Want to Watch ITV in USA – Here’s How it’s Done

Updated in Sept 2022 to try out Nord VPN to watch ITV live in USA. Here’s the discounted deal that I used – Nord VPN Discount Page.

Stream the Other UK TV Streaming Services

We’ve seen on this site how easy it is to access the BBC from the US in this post’ BBC iPlayer USA. But what about other UK stations say like ITV Player in the USA? Well ITV is the UK’s biggest commercial station and has some great shows and dramas. Most of these it streams across the internet on its own iPlayer type application called ITV Hub. It’s an online video player that works across all the ITV commercial channels – specifically ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and the children’s channel CITV. This post will show you how to watch ITV in the USA or anywhere else in the world. Plus, how you can access lots of other streaming platform options though your standard internet provider.

There are a few restrictions about what’s available. For instance, some shows are not available due to rights issues, perhaps if they’re bought in from another network. Also, some sporting broadcasts will not be accessible. However, the vast majority of ITV’s programmes are available for 30 days after being broadcast. When it was first released the service was known as ITV Catch-up, but it’s now been rebranded in line with other online media players. The other problem and the one that catches most people out, is that it is geo restricted. Which basically means that it won’t work outside the UK.

Quick Summary – How to Watch ITV in USA

• Subscribe to a VPN Provider with UK Servers (NordVPN is a Great Choice)
• Download the Software for the Device You’re Going to Use
• Select a UK Server and Connect
• Create a free account if you haven’t got one
• Login to ITV Hub and Start Streaming (video below if you want to see)

ITV Hub Operates the Same Geo Block System

So, if you try and watch ITV player in the US for example you’ll get blocked based on your location. You’ll probably see a message like this one below when you try and actually stream anything.

 

It just basically says that sorry this video is not available to play in your region.

UK Only Access to the ITV Site

What happens is that the ITV PLC web site will look up your location to check where you are to check whether you should be geo restricted. It does this by checking where your IP address is registered to, something that you normally can’t control. Your IP address is assigned by whatever service you’re using to access the internet. So, if you’re at home it will be your ISP or Cable company, or it may be the wifi at Starbucks or perhaps your phone provider.

The basic premise though is that whatever physical location you are in will be reflected by the location of your IP address. Sometimes there will be an error but 99% of the time if you’re in the US you’ll be allocated a US IP address. If you’re in Germany – a German IP address and so on. To bypass this check (and enjoy your TV shows) you need to spoof your IP address to watch ITV in the US using something called a VPN (virtual private network) service. Anyway, basically it’s not that hard- just read on and you’ll learn how to watch the Channel 4 in America or anywhere else for that matter.

How to Watch ITV Player in USA – It’s This Simple

The trick to being able to unblock ITV is to control your IP address. After all, why should websites decide what you should do or watch purely based on your location. Why shouldn’t an American working in Holland be able to watch his favorite shows on Hulu? Why shouldn’t a British citizen on holiday in Florida keep up to date with Coronation Street, The Jeremy Kyle Show or Love Island on ITV.

Well now they can and indeed any geo restricted streaming service, just watch this –

This software gives you complete control over what you can see online. It can also give you total privacy (if you enable encryption). You can watch any programmes irrespective of where you are, so enjoy Hulu in Europe, or use it as a BBC iPlayer proxy it doesn’t matter. It can even allow you access to other services which might be blocked in your current location too.

Take Control of your Digital Location

It doesn’t matter where you are – you can present the location you require by simply selecting the right country. So, for watching ITV Player then you pretend to be in the United Kingdom. You can watch other streaming services by simply changing location, many US viewers enjoy Canadian TV for example.  There are loads of other options available, every country has lots of geo blocked streaming services which you can enjoy by picking the right location.

VPN is an Essential Multi Use Tool in 2022

When you are connected to a VPN server then your identity is hidden by that server. All your data is also encrypted so there’s no clue to your location visible there either. A VPN is an important privacy tool which has been used for many years long before the requirement of these geo-blocked sites made them popular. Most large companies install VPN software on their laptops and mobile devices by default in order to keep their data secure.

Now VPNs are even more important as more and more of our lives move online. The early business focussed VPNs were actually quite expensive and relied on expensive back-end hardware to support them. Basically, you had to set up your own VPN servers with all the infrastructure that required.

Inexpensive Way to Access ITV Hub and More

It’s best to avoid the completely free VPNs though as most simply don’t work or are so slow that it’s impossible to use them to stream any sort of media online. You will also usually have adware installed on your computer to fund the cost too which makes it even slower!

There’s certainly no free VPN server for ITV player or any other UK channel available in 2022 as they’ve all definitely been blocked. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that it costs money to relay video through any sort of managed service. There are bandwidth costs, support staff and of course the cost of the servers. In reality, anything that’s going to slow down your connection is rarely worth it and ITV live stream USA without buffering is definitely worth a few pennies.

Be careful if you do try the free VPN options though as there are some which are very dangerous to use. One to watch out for is Hola which although is run by a completely legitimate company. It is actually free but only because they resell your internet connection to ‘premium users’ in exchange. So, while you’re connected complete strangers are surfing through your own IP address – doing who knows what!

NordVPN is a Great Option for UK TV

The good news is that a few decent providers do it efficiently and provide fast servers (with lots of IP addresses), great support at a minimal cost. My recommendation is to try Nord VPN, you’ll see how good it is and get to ask lots of questions to their support staff if you need to.

Remember as well as using the VPN to watch ITV in America you can also enjoy the BBC and the other free UK TV stations. It’s like a huge cable subscription, with thousands of shows live and in the archive. You can stream the BBC and access ITV live plus watch or download thousands of other shows. It doesn’t matter that you’re outside the UK when you’re using a VPN to watch ITV or BBC.

Great Streaming Sites in Other Countries Too

Nearly every major broadcaster streams a large amount of their content online now. Of course, these are normally restricted to the domestic markets especially all the free to air shows. Language obviously can be an issue, but you’ll often find many films and popular shows broadcast in English with subtitles which you can switch off.

If you’re lucky enough to speak other languages, you have even more options. Here’s some suggestions for English speakers only –

USA

The most popular TV stations in the USA are ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX. The most popular cable TV channels in the USA are AMC, ESPN and HBO. Every single one of these TV channels broadcast online. Just switch your connection to use one of the USA servers before you connect.

Australia

The most popular TV channels in Australia are ABC, SBS, Seven Network and Nine Network. Some of the advertising breaks can seem a little long but you do get used to them. Lots of different shows including many popular US and UK shows syndicated to these channels.

Ireland

The most popular TV stations in Ireland are RTE and TV3. There are other channels, but these two have the biggest viewing audience in Ireland. The Irish love to watch their favorite shows on RTE 1 or 2 live online. There’s quite a bit of sport available including things like Gaelic football too.

New Zealand

The most popular TV stations in New Zealand are TVNZ, TV3 and C4. These are the channels that show the most popular shows like X-Factor, Shortland Street and Neighbours. Lots of UK shows too, in fact if you’re a Dr Who fan you can usually catch the news series on TVNZ just after the BBC broadcast it.

Want to Watch ITV Hub in USA on iPad or Smartphones?

The Nord VPN software also includes versions for all your devices up to a maximum of six on any single subscription. So, you can install versions on your smart phones and tablets too, great for enjoying Love Island when you’re on the move! Basically, you can just click on a button to spoof IP address to watch ITV player or any other UK channel.  Just remember to pick the right country, for ITV and BBC it’s a UK server you need.

The Best VPN for Watching BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub is NordVPN

Give it a try on the link below, you really can watch ITV abroad with no tie in and there’s a no hassle 30-day money back guarantee. If you have any questions, they are very welcome to ask them here.

Nord VPN – Watch UK TV Anywhere

Additional Information

Here’s a few question that this page has received in the comment section mainly which we’ll keep adding to this post to keep it up to date in 2022.

I’ve heard that a VPN Account won’t work anymore with ITV and BBC?

You’ll see lots of stuff posted about how BBC iPlayer has blocked all VPNs in different countries. Or that they don’t work with ITV Hub or some other media site anymore. The truth is that after years of ignoring these workarounds many of the larger media websites have started to try and block them.

It’s not easy, detecting a VPN directly is almost impossible. However, there are clues the most obvious is when a single IP address is used to make thousands of streaming connections from their site. This is highly indicative of a proxy or VPN server, so these are often blocked by the website.

All of the free VPNs were blocked (because they had so many users) and many of the major VPN services too. Fortunately, there are a few who have carefully managed their user numbers particularly with relation to BBC iPlayer. So, some VPNs like NordVPN still work fine.

Do I Need a UK TV Licence for ITV Hub and BBC iPlayer?

Technically you should have a UK TV licence in order to watch any of the live UK TV channels or BBC iPlayer. However, there are no proper checks beyond BBC iPlayer asking if you have one – Yes or No. If you say Yes everything works fine, say no and you can’t stream any media on the site. There’s no checks or validation beyond that. You can’t buy a TV licence outside the UK anyway, so best not to worry about it! You will need an account but they’re free and you just need an email address and any valid UK postcode.

Can I watch ITV Hub in the USA?

No ITV Hub is only available in the UK unless you use a VPN. A VPN can hide your location and make you look like you are actually in the UK.

Connect on Other Devices too – Smart DNS

Sometimes devices won’t be able to support the software required to connect to a VPN. Some even are unable to support a VPN at all, for example basic media streaming device, Smart TVs or games consoles.

If you’ve never heard of Smart DNS which is another solution for watching ITV abroad and UK TV channels then don’t worry. If you choose a decent VPN service like NordVPN then you will get this as part of the basic subscription too.

The Smart DNS solution involves no software at all you basically just change your DNS servers. It’s perfect to access ITV for devices like Smart TVs where you can really install anything.  It’s also worth trying if you have a slower internet connection as it tends to be slightly quicker than a VPN service. However please remember it offers no security or encryption at all, however if you just are watching Downton Abbey on ITV or the BBC then that doesn’t really matter.

What’s the Best ITV VPN?

Usually, a VPN that works well for the BBC iPlayer is the best VPN for ITV Hub too. Controlling the number using the UK IP addresses concurrently is key which is essential for most of the UK TV channels. Nord VPN is one of the few that does this.