Pandora is one of the best music apps you can get in the App Store. The downside? It’s only available in the US App Store, and will only work in the USA. However, there is a way to download Pandora and use it in Canada (or any other country). All it takes is a US iTunes account and a VPN, such as Hotspot Shield. Let’s get started.
1. Download Pandora by creating a US iTunes account.
a) Here’s our tutorial on creating a US iTunes account with a Vanilla Mastercard Gift Card.
b) Here’s our tutorial on creating a US iTunes account without a credit card.
Once you get your account working, download Pandora from the US App Store.
2. Create your Hotspot Shield VPN.
a) Follow this tutorial on how to setup a Hotspot Shield VPN on your iPhone.
3. Once you have Pandora downloaded, activate your Hotspot Shield VPN on your iPhone. Once connected, launch Pandora, and voila–you have it working in Canada.
The Hotspot Shield VPN will expire if you’re on 3G (Rogers/Fido blocking VPN?) but should stay connected if you’re on WiFi.
On 3G, when the VPN turns off Pandora will show a message that says it “Cannot connect to Pandora”. However, it will still be playing music as it preserves the original VPN connection until you exit Pandora.
You won’t have access to on screen controls, but if you’re using iPhone headphones you will regain them! Double tapping the mic button will let you skip and pause songs. Pandora will continue to run in the background as well.
Using Hotspot Shield’s iPhone VPN, you should be able to experiment with other US-IP required apps. Let us know how this works for you in the comments!
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I didn’t know we could get pandora to work in canada.
Great info, much appreciated.
You should credit the Pandora hack source, it originally came from a member on RedFlagDeals who taught a friend and posted on your forum. The Cydia repo for the skip and bypass ads hack is also by the same username on RFD (mikehole).
Me and Zoo need some credit or atleast some free gifts from iphoneincanada for finding this hack lol
If Rogers is blocking VPN, that’s a much bigger story than free music.
Explain what hack Gary just did because I dont see anything other than creating a VPN connection using Hotspot Shueld and launching Pandora…..?
Hacks ->Tweaks->Tools.. Whatever the case this is very useful information from someone who discovered a way to use Pandora in Canada flawlessly so give credit where credit is due. Thank You Mike Hole
Just did it! works perfectly!!!!!!
iPhone 4 – Rogers Wireless, Oakville Ontario.
i just noticed something. It works excellent while you are on WIFI. Once wifi is turned off… if you are in the app, it will tell you that the app is not available in your country and you have no access within the app… BUT!! if you double click the “home” button, and slide to the left, you will see the “iPod” controls … if you hit pause, next it will continue to play the song, and new songs. So this hack even works on 3g, after wifi has been disconnected. Amazing!
This isn’t a hack, its common sense. I have been using HotSpot Shield to access U.S only services for years. I mentioned the iPhone version months ago on the podcast. It only started working with Pandora on the last release. I have been trying it with every new release of Pandora.
I take attribution very seriously when I blog, but its not needed on this post.
If you haven’t tried Pandora, its worth the effort. If you can’t be bothered setting up a VPN, download Last.FM and Slacker Radio from the U.S store and you stream music for free. Both services are excellent, and are almost as good as Pandora.
Oakville is gay. Just sayin’
What was that for? Holy hell, people say stupid things for no reason. If you don’t like Oakville keep your damned mouth shut. I live in Hamilton, btw. Wanna say something about “The Hammer”?
Hamilton is gay. Just sayin’
Awesome! Works perfectly, even inside my corporate wireless network and that isn’t always the case. Thanks for this very useful post. Much appreciated.
Used in conjunction with My3G on my jailbroken iPhone 4 I can get Pandora anywhere now. Very cool!!!!
Now if it only was able to access my iPhone’s equalizer. Music is a little flat compared to the settings I have for the music that’s on my phone. Still it’s pulling up some songs I haven’t heard in quite a while.
Now if it only was able to access my iPhone’s equalizer. Music is a little flat compared to the settings I have for the music that’s on my phone. Still it’s pulling up some songs I haven’t heard in quite a while.
Shouldn’t we be more concerned about his use of the word “gay” as an insult?
Shouldn’t we be more concerned about his use of the word “gay” as an insult?
Senators24 is gay. Just sayin’
Yes we should but I don’t think this is a mind that’s going to get the distinction. Apparently he’s 12 years old, mentally anyway.
Dagame is gay. Just sayin’
lol, im sure everyone thinks this guy is a fool. its a shame that i have to live in the same city as him. go canucks go!
Slacker Radio is almost as good as Pandora, but it’s freely available on the Canadian App Store. I used it for a few months before discovering this trick a few weeks ago, now it’s Pandora all the way for me!
I think this is because when you switch from Wifi to 3G, your VPN connection will be lost. Just go back to Settings to turn on VPN and you can use Pandora fully on 3G. Better yet, install VPN toggle for SBSettings if you’re jailbroken and you get access to an easy way to turn VPN on/off
Very timely post, I just figured out this “trick” to get Pandora to work in Canada after reading some posts on Xsellize forum a few weeks ago, and haven’t looked back since. I too noticed that my VPN connection constantly drops when on 3G, i.e. when driving my car. But fear not! You can avoid the “Pandora does not work in your country” error message by never touching the thumbs up/down song ranking buttons. You can even skip tracks and change stations while not connected to VPN without problems. So long as you were connected to VPN when you launched Pandora, this should work.
I should note that I’ve installed a cydia hack that blocks ads and gives you indefinite skips, so it’s possible this doesn’t work on an un-jailbroken phone. Also if you do get the Pandora error message, just re-enable VPN (easiest way is through SBSettings toggle), double-tap home to bring up multitasking bar, and re-open Pandora. Now it should run just like it should. Hope this helps others!
Very timely post, I just figured out this “trick” to get Pandora to work in Canada after reading some posts on Xsellize forum a few weeks ago, and haven’t looked back since. I too noticed that my VPN connection constantly drops when on 3G, i.e. when driving my car. But fear not! You can avoid the “Pandora does not work in your country” error message by never touching the thumbs up/down song ranking buttons. You can even skip tracks and change stations while not connected to VPN without problems. So long as you were connected to VPN when you launched Pandora, this should work.
I should note that I’ve installed a cydia hack that blocks ads and gives you indefinite skips, so it’s possible this doesn’t work on an un-jailbroken phone. Also if you do get the Pandora error message, just re-enable VPN (easiest way is through SBSettings toggle), double-tap home to bring up multitasking bar, and re-open Pandora. Now it should run just like it should. Hope this helps others!
Are you high? Hotspot Shield is public knowledge. Once you have a VPN, it’s obvious you can try a US IP required app. Get a life.
One thing we should credit you for is being a conceited person. Calm down!
Dude, get outside once in a while. LOL
Dude, get outside once in a while. LOL
How about a prize for wanting some attention? Did mom and dad neglect you this week? Try leaving the basement.
How about a prize for wanting some attention? Did mom and dad neglect you this week? Try leaving the basement.
THank YOU!
Dumb question – when I try to sync Pandora to my iPhone, itunes says it will erase all my exiting apps.
What am I doing wrong?
gordunramsie, why so negative, every post in the thread ?
You know that using VPN services like Hotspot Shield will also allow countries without official Facebook Places support to use it.
Gah I tried to get the HotspotShield to authenticate but it failed to do so everytime..
What you say is a reflection of yourself.
worked fine, but cannot get Pandora. It recognizes the I am in Canada and won’t let you connect even with U.S. email ….
The HotSpot Shield VPN works over 3G for VirginMobile here 🙂
Yeah, common sense. My grandma can do it right with her great common sense…
You are very right, everyplace on earth is nice we just need to find the place where we think it is nice for us. This person who say that Oakville is bla bla bla, then I would say to him/her should just stay where they are and yes shut it off….it all a matter of taste and it is alright like that otherwise we would all live in the same place! I also think that some people just like to bitch on internet about anything and anyone!
Hi ! first I want to thank you a lot for you tip about Pandora because I had tried for hours to download pandora and I just couldn’t (I am French and have a French account). I’m currently in the USA, and finally have Pandora on my iPod Touch, but I’ll go back to France in a month so do you think Pandora will still work there ? Do I have to install a hotspot shield (btw I don’t know what it is for)?
Thank you !!!
Yes, you’ll need to install a VPN for Pandora to work in France. It will
make your IP look like it’s from the USA, allowing Pandora to work
properly.
Hi Gary ! Thanks for answering so fast! I have now created the VPN and it works but it slows a lot my wifi connection on my iPod.
Do you personnally turn VPN on just when you need it (like for Pandora) or has it to be on all the time ?
thanks !!
Yes! Only when needed. 😉
Do I need to jailbreak? I aint jailbreakin’. I don’t ever wanna jailbreak my damn iPhone again. Please don’t make me jailbreak to get this shiznat working.
can i still use my original pandora account i setup years ago when pandora was legit in Canada? Or do I need to sign up for a new account with a “faux” US address?
I followed the instructions perfectly… got the App, setup the VPN… but when the VPN is running I don’t have a connection over 3G or WiFi… the VPN connects but nothing works, Safari can’t load web pages, my email doesn’t connect and of course Pandora doesn’t connect either… any ideas?
Try it again with another account login from the VPN.
so I use to do this a lot.. but it seems it doesnt work anymore?? any idea whats up?