Amazon Prime VPN Not Working – Here’s How to Fix It (2024)

If you’ve had the frustrating experience of sitting on your couch — popcorn in hand — to binge your favorite Amazon Prime Video content only to find that your VPN is not working with Amazon Prime, you are not alone.

Many people have subscribed to a VPN to help unblock Amazon Prime Video only to then find their Amazon Prime Video VPN not working, and, instead, this HTTP proxy error on their screen:

“Your device‘s Internet connection is using an HTTP proxy which prevents playing your video. Please close or disable any proxy programs and try again…”

If you have seen this annoying Amazon Prime Video error message on your screen instead of your geo-blocked content, this means that Amazon Prime Video has outsmarted you and detected that you are using a VPN to watch Amazon Prime.

So, what’s the deal? Why isn’t your VPN doing its job? Did you choose a VPN lemon?

Keep on reading to take a look at some of the reasons why your VPN may not be successful at unblocking Amazon Video, and how to troubleshoot this issue so that you can access your shows and movies, error-free.

If you follow these steps only to find that you are still seeing the Amazon Prime HTTP proxy error, try to clear your browser‘s cache and cookies. If that still does not work, the reliable VPN services for streaming Amazon Prime Video all offer live-chat customer support 24/7, so you can get troubleshooting help in no time.

Reasons Why Amazon Prime VPN Is Not Working 

Whenever you are trying to stream your video content on Amazon Prime, this streaming service is tracking your location based on your IP address. This geo-tracking technology allows it to turn away users who are trying to stream videos on Amazon Prime from locations that are not permitted streaming regions.

When you use a VPN service to fool Amazon Prime into thinking you are in a permitted location, this method is not always as foolproof as you might hope.

Amazon Prime Video, and other geo-restricted services, have come up with ways of detecting VPNs. If you are using a VPN and get an HTTP proxy error, this means Amazon Prime Video has likely already taken note of your VPN’s IP address and blacklisted it from its platform.

Another reason you may get this HTTP proxy error is that your VPN service may be leaking your real IP address from your Internet provider that reflects your actual location. The best VPN providers offer DNS and IP leak protection to prevent this leak from happening.

How to Fix Amazon Prime VPN Proxy Error

If you want to fix the Amazon Prime Video proxy error, follow these simple steps:

Switch to a new VPN server:

One way to try to fix your Amazon Prime error message is to switch to a different server. Because the error might be a result of Amazon Prime detecting your server’s IP address, switching servers will remedy this problem.

Clear cookies and cache:

Clearing your cookies and cache may be a quick way to access Amazon Prime Video. All you have to do is click “Control-Shift-Delete” and then choose “Clear data” to wipe the slate clean.

Make sure your VPN app is up-to-date:

If you are on a desktop computer, you may not have realized that your app may be outdated. To make sure you are using the most up-to-date app, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and download the most recent version of your VPN app.

Flush your DNS:

This is slightly different than clearing your cache and cookies. Flushing your DNS clears the locally stored entries stored by your ISP on your device that may prevent you from establishing a good VPN connection. To flush your DNS:

1. Click the Windows button+”R” and then type “cmd.”
2. Type “ipconfig/flushdns” into Command prompt.
3. Push Enter and you will see a message that you have flushed your DNS cache.
4. Reconnect your VPN, and stream away!

Use a premium VPN provider: 

Popular streaming sites, like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu work hard to block VPNs from their geo-restricted platforms. Because of this effort, only the best VPN services will be able to unblock Prime Video consistently so that you do not need to go through all of the trial and error of switching servers each time you want to watch.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN that unblocks Amazon Prime Video and avoids this error message reliably and consistently.

7 Best VPNs to Fix Amazon Proxy Error

In order to find the best VPNs that are able to bypass this Amazon proxy error, we tested out over 30 VPNs on the market with Amazon Prime. Here are the top 7 services that we’re able to reliably and consistently fix this proxy error and get us access to your videos and shows:

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a premium VPN with plenty of US servers to help you gain access to Amazon Prime Video consistently every time.

ExpressVPN offers users the fastest speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and protection against IP and DNS leaks; and this service will unblock your favorite geo-restricted content with great quality and no buffering.

With its broad server network of 3,000 servers in over 94 countries, ExpressVPN can unblock all of the popular blocked platforms, like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max, with no trial and error.

ExpressVPN lets users connect up to 5 devices to a single account, so I was able to unblock BBC iPlayer while the rest of my family used the VPN connection for gaming.

This VPN is compatible with all major platforms, so you can use it with your Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV, Smart TV, browser extensions, and others, all with easy setup instructions on the website.

If you want to try out this service for yourself, you can do this by signing up for ExpressVPN and taking advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee

2. NordVPN

NordVPN comes in a very close second when it comes to effectively unblocking Amazon Prime without the annoying proxy error message.

NordVPN is easily able to access blocked streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and more.

If you are looking to get a new IP address that is not blocked by Amazon Prime, NordVPN has plenty to spare, with over 5,100 servers in more than 60 countries around the world, including almost 2,000 servers in the US alone.

You can use NordVPN simultaneously on up to 6 devices; and it is compatible with all major operating systems, devices, and platforms, like Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, browser extensions, and more.

NordVPN also offers users a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it is easy to test this VPN while you try to unblock sites and surf the web anonymously.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is a good, more affordable, VPN with over 3,200 VPN servers with server locations in 65+ countries around the world.

With this VPN provider, you can connect to one of its VPN server options to get IP addresses that will help unblock popular streaming services, like BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and more, but this sometimes takes a little bit of trial and error. You might have to contact Surfshark’s 24/7 live-chat support to get a recommendation of which server works best if you have trouble with certain servers.

In terms of security features, this provider keeps up with the top two providers with its AES 256-bit encryption, no-logs policy, and Kill Switch that will kill your connection if your VPN cuts out unexpectedly to prevent your IP addresses or traffic from being leaked.

Surfshark also offers users the ability to connect an unlimited number of devices to a single user account, which is a huge asset if you are part of a big family.

4. CyberGhost

If you are trying to get access to Amazon Prime Video, and other blocked streaming sites, CyberGhost is another great option, with over 7,100 servers spread across over 91 countries around the globe.

As for privacy and security, CyberGhost protects you with its no-logs policy, AES 256-bit encryption, a Kill Switch, and leak protection.

CyberGhost has server locations in all of the countries you could possibly want to access, and it can unblock popular streaming content, like BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu; and CyberGhost offers you 7 simultaneous connections on a single account.

You can try accessing the CyberGhost server network for up to 45 days with its money-back guarantee, no strings attached, and its price is just a little over $2 per month, so there is really nothing to lose.

5. Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA has a huge server network of over 29,000 servers in more than 78 countries, including plenty that will be able to give you IP addresses in the United States for access to videos on Amazon Prime.

Not surprisingly, this huge network of servers is able to give you IP addresses to unblock the most popular restricted streamings sites, like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, and more. It had a bit of trouble accessing BBC iPlayer when we tested it, so if this is your intended destination, try a different VPN.

PIA lets you connect up to 10 devices on a single user account, so you can use this VPN to access sites on all different devices simultaneously.

6. IPVanish

To access video content on Amazon Prime, IPVanish is another great VPN choice that even claims in its name to make your actual IP vanishes.

Though IPVanish is on the smaller end of our top providers, with only 1,300+ servers in over 55 countries, it is still able to help unblock your favorite geo-blocked shows on sites like Hulu, Netflix, and other popular platforms.

Another huge benefit of this service is that, like Surfshark, it also lets you connect as many devices as you want to a single user account.

7. PrivateVPN

If you want to use a reputable VPN for access to Amazon Prime videos, PrivateVPN is another good choice.

When I tested popular streaming sites, like Netflix and Prime Video, using PrivateVPN, I didn’t experience any buffering, and I had no trouble accessing Amazon Prime Video and other US-restricted sites from outside of the United States.

PrivateVPN, like its name suggests, is actually a pretty private VPN. It offers AES 256-bit encryption, Stealth Mode, a Kill Switch, IP and DNS leak protection, and a strict zero-logs policy.

You can use this VPN with up to 6 devices at once, and try it out for up to 30 days with a money-back guarantee.

What can I watch on Amazon Prime? 

If you are using an effective VPN provider for streaming Amazon Prime, here are some of the hot shows you can watch:
 The Handmaiden
 Jack Ryan
 Hannibal
 Good Girls Revolt
 The Americans
 Justified
 Truth Seekers
 Modern Love
 Homecoming
 Alpha House
 And more

Can I Use a Free VPN to Fix Amazon Prime Proxy Error?

While it is tempting to access Prime Video with a free VPN, most free VPNs tend to be unsuccessful when it comes to this task.

The main reason to avoid using a free VPN is that they often have fewer servers and limited resources, which makes it hard to stay ahead of Amazon Prime Video’s aggressive blocks. Because of the smaller server network, it is easier for any geo-restricted sites to detect and blacklist these VPN IP addresses.

Another reason to avoid free VPNs is that they often make you more vulnerable online, even though their purpose is to help improve your online privacy and security. Because a free VPN does not charge a subscription fee, it may actually sell your private information and activity to third parties for a profit.

Finally, free VPNs tend to have very limited bandwidth, so users won’t be able to stream Amazon Prime Video smoothly even if they are able to access it.

Instead of using a free VPN for access to Amazon Prime, we highly recommend you give ExpressVPN a try, risk-free, for 30 days.

FAQs

Conclusion

If you are looking forward to streaming Amazon Prime Video using a Virtual Private Network, the best, most reliable option is ExpressVPN.

Check out this Premium VPN today and cancel at any point with its 30-day refund policy.