How to Watch Channel 4 On Demand Outside the UK in 2024

While Netflix seamlessly rules the USA’s streaming arena, UK citizens have something else to enjoy more – the All 4.

This free video-on-demand service, powered by Channel 4, is an entertainment powerhouse that hosts many interesting movies and shows.

But, like any other worthy service, Channel 4 is only available within the UK. That means you can’t access your favorite platform if you’re a Channel 4 fan residing outside the UK.

But that will only happen if you miss reading this article till the end. Today, you’ll learn how to watch Channel 4 outside the UK through this guide.

A quick guide to accessing Channel 4 On Demand outside the UK

Why is it difficult to stream Channel 4 from anywhere outside the UK?

All 4 is the streaming variant of the popular Channel 4. It brings all the content from Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4, and others to one place for UK customers. It also lets you watch live streaming of all these channels via the “Live TV” feature.

The service started off back in 2006 as 4oD (4 on demand) and was made available throughout the UK. Though Irish users may face some licensing restrictions, most of the content is also available to them.

As of 2011, All 4 also offers My 4oD that allows the users to create their own playlists, review their watch history, mark favorite shows, and more.

Also, Channel 4 notifies the users whenever new content is available.

The best thing about this streaming platform is that it’s entirely free. Though you have to bear with ads that power the platform, they aren’t really annoying, given the variety of entertaining media featured here.

Users can watch their favorite shows after completing the free registration. However, a paid sign-up may help you enjoy an ad-free browsing experience. So, you see, it’s a bliss for content consumers.

However, the entire fun pack is specifically available within the UK boundaries only due to licensing issues.

Thus, users typically cannot watch Channel 4 outside England, even with a paid subscription. Whether you’re traveling or temporarily relocating outside the UK, you won’t be able to watch your favorite Channel 4 UK shows abroad.

As for those who were never in the UK, there seems to be no chance for them to stream this platform (unless you follow the workaround we share today).

Tools you can use to watch Channel 4 from abroad

Well, the reason why you can’t stream All4 outside the UK is regional restrictions. The service primarily detects your IP address to guess your location. Then, if your location appears from outside the permitted area, the service won’t let you through.

However, if you know how to change your IP address country, you can easily bypass this check. Consequently, you’ll be able to watch Channel 4 abroad.

Here, we quickly list the key tools for spoofing your IP address and accessing Channel 4 online.

1. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network or VPN is the best tool to mask your IP location. In fact, a VPN does more for you as it strives to protect your online security.

It lets you connect to a distant server to change your IP address and encrypts all your data. This protects you from web trackers, hackers, and other surveillance authorities, such as your ISP.

Plus, with this robust security, the VPN ensures that you can easily access all you want without hassle. Thus, it lets you bypass geo-restrictions and unblock limited content, such as watching Channel 4 outside the UK.

In fact, if you ask us, then we strongly advise you to only use a VPN whenever you wish to unblock any restricted platform.

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2. Smart DNS

Similar to a VPN, a Smart DNS also masks your IP address to let you access geo-restricted content. However, this masking isn’t as strong as that of a VPN.

In fact, a Smart DNS doesn’t really change your IP address online. Rather, it merely reroutes your DNS traffic through its own servers. In this way, it wraps your DNS traffic and shows a different location to the websites you visit.

While the process is fast, it lacks encryption and doesn’t offer any data security. So, it neither protects you from ISP tracking nor prevents any exposure of your real IP address online. That’s why it isn’t a fool-proof strategy to unblock restricted platforms like Channel 4.

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3. Web proxy

Guess this doesn’t need much explanation since you would have heard about proxies at some point in the past.

Reviewing quickly, a web proxy also lets you change your online location by connecting to servers in other parts of the world. Like VPNs, you get different IP addresses with proxies as you connect to different servers.

That’s how proxies may help you unblock regionally-blocked content like Channel 4.

However, proxies also lack data encryption and other security features that VPNs offer. Thus, your real IP address remains vulnerable to tracking. (check out our detailed comparison of VPN vs proxy to learn more about how these two differ.)

That’s why web proxies are a big no-no for unblocking robust platforms like Netflix. As for Chanel 4, you can try your luck with web proxies but don’t expect outstanding results.

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4. Browser extension

In addition to VPNs and proxies, browser extensions may also help you temporarily hide your IP address and bypass content blocking.

These extensions typically work on the traffic generated by the specific browser. So, while your device would have your original IP, your browser with a VPN extension enabled will show a different IP address to the online world.

This kind of IP masking is good for browsing activities but won’t work for the other apps installed on your device.

Also, these extensions aren’t as robust as VPNs. So, if you wish to use them to unblock Channel 4 from anywhere, be ready to face blockages as well.

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Best VPNs to unblock Channel 4 abroad

From all the methods that hide your IP address, you must have chosen VPNs as your preferred method to watch Channel 4 abroad.

But how will I find the VPN I need; we hear you ask.

Well, you aren’t wrong to worry at this point since it’s about investing your hard-earned money. While subscribing to a VPN at random is easy, most of them aren’t cheap to afford. So, if they don’t work for you, you’ll surely face monetary losses.

However, if you choose wisely, you can open up endless new browsing opportunities. With a good VPN, you can not only unblock Channel 4 at your place but can also unblock many other streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Discovery Go, and many more.

Plus, you reward yourself with premium online security against web tracking, ISP tracking, government surveillance, and ad tracking.

In short, you become the ultimate controller of your privacy.

BUT… you need to be careful about your selection of VPN.

To help you decide, we have shared a comprehensive guide on choosing the right VPN that best fits your purpose.

Also, you can go through this list of the best VPNs that seamlessly satisfy various privacy, security, and content unblocking purposes.

Yet, if you’re running short on time and want us to quickly name some VPNs that support Channel 4 streaming outside the UK, then take a look at these 5 VPNs.

1. NordVPN

This service provider has achieved a credible stance in the market for consistently providing fast-speed servers to their customers. With NordVPN, you don’t have to worry about server distances since even the farthest ones can support streaming and gaming activities.

Aside from speed, NordVPN has also built a vast network of 6,800+ servers that cover 113 countries. While they offer relatively fewer locations, they have set up more servers for the exact locations. Hence, NordVPN easily resists any IP blocking attempt by any website like Netflix or Channel 4.

For instance, to watch Channel 4 from any country, you can use a single UK server location that has over 440 servers. You can also choose a specific server by scrolling through the map after selecting the UK as your location. That’s how you can easily enjoy an uninterrupted streaming experience of your favorite All 4 media.

Also, don’t worry about the device requirements since NordVPN, just like ExpressVPN and Surfshark, also offers widespread device compatibility. You can easily install the respective VPN client on your Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, consoles, and Fire devices, as well as your router to protect your online security.

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2. Private Internet Access (PIA)

You might not be astonished to hear this name since PIA is also among the VPN market’s old players. Over the years, they achieved popularity among users for their superior performance, fast-speed servers, and affordable pricing plans.

Also, they have developed a really huge network by setting up over 29,000 servers globally. They have distributed these servers across 99 different locations from 91 countries. That means you get plenty of servers for a single location.

This wide choice of servers not only saves you from facing service issues due to network congestion. Rather it also resists any VPN banning attempts from corresponding websites like Netflix.

For instance, if you want to watch Channel 4 outside the UK, you can simply connect to any of the 4 UK locations that PIA backs with 1857 servers. After that, you can enjoy an uninterrupted streaming experience as you won’t face issues due to IP blocking.

You don’t have to worry about device limitations, either. PIA offers dedicated VPN clients for various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Though this VPN may not support your smart TVs or gaming consoles, you can use their VPN app for routers to secure all devices connected to your network.

This VPN allows you to connect unlimited devices simultaneously via a single account. So, set yourself free to watch your favorite Channel 4 UK shows anywhere.

Besides everything, you can avail of all these features and benefits without burdening your pocket.

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3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has always proved to be the most resilient VPN against all web restrictions. With its wide network of over 3,000 servers spread across 107 countries, it offers many online locations for users to choose from. Hence, users have endless options to evade content blocking.

Moreover, ExpressVPN also applies obfuscated server technology that makes your traffic unidentifiable. That’s how it stays under the radar—be it ISP tracking or detection by corresponding websites.

Of course, this technology enables ExpressVPN to seamlessly bypass VPN blocking attempts by websites like Netflix.

As for the servers, ExpressVPN offers four different locations in the UK. Hence, you can easily use this VPN to unblock Channel 4 in the US, Italy, India, or anywhere. Just make sure to connect to any of these UK servers before accessing the Channel 4 website or app.

Since ExpressVPN supports many devices, from smartphones (Android, iOS) to computers (Windows, macOS, and Linux), gaming consoles, streaming devices, and Amazon Fire devices, you can watch your favorite Channel 4 shows on any device you want.

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4. Surfshark

If you find ExpressVPN costly to afford, don’t worry. Here is another worthy VPN that won’t blow your budget – Surfshark.

Surfshark has a huge network of 3,200+ servers spread across 100+ different countries. That means you have many choices for unblocking any streaming library on any platform by using this VPN.

However, if you’re concerned about unblocking Channel 4 while abroad, Surfshark will still help you. Aside from offering regular servers, it publicly claims to unblock Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, and other services typically available to UK users only. That means you can trust this VPN to unblock All 4 without compromising speed or performance.

The biggest plus of using Surfshark VPN is that you get not only a VPN but a complete security package. Surfshark offers adblocking and malware protection features as well.

However, if you want to watch Channel 4 outside England or even within the UK, you must disable any ad-blockers. So, when using Surfshark, make sure to disable the ad blocking feature. Once done, you’re free to watch your favorite content.

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5. PrivateVPN

While its features may not look as fancy as ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and NordVPN, it’s still good for unblocking geo-restricted content.

The best thing about PrivateVPN is that it supports all major devices, allowing you to watch your favorite shows anywhere. It seamlessly supports Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux devices, as well as routers.

So, while you can use this VPN simultaneously on six different devices, you can bypass this limitation by installing the router VPN app. In this way, you can connect as many devices as your router can support to the VPN. However, your router will be considered a single VPN connection.

Currently, PrivateVPN has a modest network of servers offering 200+ locations across 63 countries. This also includes 2 server locations from the UK. Hence, you can easily stream Channel 4 from abroad simply by connecting to one of these servers.

If you’re concerned about your data privacy, PrivateVPN is a nice choice. The VPN is based in Sweden – outside the 5-Eyes and 9-Eyes Alliance, yet it’s a part of the 14-Eyes alliance. Therefore, you may have to be slightly conscious about your browsing activities while using this VPN.

Nonetheless, PrivateVPN has mentioned in the Privacy Policy that they do not log user data, including timestamps, browsing history, IP logs, traffic destination, DNS queries, and bandwidth. So, you don’t have to worry about any security breach if you don’t use this VPN to execute illegal activities.

Want to give it a try? You can evaluate this paid VPN with a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like their service, let them know why and get your money back.

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Can I use a free VPN for Channel 4 streaming?

You can use a free VPN to unblock Channel 4 from anywhere. However, we don’t recommend it.

But this is something you should do for your own convenience. Whether you wish to watch Channel 4 outside England, unblock any other streaming platform, or simply want an anonymous browsing experience, what you actually need is a paid VPN.

That’s because free VPNs lag behind paid VPNs in many features.

At first, they lack the network and services comparable to most paid VPNs. While free VPNs may offer data encryption, they can’t help you evade content restrictions.

These VPNs lack those stealth technologies that would empower them to evade detection. Thus, they are likely to get caught by the corresponding websites you’re trying to visit as well as your ISP.

For example, if you use a free VPN to unblock the UK version of Channel 4 in the US, you won’t likely succeed. Even if you initially access the platform, you will be banned from subsequent attempts.

Since free VPNs do not have more servers for the users, you cannot switch your servers to evade such bans.

Besides, most free VPNs existing today are free for a reason. They don’t need your money because they make money from you. They often log your data during both active and inactive VPN connections. Consequently, they build your profile and develop a treasure trove of information they sell for money.

Anyone with the highest bid can buy your data. That buyer could be an advertiser, a data broker, a cybercriminal, or someone from your government.

So, that’s how you actually put your privacy and personal security at risk as you strive to save a few bucks by using these free VPNs.

In short, while you can technically use free VPNs to unblock Channel 4, we won’t advise you for this.

How can you watch Channel 4 from anywhere via VPN?

Now that you know what you need to unblock Channel 4 abroad, let’s move on to how to do it.

Overall, using a VPN to watch your desired content library on any platform is very easy. Just follow these steps, and then you can watch your favorite shows and movies, as well as all four channels live stream, just as you do when in the UK.

1. Sign up for a robust VPN

While you can choose any of the VPNs we recommended above, you can also perform your own research to pick the one that meets your needs. Just make sure you find a good, robust, and bold VPN that protects your privacy and warrants internet freedom.

After you decide, simply register yourself with them. You need to share some of your personal information, such as your name, address, and billing details, to create an account. Then, subscribe to an appropriate pricing plan that suits your budget. Lastly, make the payments to the service and proceed to step 2. (Make sure you subscribe to a VPN that has the best money-back guarantee so that you don’t risk your money.)

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2. Download and Install VPN on your device

After completing the subscription, download the respective VPN client on the device you plan to watch Channel 5. You can also download and install the VPN app on your other devices to secure them all.

You may have to sign in to the app to complete the installation process.

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3. Connect to a fast UK server

Launch your VPN after you’ve installed it. You can easily spot the right option to select a VPN service. Find that option and connect to a UK server. Wait a few seconds to let the VPN take over your internet connectivity.

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4. Sign-in to All 4 website or app

Once the VPN connection is established, you’ll see a change of location and IP address. Just make sure that your VPN protects you from possible IP leakage. If everything looks okay, you can safely head to Channel 4, sign in to your account, and start streaming.

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How can I sign up for All 4 from outside the UK?

Those who already have an account on Channel 4, feel free to skip this section.

We are here to help all those who have never been to the UK and, hence, don’t have a Channel 4 account.

How can you watch Channel 4 outside the UK after getting a VPN?

Well, fortunately, Channel 4 isn’t a paid service. So, it saves you from the hassle of finding a UK payment method. All it needs from you is your personal details. It specifically needs this information owing to its policies for content availability to minors.

So, here’s how you can sign up.

• Launch your VPN and connect to a UK VPN server.
• Change your device time zone to UK time. (This is just to eliminate any possibility of Channel 4 detecting that you aren’t in the UK.)
• Visit the Channel 4 website and click the “Sign in to My4” tab.
• On the following page, click the “Register” option to create your account.
• Enter your email address through which you wish to sign up to Channel 4.
• Set up a strong password (you can choose a robust password manager to create a strong password for you). Then click “Next.”
• Enter your name, date of birth and your address. Here, you should ideally enter a UK address. Thankfully, Channel 4 doesn’t require a precise address from you. Thus, you can simply enter a random UK postcode to proceed. For instance, you can enter “SW1P 2TX” – the postcode for London – that also matches your VPN location. Click “Next.”
• Click on the “Register” button to finish signing up.

And this is it. You are now a Channel 4 user – congratulations!

What devices do I need to watch Channel 4 outside the UK?

Just like signing-up to Channel 4 isn’t difficult, these service providers haven’t set any specific device requirements for the users either.

You can stream Channel 4 from anywhere simply by visiting its website from your device browser. You can also download All 4 on your Android/iOS devices, TVs, game consoles, or even set-top boxes.

How to download the Channel 4 app?

The best thing about All 4 is that it’s an entirely free-to-view platform. Though it also has a paid subscription plan, it merely supports ad-free browsing. If you’re fine with advertisements, you don’t need to pay anything to watch Channel 4.

Continuing this convenience, the service has also launched a dedicated Channel 4 free application for mobile users. You can easily download this app on your smartphone and/or tablet to stream your favorite shows on the go.

Here’s how you can download the app on your device by changing your Google Play country:

On Android:

• Install a VPN on your Android device and connect to a UK server.
• Create a new Google account while choosing “United Kingdom” as your country.
• Now, remove your existing Google account from your device.
• Link the new Google account to the Play Store.
• Search for the “All 4” app and install it on your device.

And you’re done. You can now create your account on All 4 (if you haven’t done it already) and start streaming.

On iOS:

• Install a VPN on your device and connect to a UK server.
• Now, change your Apple ID location to the UK.
• Visit the App Store and find the “All 4” app.
• Download and install the app on your device.

Once done, you can sign into the app with your All 4 account and watch Channel 4 from abroad.

Must-watch content on Channel 4

If you haven’t watched Channel 4 before, you might wonder which movies or shows you should begin streaming first.

So, to help you, here we list a few worth-watching names.

• Gogglebox
• The Great British Bake Off
• Come Dine With Me
• Supernatural
• The IT Crowd
• Derek
• Coach Trip
• Countdown
• Amazing Spaces

FAQs