Since April 2026, many users of the IVI streaming service on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad) have hit a new problem: the app stopped playing video whenever a VPN is on. It affects everyone abroad who uses any VPN to reach Russian services.
Here is a close look at why it happened — and, more importantly, how to keep watching IVI on iOS comfortably.
How does IVI detect a VPN on iOS?
Until recently, most streaming platforms checked only your IP address. Russian IP — the library opens. But IVI's developers have hardened their defences.
Apple's closed operating system exposes certain network APIs to apps. Using them, the IVI app directly scans the list of active network connections on your device. When you switch on any VPN, the system gains a virtual network interface for the encrypted traffic (usually named utun or ipsec).
Spotting such a tunnel, the IVI app blocks playback automatically. The block no longer reacts to your IP address, foreign or Russian, but to the mere fact of an active VPN connection at the OS level.
The fix: watch IVI in the browser
The VPN detection is wired deep into the iOS app's own logic, so switching servers or protocols won't get around it. The app will still see the active tunnel.
But there is a fix, and it is dead simple:
1. Delete the IVI app
Start by removing the official IVI app from the device entirely. While installed, it can intercept requests and get in the way.
2. Switch on VPN Russia
Open our app and flip the switch to get a clean Russian IP address.
3. Open the site in Safari
Launch a browser (Safari or Chrome) and go to the streaming service's official website.
Unlike the app, a mobile browser runs in a restricted sandbox that guards user privacy strictly. The IVI website, opened in a browser, has neither the rights nor the technical means to learn whether a VPN is active on your device. The web version relies purely on your IP address — which, thanks to the VPN, is Russian.
Tip: to make IVI as convenient as a native app, pin it to your home screen. In Safari, tap Share (the square with the arrow) and choose Add to Home Screen. From then on the cinema opens with one tap.
IVI's mobile site is well optimised, keeps your watch progress and gives up almost nothing to the app. Enjoy the show!