Streaming troubleshooting guide
We would like to remind you that you should check the VPN Streaming Guide to get step-by-step instructions on setting up your VPN connection and securely watching your favorite content on various streaming platforms.
We also want to remind you that our streaming feature is only available on VPN Plus, Proton Unlimited, and Visionary (legacy users only) plans.
Below, we explain how to troubleshoot some of the most common streaming errors that our users have asked our Support team about.
Check IP/DNS leaks
You should always check to make sure your VPN connection is not leaking any IP/DNS information and make sure it corresponds with the Proton VPN IP that is shown on the Proton VPN app.
Checking your current IP address and looking for DNS leaks is fairly straightforward.
- Connect to a VPN server. To stream content, you will need to connect to a Plus plan server.
- Go to one of the following websites:
- https://ipleak.net(new window) (Check IP, WebRTC, and DNS sections)
- https://ip.me/(new window)
- https://www.iplocation.net/(new window)
Learn more about DNS leaks and how to prevent them(new window).
Learn how to prevent IPv6 leaks on your connection(new window).
In some cases, users have reported encountering problems with streaming services caused by their antivirus program’s DNS settings.
One example is Avast’s Real site(new window) feature.
Another example is Comodo’s Secure DNS(new window) feature.
DNS over HTTPS
If you enabled DNS over HTTPS (DoH) on your browser, you should know this often creates issues if you try to watch content on a streaming service while connected to Proton VPN.
DNS over HTTPS uses HTTPS encryption (the same encryption that protects your connection to the websites you visit) to handle your domain name system requests, which keeps your DNS requests encrypted and secure. If you experience IP/DNS leaks in one of the IP tests mentioned above, check to see if DoH is enabled on your browser. If it is, please try disabling it.
Learn more about DNS requests and DNS leaks(new window).
To disable DoH, take the following steps:
On Google Chrome
Versions 83 and later of Google Chrome enable DoH by default. To disable DoH on your Chrome browser, follow these steps:
- In the Chrome address bar, enter chrome://flags/#dns-over-https
- Go to Secure DNS lookups
- In the provided menu, select Disabled
- Click Relaunch to relaunch Chrome with DoH disabled
On Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox enables DoH default. To disable DoH, follow these steps:
- In a Mozilla Firefox window, click the menu button in the upper right corner
- Click Options
- Go to the Network Settings section and click Settings
- Scroll down to the Enable DNS over HTTPS option and deselect it.
- Click OK to save your settings
On Microsoft Edge
While Microsoft Edge does not have DNS over HTTPS (DoH) enabled by default, you can use the following steps to see if it is enabled:
- In the Microsoft Edge address bar, enter edge://flags#dns-over-https
- Go to Secure DNS Lookup
- In the provided menu, select Disabled
- Click Restart to restart Edge with DoH disabled
Location Services, GPS, and iOS devices
We have noticed that users experience issues streaming with iOS devices while connected to Proton VPN when the Location Services and GPS are turned on. We recommend turning your iOS device’s Location Services off if you are going to stream video content while connected to Proton VPN.
To turn off Location Services, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Make sure that Location Services is off.
You can find more info on how to do this here(new window).
Browser extensions, add-ons, and proxies
Some browser add-ons or extensions can also interfere with streaming services. For example, if you have a proxy, an adblocker, or a video downloader extension loaded on your browser, some streaming services may require you to disable it before you can watch your TV show or movie.
Browser cache and cookies
If you are still having issues, you may need to clear your browser’s cache and cookies(new window).