The Easiest Ways to Watch Blocked YouTube Videos

On April 23, 2005, the first ever video was uploaded to YouTube. Today, almost exactly 16 years later, the platform sees more than two billion unique visitors each month, with 500 hours of new content uploaded every minute. YouTube is also the second most popular website in the world, after Google. Visitors can find videos for almost everything, from cute pet videos to pranks, and even TV shows and movies. But, sometimes, all the fun comes to an end when you stumble across content that isn’t available in your country. It’s one of the most frustrating things that can happen to video watchers. Fortunately, there are a few ways to access blocked YouTube videos:

• Why is content blocked?
• Use a VPN
• Try Tor
• Connect with a proxy

Why is Content Blocked?

Before you try to unblock YouTube videos, it can be helpful to understand why they’re blocked. In general, there are two reasons:

1. Copyrights. If a video contains content that has been legally licensed, the owner may choose to restrict its use or visibility in certain regions of the world. Likewise, YouTube may also remove content not licensed in specific regions.
2. Laws. Some countries have strict laws surrounding what is and is not allowed to be viewed. If a video on YouTube violates one of those laws, it may be blocked. 

Use a VPN

The most effective way to watch blocked YouTube videos is with a VPN. Short for “virtual private network,” VPNs do two things. First, they route your internet traffic through one of their own servers, which changes your apparent location. This feature is the one that unblocks YouTube videos; by picking a server in an area where the video is not blocked, you’ll be able to trick the platform into granting you access.

The second thing VPNs do is encrypt your online activity. This keeps your browsing private from prying eyes so no one can snoop on the videos you’re watching. 

In addition to helping you watch blocked YouTube videos, VPNs can do a lot more, which you can read about here.

Try Tor

Tor is a global private browsing option for people who want to hide their IP address (which is the tool YouTube uses to know where in the world you’re watching videos from). In essence, Tor takes your internet activity, routes it through servers around the world so it can’t be traced, and can return it to you from a server in any region of your choosing (thus unblocking YouTube content). Although Tor can unblock YouTube and increase your privacy online, it’s a less convenient option than a VPN. The service is slow and tricky to set up, and often more hassle than it’s worth.

Connect with a Proxy

Proxies allow you to funnel your internet traffic through one of their own servers elsewhere in the world. This feature hides your IP address from YouTube, so the platform doesn’t know it should block content from you. Unfortunately, proxies should only be used as a last resort option for watching blocked YouTube videos. They don’t encrypt your data (so if you’re breaking censorship or copyright laws, you can easily be caught), and may even collect your data. In addition, many proxies are slower than VPN services, which can result in video lag or an unstable connection.

There are lots of methods people can use to unblock YouTube videos. VPNs, Tor, and proxies are all possible options. However, these tools are not all created equal. Proxies are slow and don’t protect your privacy (they may even invade your privacy). Tor does protect your privacy, but it’s complicated to use and also slow. VPNs, meanwhile, unblock YouTube videos, encrypt your data, work quickly, and are easy to use. When it comes to watching blocked content, a good VPN is the undisputed champion. 

You can use one with these easy steps:

1. Pick a VPN of your choice. We recommend HotBot VPN for its fast speeds, high-quality encryption, and affordable price.
2. Download the VPN onto the device(s) you want to use.
3. Pick a server in a location of your choice and click “connect.”
4. Enjoy YouTube anywhere in the world.