YouTube may be blocked for multiple reasons; individual videos are sometimes region-blocked in some countries. While the entire YouTube website is blocked in some countries, or if you are trying to access it over some workplace networks. Don’t you worry, as I will help you know how to get around all of these blocks.
The easy and short answer is to use a VPN or Proxy
The simplest solution I can give you is to use a proxy or virtual private network to get around YouTube blocks, and not just YouTube but other blocks, for that matter. For proxies, you could use Hide.me’s proxy.
If you are searching for a VPN that suits you better, you can look at our guide on the top VPNs on the market.
So, why Is YouTube Blocked?
There could be several reasons why YouTube is blocked. However, the reasons, broadly speaking, fall into two major categories: either the whole site is blocked, or just a specific video is blocked. If it is a site-wide block, it is generally a result of internet censorship by your government. Or, more likely, as a result of your network administrator blocking the site, whoever runs the network you are on is responsible for the blocking.
YouTube is considered subversive by certain governments, due to which they have blocked access to YouTube. As much as I know, China, Iran, as well as Russia currently have a ban in place, though it is likely there are several more countries that have enforced similar restrictions.
On the slightly less oppressive but not less annoying are the blocks set by your employer, school, or university. These are usually in place to prevent the users from getting distracted or wasting time, especially when it is time your employer pays for. So, yes, you may argue that blasting your favorite playlist over headphones helps you be more productive. However, not all network administrators will be open to that argument.
Are the Individual Videos blocked?
There are times when the YouTube website as a whole is working fine; however, it is a specific video you can’t watch. When you try to access a video, instead of moving pictures, you will be able to see a message saying the video has been blocked for some particular reason.
The reason that a specific video could be blocked can be due to copyright reasons; however, there is also a chance that the user didn’t want a video to be available in certain countries or even one where a government asked YouTube to block access, which YouTube is happy enough to comply with. Well, no matter what the case is, if you need to somehow get around that block, you can do so by using the tools mentioned.
I want to Unblock YouTube: Do I Use Proxy or VPN?
As mentioned earlier, there are two different tools you can use to get around these YouTube blocks: proxies and VPNs. There are as well, for example, Shadowsocks, SSH tunnels, and Tor; however, you generally require a little more know-how to use these. So let’s leave them out of consideration for this article.
When you have to choose between a VPN or a proxy to watch YouTube, the rule is that if security is not a significant concern for you, then a proxy works just fine. There is no need to pay for a VPN without consequences. However, suppose you are caught using the proxy; rest assured, as most proxies do an excellent job of getting you through the blocks on YouTube.
However, if you are dealing with something serious, such as the kind of censorship in China, a VPN is your best bet. The blocks in places like China are more brutal to get around; you could get in trouble for trying to work around them. A VPN should be able to protect you in such cases better.
How to Use a Proxy to Unblock YouTube?
Of the two options, proxies are the simplest to use: all you must do is visit the proxy’s site, say you see Hide. Me; in the address bar, you must fill in where you wish to go and via which country. Say a video is blocked for you in the UK; you could try a server in the Netherlands or Germany.
The proxy will then reroute your connection via the country you selected, then you should, in most cases, be able to watch the video you wish. In most cases, simple blocks, for example, the blocks put up by schools and companies, will not actively scan for proxy connections, so you should not be facing any issues.
How to Unblock YouTube with a VPN?
However, if you are stuck behind a more severe block, for example, the one put up by a government censor or a particularly zealous network administrator, a proxy will not work for you; you will have to use a VPN. A VPN will reroute and encrypt your connection, thus making it easier to bypass the blocks.
The upside of using VPNs, besides YouTube is that you will be able to unlock all kinds of other streaming sites, as well. For example, Netflix. Other VPN benefits include torrent files with more privacy and getting rid of any censors trying to keep you from reading the news.
The only downside to VPNs is that they cost money, or at least most of them do, if you wish to have a good experience. If you decide that you want to try VPNs, you should check out our guide to selecting between Nord VPN and Express VPN, the top VPN options dominating the market, to better understand which one you need to choose for your needs. No matter which one you prefer, you can watch what you want on YouTube.
If you liked this article (or if it helped), leave a comment below or share it with friends, so they can also know how to unblock YouTube.
