The Roku smart TV platform is an affordable way to watch your favorite broadcast content in a central location – either built into TVs, or by adding affordable dongles or small boxes, like the new 2024 Roku Ultra, to older televisions. (Look for an Engadget review of that model soon.) One big advantage of the Roku platform is that it’s always getting free software updates to keep it up-to-date ā like a cool new feature that turns your TV into a kind of virtual art museum with displays. popular graphics as a screensaver. However, Roku is less adept when it comes to solving one common frustration of the streaming era: Not being able to access popular shows, movies and sporting events due to location restrictions.
Using a VPN is a common way to deal with this issue, but unlike Fire TV, Apple TV and other competitors, Roku systems do not have native VPN support. But that’s not the end of the story: You can still use a VPN to access a wide range of apps with Roku – you just need to use a workaround. We’ll show you how.
Benefits of using a VPN
When it comes to streaming, a VPN has one main advantage: changing your IP address ā a unique number that identifies the general location of the device and network you use to access the web. A VPN routes your connection through its servers to hide your IP, making it look like you’re watching somewhere else. As a result, a service like Netflix will see your location, for example, the United Kingdom versus the US. You will then have access to a different set of settings. For example, you need Max to stream Friends, The Big Bang Theory or Rick and Morty in the US, but all are available on Netflix in the UK.
VPNs have several other benefits related to privacy and security. VPN servers have military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, which means they are more secure than connecting to the Internet in general. Therefore, as you browse the Internet with a VPN on, your Internet service provider cannot see all your browsing locations (and sell your browsing habits to data brokers).
The easiest way to use a VPN on Roku
Although Roku doesn’t natively support VPNs, there are a few workarounds. You can, for example, set up a VPN on your home router. That allows you to protect every network and every device that connects to it, keeping everyone in your household anonymous on the Internet. But it can also cause confusion when you want to access local services – and it requires a very high level of technical knowledge, and it only works with certain routers.
Instead, we recommend a much simpler method: connecting a VPN to your Roku via AirPlay or screencast. To do this, sign up for a VPN and install it on your smartphone or laptop. Then, stream content to that device with AirPlay or screencast to your Roku TV. The icon for doing this should look like a TV with Wi-Fi radiation.
We choose this method because it is overall simpler. You can access any geo-blocked content on your smartphone or laptop first and then stream it to your smart TV.
You can confirm that your Roku model is compatible with AirPlay by checking the device on the Roku site. Otherwise, you can attach your phone or laptop to the TV using an HDMI cable or a suitable dongle.
Choosing the best VPN
While you’ll use a phone or laptop as the final source of your VPN-directed streaming, that actually gives you a wider array of services to choose from. Although each VPN has the same basic functions, their price and additional features vary. Before deciding which one is best for your needs and equipment, take the time to check out what each one has to offer and see what other users have to say. Start by checking out our list of the best VPNs – and happy streaming.
VPN options for other streaming platforms
Don’t have a Roku? The good news: Strong VPN options (or alternatives) exist for some major streaming platforms, too.
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