Philo not working with VPN: Try these 5 EASY fixes

Philo is a cable TV alternative with over 60 live channels. It’s region locked, which means you might have trouble enjoying it outside the US. A VPN can help, but what if Philo stays locked? Our guide on fixes tells you what to do if Philo isn’t working with your VPN.

You don’t have to deal with error messages every time you use Philo abroad. On this page, we’ve rounded up common Philo fixes and explain how the service is sometimes able to detect your VPN.

Which VPNs work with Philo?

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 Philo not working with my VPN?

If the Philo website discovers that you’re trying to access it from an unsupported country, your connection will be blocked.

So let’s assume that your current VPN isn’t working with Philo at all. Most likely, that’s because it’s not doing a very good job of hiding your actual location. Some or all of the VPN servers you have available to you through your VPN may be blacklisted by the website. If you swap over to a better VPN for Philo, you’ll be able to use Philo without being interrupted.

How does Philo detect my VPN?

If your current VPN isn’t hiding your real location, Philo will try and interfere with the server you’re using, which means your VPN is useless. Bad VPN take a long time to replace blacklisted servers, which means you have no way of gaining access to channels playing on the Philo website.

The best VPNs do a top job of replacing blacklisted servers. That means that, even if Philo has disabled a server based somewhere in the US, a replacement will be up sooner rather than later.

Reasons for Philo not unlocking include:

• The Philo website or smartphone app has blocked your VPN servers
• Your internet connection is causing streaming issues
• Cookies are disclosing your real location instead of the one you’re trying to spoof
• Your VPN is revealing your IP address to Philo

Our Philo fixes

1. Make sure your VPN is up-to-date

On a PC, load up your VPN Settings screen. Look for an Update button, which usually points you to the VPN provider’s website. Try Philo when the update finishes.

On Android smartphone, update your VPN app on the Play Store. Tap your profile icon and select Manage apps and devices.

On iPhone, open the App Store and, in the top-right corner, tap on your user profile. From there, you can easily check for and install any available updates.

2. Use a different VPN server

VPN servers can be slow at times, so switch to a different VPN server if you’re experiencing lag on Philo.

3. Restart your VPN

Next, uninstall and reinstall your VPN. Open your VPN and the Philo website or mobile app to see if the issue has been resolved.

4. Ask Customer Support

The VPN services we’ve talked about on this page have dedicated customer support teams that are there to lend a hand with any technical hiccups. Ask the team about known Philo issues and how to troubleshoot.

5. Check your internet connection

First, disconnect from your wi-fi, reconnect and then try your VPN again. If that doesn’t help, you can perform a full reset by restarting your router.

Assess your internet connection using an internet speed tool, such as this one from Ookla. This test will allow you to compare the results with your Internet Service Provider’s ‘minimum guaranteed speed.’

More Philo fixes:

• Check your firewall. On Windows, open Windows Security > Allow an app through the firewall. On Mac, try System Settings > Network > Firewall. With your firewall settings adjusted, try streaming a show on the Philo website or mobile app.
• Check to see if you’ve been hit by a DNS leak. A DNS (domain name system) leak means your usual IP address and location is visible to websites and apps, even if you have a VPN running. We suggest you try the IP Address Lookup tool to see if your IP address changes when you activate your VPN and visit Philo. If not, that’s a sure sign your VPN is broken.
• Are you using the right browser? Ensure that your web browser is compatible with your VPN. If you’ve updated your VPN, don’t forget to update your browser as well. On Chrome, access Settings > About Chrome.
• Clear cache and cookies. From a Google Chrome account, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. On Safari, go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
• Enter your VPN username and password again. If you can log in successfully, load up Philo again.
• Check the VPN servers. If you can’t connect, your provider might be suffering. The best providers (we like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Ivacy and PureVPN) are quick to fix blacklisted servers.

For a printer-friendly overview of the tips we’ve discussed above, you can download our free VPN troubleshooting poster.

Best VPNs for Philo

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 does a great job of replacing its blacklisted servers. That means that, even if Philo disables incoming connections from ExpressVPN, the VPN will have a replacement server up and running ASAP. To access your account, all you need to do is open up ExpressVPN, connect to a server in America and go from there.

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 is worth a closer look if you want to stream TV on Philo while you’re travelling. This is one of the most popular, affordable VPNs around, thanks in part to its battle against blacklisted servers.

This trusted VPN will hide your real location so you can use all of Philo’s features, even if you’ve roamed outside the US. Use our exclusive link below and you get instant access to over 1,000 VPNs servers across the world. A single membership to Ivacy also means you can protect up to 10 gadgets at a time.

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 for your shortlist if you want to use Philo abroad. NordVPN has servers all over the world and all of them are protected by military-grade encryption. That means they’re extremely secure and you can connect without handing over your valuable personal data to companies that shouldn’t own it.

If you run into some problems while getting to grips with NordVPN and Philo, you can make use of the live chat feature for 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 Philo is not working with your VPN, treat yourself to a better alternative. PureVPN is a great example, being powerful enough to unlock geo-locked websites so you can enjoy them without a hassle. You’ll be able to log in to your Philo account even if you’re not currently in the US.

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

FAQs: Using a Philo VPN on PC and mobile

How to watch Philo on Windows

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 Windows, open ExpressVPN and select a server in the US.
4. Once you’re connected, head to the Philo website.
5. Log in to your Philo account and enjoy.

Watch Philo on Mac

1. Pick one of our chosen VPNs and create an account – ExpressVPN, for example.
2. After making an ExpressVPN account, sign in with your username and password.
3. From Mac, open ExpressVPN and select a server located in the US.
4. When you’re connected, visit the Philo website.
5. Log in to your Philo account.

How to watch Philo on iPhone

1. Head to the Apple App Store from your iPhone.
2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your device.
3. Download the Philo app to your device – it’s on the Apple App Store.
4. Sign in to your ExpressVPN account, and then connect to a server based in the US.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Philo app and log in to your account.

Watch Philo on Android

1. Head to the Google Play Store from your Android tablet or smartphone.
2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your device.
3. Download the Philo app to your device – it’s on the Google Play Store.
4. Sign in to your ExpressVPN account, and then connect to a server based in the US.
5. Now that you’re connected to a VPN, open the Philo app and log in to your account.

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