Channel 4 is only available to watch when you’re located within the UK borders because of the licensing issues related to the shows. That can be a problem if you’re going abroad and want to keep up with your favourite shows while you’re away, or if you live outside the UK but don’t want to miss out on massively popular shows such as The Great Celebrity Bake Off. Luckily, there are ways around it – so here’s how to watch Channel 4 from outside the UK.
Watch Channel 4 with a VPN
By far the easiest way to access Channel 4 from abroad is to use a VPN (or virtual private network) which allows you to browse the internet while appearing to be in a different country to where you actually are. There are loads of VPNs out there, though our top recommendation is NordVPN for its reliability, speed and affordability. In fact, you can currently get 62% off NordVPN’s usual monthly price. You can also check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming video – our ranking of all the best VPNs we’ve tested for watching films and TV. Once you have chosen a VPN service, simply install it onto your device – most work on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and more. Then take the following steps:
Connect to a UK sever on your chosen VPN
Head to the Channel 4 website or app
Sign up for an account (it’s free, but requires your email)
Search for whichever show you wish to watch
Just remember that to watch Channel 4 you’ll need to turn off any ad-blockers (including any optional ad-blocking in your VPN). If you still can’t connect, try a different UK server – content providers try to block VPN traffic, so you might need to try a few different connections to find one that works. And on that note, using such workarounds is against Channel 4’s terms and conditions, and there is a small risk that your account could be blocked. Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She’s also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.
