Disney+ Not Working With a VPN? How to Fix It
This guide is for people who live in the country of their Disney+ account and keep a VPN on at home for privacy, then find that the app or a title will not start. Work through the fixes in order, check the message on your screen against Disney+‘s own help pages, and then look at what other sites’ tests report about the VPN you use in your country.
Why does Disney+ block VPNs?
Disney+‘s help center does not explain how it spots a VPN, and we do not guess at it here. What it does say makes the pattern clear. Its page on where Disney+ is available says that “content availability may differ depending on your location,” and that “certain titles may be unavailable for streaming in selected countries/regions.” So Disney+ decides what you can watch by where it thinks you are, and that decision rests on your IP address.
A VPN replaces your own address with the server’s. Many people share each server’s address, and streaming services can recognize addresses that belong to VPN providers. Disney+‘s help page on its location error names this directly: it lists “Using a VPN or IP anonymizer” as one of the causes, next to trying to use Disney+ “from a country/region where service is currently unavailable.” That can happen even though you are at home and your subscription is paid up.
The same page tells viewers who see that error to turn the VPN off and restart the app. That is also the simplest test of all: if Disney+ plays with the VPN off and fails with it on, the server is the cause, and the fixes below are about finding a server and a setup that Disney+ accepts.
How do you fix Disney+ not working with a VPN?
Work through the steps in order, and try to play a title after each one so you know which step made the difference.
- Check that the VPN is the cause. Disconnect the VPN, restart the Disney+ app and play a title. If it plays, reconnect and carry on with the next step; if it still fails with the VPN off, the problem is elsewhere, and Disney+‘s help page for the error code on your screen is the place to start.
- Match the server to the country you live in. Connect to a server in the country where you live and where your Disney+ account is registered, not the nearest server in a neighboring country. Check that the VPN app shows that country before you open Disney+ again.
- Switch to another server in the same country. Disconnect, pick a different server or city in that country and reconnect. Confirm in the VPN app that the server name has changed, then restart Disney+ and play a title.
- Restart the app and the device. Disney+‘s own advice for its location error is to restart the app, and to power down or restart the device and then relaunch Disney+. In a browser, clear the cookies and cached files for the Disney+ site and sign in again. Then reopen Disney+ and play a title.
- Turn on leak protection or turn off IPv6. If your VPN app has a leak protection or IPv6 setting, turn it on; if it does not, turn off IPv6 in your device’s network settings. Then open an IP-lookup page and confirm that it shows only the VPN server’s address and country, not your own.
- Update the VPN app and the Disney+ app. Install the latest version of both from the provider or your app store, and update your browser if you watch on a computer. Check the version number in each app’s settings, then try a title again.
- Ask the VPN’s support team which servers work. Tell them that you use Disney+ in your own country and which servers you have tried. Some providers keep certain servers for streaming. Connect to the one they suggest and check that the app shows it before you play a title.
What do Disney+ error messages mean?
The messages below come from Disney+‘s own help center and are quoted as it prints them. A message reported on any other site is not listed.
| Message on screen | What it means | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| “Error Code 73: This content isn’t available to watch in your current location. If you are attempting to use a VPN or similar method to access Disney+, disable it and restart the app.” | Disney+ Help lists two causes: “Attempting to access Disney+ from a country/region where service is currently unavailable” and “Using a VPN or IP anonymizer” | Disney+ Help’s own steps: “If you are currently using a VPN or IP anonymizer, go to your device settings and disable it,” “Run an internet connection test,” and “Power down or restart your device, and then try relaunching the Disney+ app.” If you want the VPN on, try the server and leak fixes above first |
| “Something went wrong. Please try again. If the problem persists, visit the Disney+ Help Center (Error Code 83).” | Disney+ Help says this “is usually a device compatibility issue (e.g., older Fire TV Stick, Android TV) or connection error.” It does not name a VPN as a cause | Disney+ Help’s own steps include using “a supported device,” checking your internet connection, and relaunching the app or refreshing the site and trying the video again in a few minutes. If the error appears only with the VPN on, go back to the fixes above |
Error codes and their explanations as published by Disney+ Help Center (help.disneyplus.com/article/disneyplus-err…), read on .
Error codes and their explanations as published by Disney+ Help Center (help.disneyplus.com/article/disneyplus-err…), read on .
Which VPNs worked with Disney+ in published tests?
The tables list what other sites’ tests report, country by country, with each site’s name and date. Each result answers one question: were this VPN’s servers in that country blocked by Disney+ there? A VPN is marked as recommended only when at least two sources agree that Disney+ played and none reports a block. We have not run a spot check of our own on Disney+ yet. If you already pay for a VPN, jump to its rows: NordVPN, Surfshark, PureVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, IPVanish, Private Internet Access or Proton VPN.
In the US
Were each VPN's servers in the US blocked by Disney+ there? Every row is one source's own published result, credited and linked. Nothing is merged or averaged, and a result is only as current as its date.
RecommendedAt least two sources from the last 12 months, and the newest result of every one of them is a pass.
| VPN | Source | What it reported | Date | Test setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Safelyo | Played Disney+ played in the US at full resolution | article updated Oct 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| vpnMentor | Played Disney+ played reliably in the US, opening almost at once with no drops in quality | article updated Sep 2026 | not stated | |
| IPVanish | Safelyo | Played Disney+ played in HD in the US | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
| vpnMentor | Played They watched Disney+ from the US library while connected to an Atlanta server | article updated Aug 2026 | not stated |
Only one published testListed, not recommended: one source is not enough to go on, whatever it found.
| VPN | Source | What it reported | Date | Test setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CyberGhost | Safelyo | Played Disney+ US worked on a dedicated streaming server | article updated Nov 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| NordVPN | Safelyo | Played Disney+ played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors | article updated Nov 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| Private Internet Access | Safelyo | Played Disney+ US played in HD | article updated Nov 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| PureVPN | Safelyo | Played Disney+ US was unblocked on the first attempt | tested Oct 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| Surfshark | Safelyo | Played Disney+ US loaded on the first try | article updated Oct 2026 | run from Vietnam |
Country not statedThese sources name no country, so their results count toward no group above.
- CyberGhost · TechRadar (article updated Feb 2026): Disney+ worked
- CyberGhost · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- ExpressVPN · CNET (article updated Oct 2026): Disney+ unblocked
- NordVPN · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- Private Internet Access · CNET (article updated Oct 2026): On desktop, Disney+ detected the VPN and blocked the content; on Apple TV and Fire TV Stick the reviewer could watch it
- Private Internet Access · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- Proton VPN · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
In the UK
Were each VPN's servers in the UK blocked by Disney+ there? Every row is one source's own published result, credited and linked. Nothing is merged or averaged, and a result is only as current as its date.
RecommendedAt least two sources from the last 12 months, and the newest result of every one of them is a pass.
| VPN | Source | What it reported | Date | Test setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CyberGhost | Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
| vpnMentor | Played Disney+ UK streamed with ease | article updated Jun 2026 | not stated | |
| IPVanish | Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
| vpnMentor | Played A full episode played in HD with no lag on Disney+ UK through a London server | article updated Aug 2026 | not stated | |
| Proton VPN | Safelyo | Played Disney+ UK played in HD on the paid plan; the free plan has no UK servers | article updated Nov 2026 | run from Vietnam |
| Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked on the paid plan; the free plan did not | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
Only one published testListed, not recommended: one source is not enough to go on, whatever it found.
| VPN | Source | What it reported | Date | Test setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked | article updated Nov 2026 | not stated |
| NordVPN | Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
| Private Internet Access | Top10VPN | Played Disney+ UK worked | article updated Oct 2026 | not stated |
Country not statedThese sources name no country, so their results count toward no group above.
- CyberGhost · TechRadar (article updated Feb 2026): Disney+ worked
- CyberGhost · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- ExpressVPN · CNET (article updated Oct 2026): Disney+ unblocked
- NordVPN · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- Private Internet Access · CNET (article updated Oct 2026): On desktop, Disney+ detected the VPN and blocked the content; on Apple TV and Fire TV Stick the reviewer could watch it
- Private Internet Access · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- Proton VPN · vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
For what each provider offers beyond streaming, read our NordVPN review, Surfshark review and PureVPN review. If you watch on a laptop, our guides to the best VPNs for Windows and the best VPNs for Mac cover the desktop apps.
Does Disney+ allow VPNs?
Disney+‘s help center tells viewers who see its location error to disable a VPN or IP anonymizer and restart the app, and it says that what you can stream depends on your location. Read the Disney+ Subscriber Agreement for the country where your account is registered before you rely on a VPN.
This guide is written for subscribers who use a VPN in the country they live in to watch their own paid account. It does not cover reaching titles offered in other countries, and a VPN does not replace a Disney+ subscription. Nothing here is a promise that Disney+ will play with a VPN on; the service can block a server at any time, and turning the VPN off is always the fallback that Disney+ itself suggests.
FAQ
Why does Disney+ say you are using a VPN or proxy?
Disney+ has linked your IP address to a VPN or IP anonymizer, or to a place where the title is not available. Switching to another server in your own country gives you a different address and is the first thing to try.
Is it legal to use a VPN with Disney+?
Using a VPN is legal in most countries, but a streaming service can restrict it in its terms, and Disney+‘s help center asks viewers who see its location error to turn the VPN off. Read the Subscriber Agreement for your account’s country. This is general information, not legal advice.
Will a free VPN work with Disney+?
Free plans usually offer few servers and few countries, which leaves you fewer addresses to switch between when one is blocked. The tables above show each source’s own note, so check whether a result was for a paid or a free plan before you rely on it.
Does restarting the app really help?
It can. Disney+‘s own advice for its location error is to restart the app after turning off the VPN, and to power down or restart the device. The app may keep the location it saw before you connected, so restart it after every server change, not only when you turn the VPN off.
Should you turn the VPN off to watch Disney+?
That is what Disney+‘s help center suggests for its location error. If you want the VPN on for the rest of your browsing, try the server and leak fixes above first, and turn it off only while you watch if nothing else works.
Why does Disney+ work on one device but not another?
Each device and app stores its own sign-in and location data, and each may connect to a different VPN server or skip the VPN altogether. Disney+ also says some errors come from devices it does not support. Check that the VPN is on, connected to the same country and up to date on every device, then restart the app on the one that fails.