“Netflix says I’m using a VPN but I’m not”: what’s happening and what to send support
The error is about your IP address, not your device. Netflix’s own steps end with “contact your ISP”, so here is how to arrive with the right evidence.
On this page
Netflix shows the VPN or proxy message when the IP address your traffic comes from looks like one: a VPN, a proxy, iCloud Private Relay, or an address range that a database has classed as hosting or placed in another country. Check fast.com’s client country, turn off anything that relays your traffic, reset your network, and if it persists send your ISP your IP, country and the error.
What the message means
Netflix’s help page for the error is titled “Netflix says, ‘You seem to be using a VPN or proxy.’”[1] The decision is made from the address Netflix sees your connection coming from. If that address is known to belong to a VPN or proxy service, or looks like one, you get the message even if you never installed a VPN.
Netflix’s own checklist
The help page gives these steps, in this order:[1]
- Check whether a VPN is on. Open fast.com, look at the client country it shows, and confirm it matches where you are.
- Check your plan. Netflix notes that VPNs “aren’t supported” on an ad-supported plan.
- Reset your network settings. Turn off any VPN, reset the device’s network settings, and restore the modem or router to its defaults.
- Contact your ISP. Note the country and IP address that fast.com shows and ask your provider to confirm they match your home location and DNS settings.
Why a normal connection gets flagged
| Cause | How to tell | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| A relay you forgot about | iCloud Private Relay, a browser VPN or a privacy extension is on | Turn it off for the device you watch on |
| iCloud Private Relay specifically | Apple’s relay addresses are listed in Apple’s public egress list | Apple asks sites to treat them like large carrier NAT, not VPNs[2], but each service decides for itself |
| Carrier-grade NAT | Your router’s WAN address starts with 100.64 to 100.127 | Many customers share one public address[3]; ask your ISP |
| The range is classed as hosting or another country | Sources disagree on your country or network type | Your ISP’s geofeed and vendor corrections[4] |
Shared addresses deserve a word. Under carrier-grade NAT, your provider puts many homes behind one public address, using the shared range from RFC 6598 between you and their NAT.[3] If someone else behind the same address used a VPN-like pattern, the address can pick up a reputation that has nothing to do with you.
Check what your IP looks like
See the country and network each source gives your connection, and whether it is flagged as relay, hosting or Tor.
Open the Truth CheckWhat to send your ISP
Netflix tells you to contact your ISP, so give them something they can act on. Fill in the brackets with what the Truth Check or fast.com shows:
What not to try
- Don’t buy a VPN to fix it. A VPN makes the message more likely, not less.
- Don’t expect one fix for every service. Each streaming service runs its own detection. The ISP’s side (feeds and shared addresses) is the part that helps everywhere.
Sources
- Netflix says, “You seem to be using a VPN or proxy.” · Netflix Help CenterChecked 5 Oct 2026
- Prepare your network or web server for iCloud Private Relay · Apple DeveloperChecked 5 Oct 2026
- RFC 6598: IANA-Reserved IPv4 Prefix for Shared Address Space (Apr 2012) · IETF / RFC EditorChecked 5 Oct 2026
- RFC 8805: A Format for Self-Published IP Geolocation Feeds (Aug 2020) · IETF / RFC EditorChecked 5 Oct 2026