’s move towards bigger income and increased number of new legitimate users isn’t fully understandable for us, simple human beings, the password sharing ban isn’t going anywhere for now. Fortunately, you don’t have to commit to the policy fully, and you can get around the ban.

You may simply ditch streaming Netflix on a smart TV or via a streaming device and avoid password sharing restrictions this way. Or you can also log in to your Netflix account using the primary Wi-Fi connection and the IP address.

Yet, the most effective way is to use the free NordVPN Meshnet feature and align your IP address with anyone who is using your Netflix password. Moreover, you can get a NordVPN subscription and use its extensive server fleet to unblock foreign Netflix libraries too!

FAQ

Comments

Peron bakr
prefix 1 year ago
I love NordVPN, but...

When I use Nord with Netflix, long before you get to Meshnet, Netflix stops working with, "VPN detected. Please turn off VPN to continue."
Cybernews Team
prefix 1 year ago
Hi there! Netflix actively blocks VPN connections in order to enforce regional restrictions on its content. To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following: switch to a different NordVPN server (Netflix employs advanced techniques to detect and block known VPN IP addresses, so by switching to a different server within NordVPN's network, you may be able to bypass Netflix's detection and access the desired content), clear browser cache and cookies (sometimes, Netflix can detect VPN usage based on stored data in your browser, so clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help remove any traces of VPN activity and may allow you to stream Netflix content without interruption), update NordVPN app. Hope this helps you to access Netflix!
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