Hotstar not working with VPN: 5 easy fixes

Hotstar is geo-restricted, so you can’t usually access it outside of India, the UK, North America or a supported region of Southeast Asia. If you have a broken VPN, what’s the problem? Our guide explains what to do if your VPN isn’t working with Hotstar.

Navigating Hotstar while traveling and being hit with an error message is very annoying. Hotstar has likely blacklisted the VPN server you’re using, so work your way through our troubleshooting tips.

Which VPNs work with Hotstar?

Why you can trust GadgetMouse: Our content is written by a team of humans and we refuse to use AI. Plus, we own (and use) every VPN that we write about. For more details, see our editorial policy.

Why is Hotstar not working with my VPN?

If Hotstar finds out that you’re trying to use the service from a restricted country, it’ll block you right away. Certain countries will limit access to Hotstar due to licensing laws, or because there are laws in that country that discourage VPN use.

How does Hotstar detect my VPN?

Usually, having a VPN would solve the problem that we’ve discussed above. But if your VPN isn’t up to scratch and doesn’t effectively hide your real location, Hotstar will blacklist the server you’re using – that makes your VPN useless. Poor VPNs take a long time to replace those blacklisted servers, which means you have no way of gaining access to Hotstar.

However, the best VPNs for Hotstar do a top job of replacing their flawed, blacklisted servers. That means that even if Hotstar temporarily disables a specific server, a replacement will be up sooner rather than later.

In summary:

• The VPN servers you’re using might have been blacklisted by Hotstar
• Browser cookies are telling the streamer about your real location instead of your spoofed location
• A flawed VPN is leaking your IP address, which causes Hotstar to block traffic

Hotstar fixes

1. Update your VPN

If your current VPN isn’t working with Hotstar, make sure you’re using the latest version – the developers might have identified an issue and patched it with an update. You need to take a trip to your VPN settings.

On a PC, open your VPN and then the Settings or Options menu. Some VPNs will display a message on the start screen telling you about updates. ExpressVPN, for example, shows this:

Clicking Update will usually take you to the VPN provider’s website, where you can learn more about what’s new.

If you’re using an Android phone, you need to open the Google Play store, tap your user profile in the top-right corner of the screen and then Manage apps and device. Choose Update or Update all.

On an iPhone, open the Apple App Store and tap your user profile in the top-right corner of the screen.

2. Use a different VPN server to connect to Hotstar

In some cases, specific VPN servers can become temporarily unavailable or slower than usual. This will affect your Hotstar profile.

The best VPNs offer multiple servers per country. For example, ExpressVPN hosts a ‘UK – Docklands’ server as well as alternatives in East London, London and the Midlands. Cycle between them and see which one works best for you.

Try disconnecting from the current server that you’re using.

Precise steps will vary depending on your VPN, but ExpressVPN users can select the three dots icon to see a list of alternative servers in the same country. You can also favourite the server (use the Star icon) that works best for you.

3. Contact your VPN support team

Our recommended VPN providers all manage support teams that can deal with specific problems you’re dealing with.

From a computer, head to your VPN provider’s website and find the Support or Contact us pages. Some VPNs offer a live chat service for members.

4. Reset your VPN

The classic ‘off and on again’ trick often works with computer issues and we’ve found that the same goes with VPNs. Whether you’re on a PC, smartphone or tablet, restart your device and open your VPN again.

If that doesn’t work, delete and reinstall your VPN. Load up your VPN and Hotstar and see if performance has improved.

5. Check your internet connection

The problem might be with your own internet connection rather than your VPN.

Disconnect from your wi-fi network and then reconnect. Try and run your VPN once again. You can also go a step further and restart your internet router. Speeds of 5-10Mbps should be enough, but you might prefer over 20Mbps if you’re streaming or gaming.

Run a free download speed tool and compare the results alongside your ISP’s ‘minimum guaranteed speed’ promise. Contact your ISP if your connection is unstable outside of VPN use.

More Hotstar fixes to try:

Have you cleared cache and cookies from your internet browser? On Google Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. On Safari, go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.

Are your details public due to a DNS leak? A broken VPN can’t conceal your IP address and location when you load up Hotstar. To test if your VPN is working, disable it entirely and head to the IP Address Lookup tool. Note down your IP address. Then, turn on your VPN and run the test once again – if you aren’t assigned a new IP and location, your VPN is faulty.

Have you entered your VPN username and password correctly? Double-check your login credentials. If you can’t remember your details, choose the ‘Forgot’ option on your VPN provider’s website so you get a reset link sent to your inbox.

Are the VPN servers active? If you can’t connect to a server, your provider might be experiencing an outage. The best providers are transparent about this and actively update their server status online.

Is your firewall blocking your VPN?

If you’re experiencing issues on desktop, make sure your VPN is mentioned in the ‘Allow’ list. On Windows, head to open Windows Security > Allow an app through the firewall. On Mac, try System Settings > Network > Firewall.

Does your web browser need updating?

Your current web browser version might be incompatible with your browser-based VPN. Assuming you’ve updated your VPN, make sure you update your browser as well. On Chrome, for example, you would go to Settings > About Chrome.

Are you overworking your VPN?

If you’re streaming, gaming and using social media at the same time, your VPN might struggle to keep up. We suggest you close a couple of apps to test if doing so has a noticeable impact.

Best VPNs for Hotstar

ExpressVPN

• 1-month subscription: £10.53 per month
• 6-month subscription: £8.12 per month
• 1-year subscription + 3 months free: £5.42 per month (49% off)

🌎 Number of servers	160
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	5
⏱️ Our speed test results	-8.7% download, -5.5% upload (London)

ExpressVPN is one of our favourite services. It’s a breeze to use even if you’re new to the world of VPNs, and it does a fantastic job of replacing blacklisted servers. This is one of the most popular VPNs around and it tackles region-locked websites such as Hotstar. To access your streaming account, all you need to do is log in to your ExpressVPN account, connect to a VPN server and go from there.

ExpressVPN can keep your real IP address hidden 24/7, so there’s no chance of any websites discovering that you’re accessing content from abroad. Third parties won’t be able to spy on you while you’re protected by this top-tier VPN, either, which is why we keep recommending it.

Paying members will enjoy quick servers in over 90 countries around the world. Your personal information isn’t kept on file by the company for any reason and you can enjoy ExpressVPN on a Mac, PC, Android or iOS smartphone.

Pros: Smartphone app lets you connect in seconds, 'favourite' most-used VPN servers for quick access, performed remarkably well in our chat support speed test

Cons: Rival VPNs are cheaper, can't use many devices at once

Try ExpressVPN today

Ivacy

• 1-month subscription: £8.62 per month
• 1-year subscription: £3 per month (65% off)
• 5-year subscription + FREE password manager: 80p per month (90% off)

🌎 Number of servers	5,700
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	10

Ivacy works very well with the Hotstar website – it’s a solid option if you don’t want to spend lots of money on a monthly basis on a reliable VPN. The cheapest package here starts at less than $3 per month, which isn’t bad at all. Give Ivacy a try for yourself if you’d like to be able to access Hotstar from anywhere in the world.

This is one of the most popular VPNs proven to work with Hotstar on mobile or desktop. If you sign up today using our discount code, you’ll have access to over 1,000 VPN servers across the globe. A single subscription has you covered on 10 different devices at any one time, and Ivacy comes with an internet kill switch that keeps you hidden even if your connection drops without warning.

Pros: Connection is steady when using multiple devices, notifications mention if Ivacy is disabled, server locations split by country and city

Cons: We think the ExpressVPN mobile app is faster, below-average results in our chat support speed test

Try Ivacy today

NordVPN

• 1-month subscription: £10.49 per month
• 1-year subscription: £3.99 per month (40% off)
• 2-year subscription: £2.79 per month (58% off)

🌎 Number of servers	5,200+
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	6
⏱️ Our speed test results	-14% download, -7% upload (London)

Here’s another VPN to take a closer look at if you want to use Hotstar while you’re moving between countries. NordVPN has servers across the globe and all of them are protected by military-grade encryption technology. Simply put, that means they’re extremely secure and you can connect without handing over your personal data to random companies.

If you hit a snag while getting to grips with NordVPN for the first time, you can rely on the live chat feature to lend a helping hand.

Pros: Built-in internet kill switch works well, profile page on app includes 'Security score' with privacy tips, takes less than a minute to reach a live chat agent (based on our tests)

Cons: Other VPNs tested are cheaper, some streaming services require multiple resets to work

Try NordVPN today

PureVPN

• 1-month subscription: $10.95 per month (12% off)
• 1-year subscription: $3.74 per month (70% off)
• 2-year subscription + 4 extra months: $1.96 per month (84% off)

🌎 Number of servers	6,500+
📈 Bandwidth	Unlimited
🗣️ 24/7 live chat service	Yes
📱 Number of devices	10

If your current VPN can’t give you access to Hotstar, it’s time to treat yourself to a better service. PureVPN is the perfect example, being powerful enough to bypass geo-locked websites and services so you can enjoy them without a fuss. You’ll be able to log in to your Hotstar account even if you’re in a country where it doesn’t usually work.

Aside from Hotstar, PureVPN also works with ITV Hub, Hulu and Amazon Prime. There are around 2,000 secure PureVPN servers based in over 130 different countries.

Pros: Surprisingly affordable considering features, lots of UK and US-based servers, generous with simultaneous devices

Cons: Takes a couple of minutes to reach live chat agents (based on our tests), performs better on iOS compared to Android (in our experience)

Try PureVPN today

How to watch Hotstar using a VPN

1. Pick one of our suggested VPNs – we’ll use ExpressVPN for this example.
2. Once you’ve created your ExpressVPN account, sign in.
3. From your device, download and open the ExpressVPN app and select a server in a supported country.
4. Once you’re connected, load up Hotstar.
5. Log in to your account and enjoy.

Are free VPNs for Hotstar any good?

If you’re trying to save yourself some money, free VPNs can be a real temptation. But our advice is to steer clear.

Free VPNs might sell your data for money since they do not charge a regular, monthly fee. Connecting to a VPN server might take a long time and your connection could drop without warning.

Top, paid-for VPNs have servers all over the world, letting you access websites and apps. On the other hand, free VPNs often provide coverage for a very limited number of countries.

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