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How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Mar 27, 2014 12:56 AM
Smartphone displaying the Netflix homepage featuring the series "Homeland."

Out amongst the ether of the internet lies a completely different version of the Netflix library you've come to know and love. Because of licensing and rights fees, the streaming media giant maintains separate libraries for each country it services. Ultimately, this means that certain movies and TV shows are only available in certain countries.

While it's fairly easy to unblock region-restricted Netflix content on your computer, it's a little trickier for smartphones. However, with a rooted Nexus 5, the entire world of Netflix can be yours. Add a couple of Tasker profiles, and everything will be done automatically as soon as you open your Netflix app.

What You'll Need

Install Hola Better Internet

The VPN service that will allow you to access different countries' Netflix libraries goes by the name of Hola Better Internet on Android, made by the same great folks that make it so easy on the computer. Use the link above to install it on your device.

Hola Better Internet app interface with options to open or uninstall.

Select Netflix for the Unblocker Menu

Upon opening the app, you'll be presented with two options—tap Unblocker to get started with the setup. From here, you'll see a list of services that Hola is capable of "unblocking". Today, we're only concerned with Netflix, so go ahead and hit that entry in the list.

Interface of a mobile app displaying two toggle buttons for settings: "A Mission" and "Connection."
List of streaming and social media apps on a mobile interface.
Interface of a mobile app displaying two toggle buttons for settings: "A Mission" and "Connection."
List of streaming and social media apps on a mobile interface.

Choose the Countries to Unblock

The next screen will ask you to choose the country whose library you wish to have access to in your Netflix app. For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll select Great Britain—which, for the rest of you Yanks out there, has the most expansive library outside of the U.S. (not to mention English-language audio and subtitles).

Once you've done that, Hola will prompt you to ask for root privileges. Grant those and the Hola Unblocker service will start running.

List of countries with the flag of Great Britain highlighted.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
List of countries with the flag of Great Britain highlighted.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Watch Region-Restricted Content

As wonderful as Hola Better Internet is, it's not without its downsides. The service has to be started before Netflix is opened, and it continues to run until you force-close it by clicking an ongoing notification.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
App info screen displaying details for the Hilda application, including storage usage and permissions.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
App info screen displaying details for the Hilda application, including storage usage and permissions.

Automate the Process with Tasker (Optional)

The following steps are optional, but they really make the process run smoothly. Instead of having to start and stop Hola every time you use it, we can automate everything using Tasker. While there may be a lot of steps involved, it's very simple to do, and I've laid everything out for you.

Install the TaskKill Plugin for Tasker

Instead of dealing with the hassle of force closing Hola every time we're done with the app, we'll clean things up a bit and automate this process with Tasker. For Tasker to effectively kill the Hola service, we'll need to install a plugin called TaskKill.

TaskKill Tasker Plugin app interface with an Android mascot.

Install it from Google Play using the link at the top of this article.

Create a New Profile in Tasker

The following processes will allow you to simply open Netflix and have Hola automatically run, and conversely, automatically shut down when you exit Netflix.

From the Profiles tab on Tasker's main page, hit the "plus" button near the bottom to create a new profile. From the popup that appears, select Application, then on the following list select Netflix.

Menu options for a mobile application interface, including Application, Day, Event, Location, State, and Time.
App selection screen featuring various applications including Netflix.
Menu options for a mobile application interface, including Application, Day, Event, Location, State, and Time.
App selection screen featuring various applications including Netflix.

Hit the back button on your Nexus 5, and Tasker will ask you to attach a corresponding task to this profile. Select New Task and name it Start Hola.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Create a Corresponding Task

From the next screen, hit the "plus" button near the bottom. Select Tasker from the ensuing list, then tap Profile Status at the next menu.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Under the Name category on the next screen, enter Start Hola(note: this name is case-sensitive). Set the value to Off, then hit the back button to save your entries.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Hit the "plus" button near the bottom again, this time selecting Plugin, then TaskKill.

Select Action Category Interface with Various Options
Plugin action selection interface with various options.
Select Action Category Interface with Various Options
Plugin action selection interface with various options.

Hit the pencil-shaped edit button near the top-right of this screen. From there, select Netflix from the Task drop-down menu and tap Apply. Grant TaskKill root privileges on the following prompt.

Screenshot of a task management app showing options to kill tasks on an Android device, including icons for various applications like Music and News & Weather.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Screenshot of a task management app showing options to kill tasks on an Android device, including icons for various applications like Music and News & Weather.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Add a third step to your task by hitting the "plus" button again. For this one, choose App, then Load App and select Hola from the list that appears. Hit the back button to save your work.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
"App action selection menu with options to calendar event, income, delete app, and open app."
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
"App action selection menu with options to calendar event, income, delete app, and open app."
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

For a fourth element to this task, we'll add a 5-second pause. This will allow the Hola service to get up and running before the task does anything else. Accomplish this by hitting the "plus" button and selecting Task, then Wait. Use the slider to change the value under Seconds to 5.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Timer settings interface with adjustable sliders for milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Timer settings interface with adjustable sliders for milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.

Now add another step by hitting the "plus" button and choosing Tasker, then Profile Status.

Select Action Category menu with various icons for display, file, image, audio, and settings.
Select Task Actions Menu Options
Select Action Category menu with various icons for display, file, image, audio, and settings.
Select Task Actions Menu Options

In the text field on the next screen, enter Stop Hola(again, this is case-sensitive). Set the value to On, then hit the back button to save your work.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Add one last step by hitting the "plus" button and choosing App, then Load App. Select Netflix from the list that appears and hit the back button twice this time.

Select Action Category options in a mobile app interface.
Select App Action menu with options to create, edit, or delete an app.
App selection screen featuring various applications including Netflix.
Select Action Category options in a mobile app interface.
Select App Action menu with options to create, edit, or delete an app.
App selection screen featuring various applications including Netflix.

Create a Second Profile & Task

From the Profiles tab on the Tasker home screen again, hit the "plus" button and select Application. Choose Netflix from the list again, then press the back button.

Netflix app interface showing application settings options.
App selection screen featuring various applications, including Netflix.
Netflix app interface showing application settings options.
App selection screen featuring various applications, including Netflix.

Tasker will now prompt you to add a task to this profile. Again, tap New Task, this time naming it Wait.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

On the next screen, tap the "plus" button and select Task, then Wait. Use the slider directly under the word Seconds to set the value to 5, then tap the back button twice.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Task action selection menu on a mobile app interface.
Timer settings interface with options for milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Task action selection menu on a mobile app interface.
Timer settings interface with options for milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.

Create an Exit Task

From the Profiles tab of Tasker's home screen, long-press the task named Wait. Choose Add Exit Task, then New Task, and name it Stop Hola.

Task management interface featuring options to add, edit, and move tasks.
Task management interface with options to add a new task.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Task management interface featuring options to add, edit, and move tasks.
Task management interface with options to add a new task.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Tap the "plus" button at the bottom of the next page, then select Tasker. From the next list, select Profile Status.

Dropdown menu for selecting action categories on a mobile app interface.
Settings menu for tasker actions in a mobile application.
Dropdown menu for selecting action categories on a mobile app interface.
Settings menu for tasker actions in a mobile application.

Enter Stop Hola as the name (case-sensitive), then set the value to Off and hit the back button on your device.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Action edit menu with options to set status: off, on, and toggle.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Action edit menu with options to set status: off, on, and toggle.

Next up, add another step by tapping the "plus" button. Choose Plugin from the first list, then TaskKill from the second.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Tap the pencil-shaped edit button at the top-right, then choose Hola from the drop-menu labeled Task. Hit Apply, then tap the back button on your phone.

Configuration settings interface with fields for timer, name, X, label, and error handling options.
Task management interface showing options to kill tasks using the Force Close method on Android.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Configuration settings interface with fields for timer, name, X, label, and error handling options.
Task management interface showing options to kill tasks using the Force Close method on Android.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Now we'll add a 10-second wait by hitting the "plus" button and selecting Task, then Wait. Use the slider under Seconds to set the value to 10, then tap the phone's back button once.

Action category selection menu with icons for various functions such as display, file, image, audio, and settings.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Slider settings for adjusting time intervals in milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.
Action category selection menu with icons for various functions such as display, file, image, audio, and settings.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Slider settings for adjusting time intervals in milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours.

Hit the "plus" button again and select Tasker, then choose Profile Status from the following list.

Interface displaying action category options on a mobile application.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Interface displaying action category options on a mobile application.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Enter Start Hola(case-sensitive) as the name, and set the value to On. Press the back button twice to head back to Tasker's main screen.

Text input screen with keyboard displaying the word "Hola."
Action Edit settings with options to toggle states.
Text input screen with keyboard displaying the word "Hola."
Action Edit settings with options to toggle states.

Name the Profiles

From the Profiles tab in Tasker, long-press the first of our two newly-created profiles. A set of icons will appear across the top—tap the "A" button. Enter Start Hola here (this name is case-sensitive) and press the "check mark" button to confirm your entry.

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Screenshot of a messaging application with a typing interface and a "Send" button.
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
Screenshot of a messaging application with a typing interface and a "Send" button.

Repeat this process with the second of our two profiles, this time naming it Stop Hola(case-sensitive).

How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5
How to Fool Netflix into Letting You Watch All Region-Locked Videos on Your Nexus 5

Set the "Stop Hola" Profile to "Off"

From the Profiles tab of Tasker, tap the toggle switch to the right of our "Stop Hola" profile. The end result should look something like this:

Settings interface for the Hola VPN app, showing options to start or stop Hola and manage profiles.

The reason we do this is because the profiles turn each other on and off when needed. Basically, the profiles get stuck in a loop of opening Hola/closing Netflix, then opening Netflix/closing Hola, and repeating.

Using Your International Netflix

The Tasker profiles you just created will ensure that Hola is running any time you launch Netflix. They will also see to it that the Hola service stops when you exit Netflix. To change to a different country's Netflix library, just open the Hola app and select the country you want from the list.

Continue watching options for "Homeland" and "Californication" on Netflix.

Go ahead and try it out—simply open your Netflix app, wait a few seconds for Tasker to do it's thing, and enjoy the new content!

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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