All 4 is one of the key catch-up TV streaming services in the UK, a portal for content for most of the TV shows and movies aired on Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4 and 4Music.
Like most video on-demand services, All 4 is only available to watch when you’re located within the UK borders because of the licensing issues related to the shows. That’s all well and good usually, but it’s a bit of 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 some of Channel 4’s content.
Luckily, there are ways around it – so here’s how to watch All 4 (or 4oD if you simply can’t stop using the old name as we can’t) from outside the UK.
Unblock All 4 with a VPN
By far the easiest way to access All 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 70% 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.
Another good option for UK services is Hidden24. This is unlike other VPNs in that it has no app, but is a solid choice for security as well as for watching All 4 or other UK services like BBC iPlayer.
Once you have chosen a VPN service, simply install it onto your device – most work on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and more – and make sure to select a server in the UK before turning it on. Then head to the All 4 website or launch the app and you should find that it will behave as if you’re at home in the UK and will let you watch as normal.
Just remember that to watch All 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 to watch is against the All 4 terms and conditions, so bear that in mind. It isn’t illegal for you to watch All 4 from abroad, but Channel 4 doesn’t like it, and there’s a small risk that it could block your account.
Via Techadvisor