If ExpressVPN isn’t working on your Android TV, your Android TV isn’t faulty, ExpressVPN has had all of its servers blocked by the streaming service you’re trying to watch.
The good news is this can be easily fixed. All you need to do is follow the steps below to use a VPN on your Android TV again.
To find out why this happened and how you can prevent it from happening again, read on to the end of the article.
See also:
- Android TV not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (2023)
- How to watch US Netflix on Android TV: The EASY way! (2023)
ExpressVPN not working on Android TV: Fixes
To fix ExpressVPN not working on Android TV, try these fixes in order. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next one until you can use your Android TV with a VPN again.
Clean your Android TV cache/data
Cleaning your cache is essentially the “turn it off and turn it on again” solution for your Android TV apps.
If ExpressVPN has stopped working with your Android TV, the app may have run into an error that can be resolved by restarting the app.
Cleaning your cache will restore ExpressVPN to its factory settings. This could fix the error that’s making ExpressVPN not work.
Change to a different protocol
VPNs use different protocols. These are a set of rules that the VPN follows when providing you with an anonymous internet connection.
Some of these protocols prioritise security, while others prioritise speed.
ExpressVPN might not be working on Android TV because the protocol is no longer providing you with a secure connection.Change to a different protocol and see if that resolves the issue.
Reinstall ExpressVPN
While this isn’t the most glamourous solution, if it works, it works.
Reinstalling ExpressVPN will give you a fresh install of the app, and any errors your current installation may have could potentially be resolved.
Change to a different server
If ExpressVPN has suddenly stopped working on your Android TV, the service you’re trying to watch has probably blocked the IP address Express has given you.
Changing to a different server will give you a different IP address, and if that one hasn’t been blocked, ExpressVPN will work with your Android TV again.
Upgrade to a better VPN
If you’ve made it this far on the list, then, unfortunately, the service you’re trying to access with ExpressVPN has identified and blocked all the IP addresses ExpressVPN can provide.
This has happened because Express is no longer staying one step ahead of the service’s VPN blocking techniques.
From here, you can do one of two things, you can either wait for ExpressVPN to release IPs that haven’t been blocked. Or you can upgrade to a VPN that won’t run into these issues.
This isn’t a great solution because it could take a long time for ExpressVPN to get more IP addresses.
The easiest and best way to fix this issue is to upgrade to a better VPN. We recommendNordVPN ($3.79/month).
Why has ExpressVPN stopped working on Android TV?
The reason ExpressVPN has stopped working on your Android TV is because all of its IP addresses have been blocked by the streaming service you’re connecting to.
Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max constantly try to block ExpressVPN from accessing its service. It does this to avoid potential copyright and licensing issues.
Using a VPN could potentially result in these streaming services breaching the geo-based broadcast agreements they have with their content partners. These breaches could result in severe financial repercussions.
These repercussions are why streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and more, block ExpressVPN.
How do streaming services block ExpressVPN?
Streaming services cannot block ExpressVPN entirely. Only the IP addresses it provides.
They do this by monitoring for an abnormal amount of connections coming from the same IP address.
ExpressVPN is an incredibly popular VPN, and because of this, it has more customers than IP addresses. This discrepancy results in customers being forced to share IP addresses.
Normally, only a household of devices will share the same IP address (around 8-10 connections). When a streaming service identifies hundreds or thousands of connections coming from the same IP address, it knows that this is an IP that has been provided by ExpressVPN, and it blocks it.
Over time the streaming service is able to identify all of the IP addresses ExpressVPN can provide. And it’ll no longer work on your Android TV.
Do VPNs still work on Android TV?
The VPNs that still work on Android TV are the ones that have measures to get around the streaming service’s VPN blocks.
The best VPN for Android TV is NordVPN ($3.19/month).
When a streaming service blocks an IP address that has been provided by NordVPN ($3.19/month)it will close that IP and open a new one.
This will allow you to reliably use a VPN on your Android TV, and it ensures that you never run into issues with your Android TV again.
The best VPNs on Android TV
1. NordVPN $3.79/month
An incredibly fast and trustworthy VPN
- ✔Over 5,000 servers worldwide
- ✔6 simultaneous devices
- ✔Reliable customer service
- ✔Fast NordLynx protocol
- ✔Cybersec ad and tracker blocker
- ✔Easy to use interface
NordVPNis the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Read our full NordVPN review.
2. Private Internet Access $2.03/month
An affordable, reliable VPN
- ✔35,000 servers worldwide
- ✔Unlimited simultaneous devices
- ✔24/7 chat support
- ✔Servers in over 80 countries
- ✔MACE ad blocker included
- ✔Supports multiple protocols
Private Internet Accessis one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, MAX, Disney+ Amazon Prime, and many more.
Even better, it allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time. So you can share the account with all of your friends.
Read our full Private Internet Access review.
3. Ivacy $1.00/month
A trustworthy and affordable VPN
- ✔5700+ servers worldwide
- ✔10 simultaneous devices
- ✔24/7 customer support
- ✔Dedicated IP address option
- ✔Available on all major platforms
- ✔Great price
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.00/month) is a great option.
While it doesn’t do much more than the other VPNs on this list, the main attraction is the price. This is an affordable VPN that will allow you to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick. You’ll also be able to unlock other services like US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, MAX, Amazon Prime, etc. with ease.
Read our full Ivacy review.
4. CyberGhost $2.19/month
A solid VPN package
- ✔Deloitte verified no logs policy
- ✔Servers in 91 countries
- ✔7 simulatenous devices
- ✔Proprietary NoSpy servers
- ✔Multiple protocol options
- ✔Split tunneling support
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
It also offers NoSpy servers which are specially designed to provide an extra layer of security and privacy for users.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
