Hotstar not working with a VPN: 7 quick fixes
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Learn moreDisney+ Hotstar is one of the world’s most popular streaming services and is India’s main streaming platform. It offers more than 100K hours of content in 17 languages. So, it’s no wonder that Indian Hotstar also interests viewers from outside India.
However, due to geo-blocking, people cannot access Indian Hotstar. Even those who use a VPN struggle to connect to Hotstar India. The main reason is that their VPN does not have Indian servers. But another, often overlooked, reason is that their VPN is simply not good enough and gets detected by Disney+ Hotstar geo-trackers.
The solution to this problem really is quite simple. Upgrading to a better VPN proven to work in India will immediately solve the issue. For your convenience, our team reviewed 41 to determine which ones work best with Hotstar India, and here’s what we found out:
NordVPN is the best VPN to stream Indian Hotstar while maintaining user anonymity and taking advantage of Nord’s no-logs policy. But if the problem persists, check our guide below on how to fix it.
Why Hotstar might not work with a VPN?
Indian Hotstar not working with a VPN is something that can sometimes happen, especially if a weak VPN is used. Hotstar implements powerful IP detection mechanisms that block VPN usage. If your VPN is detected, you will encounter an error message: “Videos on www.hotstar.com/in are not available in the U.S.”
Here’s a list of all the reasons why India Hotstar might not work with a VPN:
- No Indian servers. If your VPN does not have servers in India, you will not be able to access the Indian Hotstar in any way.
- IP address blacklists. Due to the detection mechanisms that Hotstar implements, many VPN IP addresses are blacklisted. Streaming services often collaborate with GeoIP databases to detect and recognize IP addresses, encompassing those associated with VPNs.
- Other types of IP blocking. If Hotstar detects rapid changes in IP addresses associated with your account sign-ins or observes numerous users connecting through a single IP, it may consider these activities suspicious and potentially block the related IP addresses.
- Wrong server. By connecting to a server outside of India, you won’t be able to access any of Hotstar’s content.
- Weak unblocking abilities. Not all VPNs are able to bypass geo-blocks. The most probable reason is that your chosen VPN provider comes with insufficient unblocking capabilities.
- Browser cookies. Cache and cookies collect and store information about your actual location. So, if you don’t delete them, they might reveal your location to the platform, which will then restrict your access.
- IP and DNS leaks. IP addresses and DNS queries include data about your location. Unfortunately, IP or DNS leaks might occur if your VPN fails. Therefore, Hotstar will be able to detect your VPN usage and prevent you from accessing the platform.
VPNs that work with Hotstar in 2024
Not all VPNs work with Hotstar India, so it can be quite a challenge to find one that does. For this reason, we have done the testing on 41 VPNs on the market and selected the top 3 VPNs that work with Hotstar India. Our tests were based on different criteria, such as the availability of servers in India, unblocking capabilities, security features, and more. Here are the best VPNs that unblock Hotstar:
- NordVPN – has 6700 servers worldwide and 10 virtual servers in India. Virtual servers ensure user anonymity in spite of government regulations and can successfully unblock Hotstar India and other streaming services.
- Surfshark – with 50 virtual servers in India, Surfshark maintains user privacy and unblocks access to all Indian streaming services, including Indian Disney+ Hotstar.
- ExpressVPN – this highly secure VPN has two virtual servers in Chennai and New Delhi that protect its users’ privacy while still permitting access to Indian Hotstar’s content library.
Hotstar not working with a VPN: 7 ways to fix it
Now that you are familiar with the reasons why Hotstar is not working with a VPN, it’s time to reveal the seven quick fixes. Thanks to these tips, you will be able to overcome your issue in no time. Let’s get into more details:
Switch VPN servers
Change the server location on your VPN to one in India if you haven’t already done so. If you have, disconnect and reconnect again to change the IP address, as it might be that the current IP address is blacklisted by Hotstar.
Try different VPN protocols
VPN protocols ensure that you have fast data transmission and stable encryption. However, sometimes, the default protocol of your VPN might not be able to unblock Hotstar. Try experimenting with different VPN protocols to see if it works. Here’s an example with NordVPN:
- Open the NordVPN app and go to Settings
- Expand Connections to find all of the available protocols
- Try different options to see which one would help unblock Indian Hotstar
Clear the browser’s cache and cookies
Cookies and cache help you see the content you might be interested in, but they also store data related to your geo-location that can reveal your actual location. You can manually delete your browser’s cookies and cache:
- Open the browser you’re using and click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner (we used Chrome for our tests)
- Navigate to More Tools and select Clear browsing data
- Click on All Time, which appears in the Time range drop-down menu
- Check all boxes, like Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files
- Confirm by clicking Clear data
Check for IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
DNS, IP, or WebRTC data can potentially prevent your access to Hotstar because they can reveal your actual location. You can check if IP or DNS leaks occur on websites like ipleak.net or dnsleaktest.com.
However, activating your VPN’s kill switch and other leak protection features is the best way to prevent such leaks.
- Go to your VPN settings
- Find the field about the Kill Switch
- Enable Kill Switch and other leak protection features
Contact VPN support
If none of these tricks work, you can always reach out to the VPN’s customer support. In our case, the 24/7 NordVPN’s customer support provides comprehensive live support around the clock. The expert team will help you and explain the steps you need to complete in order to access Hotstar. They can also update you on any ongoing server maintenance.
Update VPN software
Using a VPN with outdated software can cause many issues. It brings compatibility issues, preventing you from accessing Hotstar. Make sure you use the latest version of your VPN software. Updates may include improvements for bypassing VPN detection measures.
Upgrade to a reputable VPN
As you are aware, not all VPNs are capable of unblocking Hotstar India. It is likely that the VPN you are using at the moment is of lower quality and not capable of unblocking Hotstar. This is especially true for free VPN services, as they don’t usually have enough resources to upgrade their servers and IP address pools.
Make sure you use a reliable VPN provider with servers in India and strong unblocking and streaming capabilities. Our go-to choice for unblocking Indian Hotstar is NordVPN, as it has servers in India, robust streaming capabilities, and top-notch security features.
Conclusion
If you unsuccessfully tried to watch Indian Hostar, even with a VPN, the problem could be the VPN itself. After India implemented new regulations that reduced VPN user privacy, many providers left the country. And not all that remained are effective at accessing geo-restricted content.
Disney+ Hotstar is one of the most complex streaming platforms for VPNs to access, so only some providers are capable of unblocking its content libraries in other countries. That’s why it’s important to get a reliable VPN like NordVPN. It has no problems accessing geo-restricted content of any streaming platform. Its virtual servers in India not only maintain complete no-logs user privacy but can help you access the full Indian Hotstar content library.
Clearing cache or changing servers can also help access Hotstar India, but at the end of the day, the most effective method is to get a reliable VPN.
FAQs
Why is Hotstar not working with a VPN?
Hotstar is not working with a VPN due to the strong detection mechanisms it employs. Also, it may not work if you’ve selected the wrong server, there are IP or DNS leaks, and other reasons. It’s best to use a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, that will easily unblock Hotstar.
How can I make Hotstar not detect VPNs?
For Hotstar not to detect VPNs, use a reliable provider, such as NordVPN, that will hide your actual IP address. Having a VPN with robust security features will help you hide your browsing traffic. Make sure the kill switch is on to prevent any data leaks.
How to bypass Hotstar VPN detected?
To bypass the issue of a detected VPN, you need to make sure there are no IP leaks. Choose a VPN with great unblocking abilities, robust security features that will ensure your IP address stays hidden, and a big server fleet with servers in India. Our top choice is NordVPN.
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