All of the devices in our homes can connect to the internet, and the good news is that today’s best VPNs have dedicated apps for all of these platforms – think PCs, mobiles, smart TVs, and more.
ExpressVPN’s Apple TV app stood out from the crowd in our most recent VPN testing results. It’s available for any Apple TV with tvOS and can be downloaded directly from the App Store, and makes checking out region-specific streaming content from your couch a breeze.
Keep reading, and I’ll dig into what makes the ExpressVPN Apple TV app such a show-stopper.
Easy sign-in and server selection
VPNs have a tech-heavy reputation, especially if you’ve never used one before, but ExpressVPN is my go-to recommendation for VPN newbies (and anyone looking for a stress-free experience). The same applies to the Apple TV app, too.
Once you have ExpressVPN up and running on your Apple TV, you can choose how you’d like to sign in. Inputting your credentials with a TV remote isn’t always the most intuitive method – which is why ExpressVPN allows users to simply scan a QR code instead.
Server-hopping is just as easy. There’s a massive network of VPN servers, spread across 95 countries, to check out.
These servers are your key to unblocking content from around the world and every streaming platform you can think of. In a nutshell, when you connect to a VPN server you’re assigned a new temporary IP address based in the same place as the server – so the sites you visit will read it and think you’re there physically, too. Then, you’ll be served up the region-specific content for that country.
Let’s say you want to see what’s new on US Netflix. All you have to do is join an ExpressVPN server in the States, load Netflix, and settle in for a movie marathon.
One of my favorite new additions to the ExpressVPN Apple TV app is the favorites system. This allows you to add servers to a handy quick-access menu, which is especially useful if you regularly unblock content from a specific country or service (and want to spend more time watching TV and less time navigating menus).
1. Seamless streaming
Okay, so the truth is that some VPNs just aren’t cut out for streaming – some can’t handle HD content and others struggle to unblock platforms in the first place. ExpressVPN is a reliable streaming VPN, luckily, and its Apple TV app packs the same punch.
Just like the desktop and mobile apps, the Apple TV app is powered by ExpressVPN’s proprietary VPN protocol, Lightway.
Easy streaming
Looking for the perfect streaming companion? Our best streaming VPN page ranks today’s biggest and best competitors.
Lightway is based on the super-speedy VPN protocol, WireGuard, which makes it a solid blend of speed and security. So, while you’re streaming, you won’t have to worry about endless buffering circles or grainy videos.
It is worth noting that the Apple TV app won’t double up as an Apple TV+ subscription. You’ll need to buy a separate plan if you want to check out those Apple Original shows.
2. Blocking ads and trackers
Nobody likes being bombarded with pop-up ads – and who wants to see banners cropping up during a movie marathon?
This is where ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager comes into the picture. It’s available for pretty much every device, including desktops, mobiles, and Apple TV, and comes jam-packed with privacy-boosting features that’ll clean up your online experience.
One of my favorites is the ad blocker which, as you might expect, shoos away pesky ads wherever they crop up. Currently, the ad blocker only squashes display ads, and not video or audio ads, but the blocker is powered by extensive open-source blocklists that get updated on a weekly basis. You can even report ads yourself for the ExpressVPN team to review (and hopefully banish).
ExpressVPN’s tracker blocker lets you take back control over what companies, sites, and third parties know about you.
One of the most insidious aspects of these ads is that they can be generated by your personal information – think of those creepy targeted ads you see after visiting certain sites.
These sites and services record your activity with the help of third-party trackers and use the data to create a user profile. Then, they can serve up personalized ads in the hopes that you’ll buy whatever they’re selling – but you won’t have agreed to any of this.
ExpressVPN’s tracker blocker lets you take back control over what these companies, sites, and third parties know about you. The blocker puts a stop to these shady services from communicating with known trackers – which are recorded in ExpressVPN’s blocklists – and then keeping tabs on your activity.
Enabling Threat Protection on your Apple TV is nice and easy. All you need to do is:
- Log in to ExpressVPN and make sure that you’re using the Lightway protocol
- Click on Options, then Advanced Protection
- Then, simply toggle on the advanced protection features you want to use
3. Getting started with the ExpressVPN Apple TV app
ExpressVPN’s Apple TV app works like a charm and only takes a few clicks to download. Interested? Just follow along with these simple steps:
- Open the Appe Store on your Apple TV
- Download the ExpressVPN app
- Once the download is complete, log in
- Connect to a server
You’re ready to go! Enjoy geo-restricted streaming content and a boost to your overall digital privacy. Oh, and remember that you’re covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try ExpressVPN in your own time without risking a penny.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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river.hart@futurenet.com (River Hart)
