How to fix Netflix proxy error (netflix.com/proxy)?

Netflix shows this message when its servers see a VPN, proxy or unblocker between your device and Netflix. The cause is often a VPN you forgot, a VPN inside your security suite, or a proxy set in Windows. Find what is switched on and turn it off.

Facts checked on 16 October 2026. Steps written for Steps checked against the Netflix Help Center pages on the VPN or proxy message and on watching through a VPN, and the Microsoft Support page on proxy servers in Windows.

What the Netflix proxy error means and why netflix.com/proxy appears

When Netflix cannot trust where a connection comes from, it stops playback and shows a message. The wording is: "You seem to be using a VPN or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again." Netflix gives the error code E106 for it. Older versions of the page said "Whoops, something went wrong. Streaming error. You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy."

A VPN or proxy makes your device or network look as if it connects from somewhere other than your real place. Netflix reads that mismatch and blocks the stream. The page netflix.com/proxy is the Netflix address that shows this notice, so searches such as netflix.com proxy and netflix proxy lead to the same problem.

• You did not mean to use a VPN: a VPN app, a browser extension or a feature in your antivirus is still on. Fixes 1 and 2 find it.
• Your PC or router sends traffic through a proxy: Windows can use a proxy server set by you, by a program or by your workplace. Fix 3 checks it.
• Your internet provider assigns an address Netflix does not match to your home: this is rare and needs your provider (Fix 7).

This guide fixes the error by removing the VPN or proxy that Netflix detects. It does not list ways to hide a VPN from Netflix. Netflix states that VPNs are not supported for live events or on an ad-supported plan, and that with a VPN you may only see titles it licenses worldwide. If you want your own country's library, turn the VPN off.

Why Netflix thinks you are behind a VPN or proxy

The causes below are ordered from the most common to the rarest, each with the fix that removes it. Netflix does not publish how it detects a VPN, so this list comes from its help pages and from what the settings on your own device can change.

How to fix the Netflix proxy error

Fixes 1 and 2 solve most cases because they find and remove the VPN. Fix 3 covers the Windows proxy, and Fix 4 the plan. Fixes 5 and 6 repair network settings, and Fix 7 is for your internet provider.

Fix 1. Check with fast.com whether Netflix sees a VPN

3 minutesNo riskYou are not sure whether a VPN or proxy is on, or you never set one up on purpose.

Fast.com is run by Netflix and shows the country Netflix sees for your connection. If that country is not yours, something between you and Netflix changes your address.

1. Open a web browser on a device that is on the same network as the device with the error.
2. Go to fast.com. Netflix starts a connection test.
3. When the test stops, select Show more info.
4. Write down the country next to Client, and the IP address.
5. Compare the country with the place where you really are.

Fix 2. Turn off every VPN, including the hidden ones

10 minutesNo riskfast.com shows the wrong country, or a VPN app, extension or security suite is installed on the device.

Netflix asks you to turn off VPN services. Several things can run a VPN at once: an app, a browser extension, a feature of your antivirus and a router. One left on is enough to trigger the error.

1. Open your VPN app and disconnect. Close the app from the system tray (the arrow near the clock), or quit it.
2. In your browser, open the extensions page and turn off every VPN or proxy extension. In Chrome and Edge, open Extensions from the menu. In Firefox, open Add-ons and themes.
3. Open your antivirus or security suite and look for a section called VPN, Secure connection or Privacy. Netflix notes that some antivirus software comes with a VPN that may be on. Turn it off there.
4. Check your router and any second PC for a VPN client that covers the whole network. Netflix cannot help you turn a VPN off, so ask your VPN provider or whoever manages the network.
5. Open fast.com again and confirm that Client now shows your real country.
6. Close Netflix completely, open it again and press play.

Fix 3. Turn off the proxy server in Windows

5 minutesLow riskA work or school PC, an old proxy tool, or a program that changed network settings and was removed.

Windows can send web traffic through a proxy server, set automatically, by a script or by hand. If that proxy sits in another country or is used by many people, Netflix sees its address and not yours.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy.
2. Under Manual proxy setup, next to Use a proxy server, select Set up.
3. In the Edit proxy server dialog box, turn Use a proxy server off and select Save.
4. Under Automatic proxy setup, turn Use setup script off unless your workplace gave you the script address.
5. Keep Automatically detect settings as it was, then restart the browser or the Netflix app and test.

Fix 4. Check your Netflix plan

3 minutesNo riskYou use a plan with ads, or you watch live events, and a VPN is part of your setup on any device.

Netflix says VPNs are not supported on ad-supported plans or for live events. On those, even a VPN you think is off on one device can still trigger the error from another device on the same account.

1. Sign in on the Netflix website and open your Account page.
2. Open Plan details and read the name of your plan.
3. If it is an ad-supported plan, make sure no device on your network uses a VPN while you watch.
4. If you want to keep using a VPN for other things, use it on a device you do not stream from.

Fix 5. Restart the router and use your provider's DNS

10 minutesLow riskThe error appears on every device at home, or a custom DNS service was set on the PC or the router.

Netflix says network settings on a device, modem or router can cause the error. Netflix also tells providers to confirm that a connection uses their own DNS server, so a custom DNS is worth undoing.

1. Check that the internet works at all with How to check your internet connection in Windows.
2. Unplug the modem and router, wait 30 seconds and plug them in again. Wait until the lights are steady.
3. On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then your connection, and next to DNS server assignment select Edit.
4. Choose Automatic (DHCP), then select Save. On Windows 10, open Settings > Network & Internet > Change adapter options and set the IPv4 DNS to obtain automatically.
5. Restart the Netflix app or browser and test again.

Fix 6. Reset the network settings on the device

15 minutesRead the warningThe VPN is off, fast.com looks right or wrong, and only one device keeps the error after a router restart.

Netflix lists resetting the network settings on the device as a step when network settings are the cause. A VPN client can leave network filters behind, and a reset returns the stack to its defaults.

1. Follow Reset the network and flush DNS. Start with the commands and use the full network reset last.
2. Restart the PC when it asks.
3. Join your Wi-Fi again and do not start the VPN.
4. Open Netflix and press play.

Fix 7. Contact your internet provider with the right details

15 minutesNo riskEvery VPN and proxy is off, fast.com shows your real country, and the error stays on every device.

If your provider's address for your home does not match your real location, only the provider and Netflix together can fix it. Netflix gives a clear order for that call.

1. On fast.com, select Show more info and write down the country and the IP address next to Client.
2. Call your provider and describe the problem and the steps you have already tried.
3. Give the country and IP address, and ask them to confirm that these match the location and address assigned to your home.
4. If they match, ask the provider to contact Netflix customer service directly.
5. If they do not match, ask the provider to confirm that your connection uses their DNS server, and to help you switch to it if it does not.

Still seeing the proxy message: what to check and what to send

When every fix fails, collect facts before you contact anyone. Open fast.com on a device on the same network and write down the country and the IP address next to Client. Note the exact text of the message, and whether it also shows the code E106.

• fast.com shows the wrong country: something still changes your address. Check the router, a second PC and a hotspot sharing app, then ask your VPN or internet provider.
• fast.com shows the right country: tell Netflix and your provider both facts. Netflix says the provider may need to contact Netflix directly.
• Only the TV, console or phone shows it: repeat Fix 2 on that device and restart it, because its VPN app or private DNS setting is separate from your PC.
• Only a work network shows it: ask the network administrator whether traffic goes through a proxy.

Write the details down in this form before you contact anyone.

Error: You seem to be using a VPN or proxy (E106)
fast.com Client country: <country>
fast.com IP address: <address>
VPN or proxy turned off: yes
Plan: with ads / without ads

Keep the details short and exact. A support agent who sees the country, the IP address and the steps you took can send the case to the right team at once.

How to keep the Netflix proxy error from coming back

Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025. These checks still work on Windows 10 22H2, but a move to Windows 11 is the safer long-term choice. Keep the router firmware up to date as well.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Netflix proxy error "You seem to be using a VPN or proxy" mean?

It means Netflix sees a connection that looks like it comes from somewhere other than your real location. A VPN, a proxy server or a similar service is usually the reason. Netflix gives it the error code E106 and asks you to turn off these services and try again. Start by opening fast.com and checking which country shows next to Client (Fix 1), then turn off every VPN on the device and the network (Fix 2).

What is netflix.com/proxy?

It is the Netflix address of the page that tells you the connection looks like a VPN or proxy. People land on it from the app or from a link, then search for netflix.com/proxy, netflix.com proxy or netflix proxy to find out why. The page is not a virus and not a different site. The fix is to remove the VPN or proxy that Netflix detects, starting with Fix 1.

How do I fix the Netflix proxy error?

Turn off every VPN and proxy, then test again. First use fast.com to see the country Netflix assigns to your connection. Then disconnect VPN apps, remove browser extensions that act as VPNs, check the security suite for a built-in VPN, and turn off the proxy in Windows settings. If this does not help, restart the router and reset the network settings, then contact your internet provider with the fast.com details.

How do I bypass the Netflix proxy error?

This guide does not describe ways to hide a VPN from Netflix. Netflix states that VPNs are not supported for live events or on ad-supported plans, and that a VPN may restrict you to titles it licenses worldwide. The reliable way to remove the message is to turn the VPN off. If you need a VPN for other apps, switch it off only while you use Netflix.

I do not use a VPN. Why do I still get the error?

Something else can look like a VPN to Netflix. A security suite may include a VPN that starts on its own, a browser extension may route traffic, Windows may use a proxy, or a custom DNS on the router may be set. A work or school network can also use a proxy. Check each in turn with Fixes 2, 3 and 5, and compare fast.com with your real location.

Is Netflix error E106 the same as the proxy error?

Yes. Netflix's help page for the message "You seem to be using a VPN or proxy" says you may get the error code E106 or the message. The fixes are the same: find the VPN or proxy, turn it off, and test again. Older pages used the words unblocker or proxy for the same condition, so the steps in this guide cover both wordings.

Will a free VPN or a proxy extension work with Netflix?

There is no promise that any of them will. Netflix does not support VPNs for live events or ad-supported plans, and it states that it may restrict what you can see. Free tools also change their addresses often and can put your data at risk. If you see the proxy error, turn them off first, and do not rely on them for streaming.

Can I fix the Netflix proxy error on a smart TV or phone?

Yes. The checks are the same on every device. Turn off the VPN app on the phone or TV, remove any private DNS or custom DNS setting, and restart the device. Then check the router and other devices on the network, because a VPN there affects every screen. Use fast.com on a phone or PC to see what country Netflix assigns to the network.

When should I contact my internet provider or Netflix?

Contact them when every VPN and proxy is off, fast.com shows your real country, and the error stays on all devices. Give the provider the country and IP address from fast.com, and ask them to confirm they match your home. Netflix says the provider may need to work with Netflix directly, so ask them to contact Netflix customer service if the details match.