Channel 4 is well known for some of the great movies they churn out. They also deliver great shows.
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Like all other great channels, they have their streaming service, which is now called All 4.
Back in 2015, it went through a re-branding where the service used to be called Channel 4oD.
All 4 can only be accessed from inside the UK only, because of licensing issues that are tagged onto the shows it produces.
Luckily, there is a very simple workaround, so anyone in the USA can easily access Channel 4 on demand.
This guide will show you how to access Channel 4 outside the UK. First, we will take a closer look at what the service offers.
What is on All 4?
All 4 is home to the majority of movies and TV shows that have been on air on Channel 4, E4, More4, 4Music and the one and only Film4.
Some of the best shows ever to grace Channel 4 are:
- Derry Girls – the coming of age tales about 4 hilarious girls from Ireland.
- The Great British Bakeoff – the original baking show that started a cult following
- Shameless – the original and the funniest tales about Frank Gallagher and his family living on the poor side of life.
- The Inbetweeners, Black Books
- Brookside, Sugar Rush and Made in Chelsea
- Friday Night Dinner and The Big Bang Theory
Once you sign in, you are presented with a clean interface which comes with several tabs. These are simple to navigate around. You have ‘Watch Live’ where the current shows will be streaming.
Categories offers sub-menu options such as A-Z, comedy, drama, entertainment sport among others.
The next tab is ‘Box Sets’ where you can jump to full episodes of every series of certain shows.
The last tab is ‘Catch Up’ where you can flick through the various TV channels which are on All 4 and watch any TV show you may have missed.
There is a 30-day catch up feature, and you can download shows which will last for 7 days before they vanish from your device.
All 4 Device Compatibility
When it comes to streaming device compatibility, the Channel 4 app doesn’t leave any device wanting. You can access a Channel 4 live stream on the following:
- Android devices and Apple iPad, iOS
- Windows and Mac desktop
- Samsung Smart TV, Panasonic Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV/ Stick
- Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PS3/ PS4
- Roku
It doesn’t matter if you watch Channel 4 shows on demand, or you will watch Channel 4 live.
The resolution and definition is very high quality, the only downside being the ads that are interlaced in the shows and movies.
You will need Flash installed for the player to run.
Sign Up for All 4
Signing up for All 4 is straightforward. All you need to add is some simple details and a UK postcode.
These are very easy to find on the internet, or you can use this one WC1X0AA. You will be asked to enter an address; however, there is a drop down list with options, so just select one of them.
You do need to add a real email because there is a confirmation step that is required. You also need to create a password for your Channel 4 account and to be able to watch Channel 4 online.
Watch Channel 4 with a VPN
The on demand service from Channel 4 is not as strict as the BBC iPlayer, but it does pick up that you are not inside the UK. It is the level of checks the service makes, and it is quite lenient on using a VPN.
The way a VPN or virtual private network works is that it takes your connection and encrypts it.
As soon as data leaves your device, it becomes scrambled. Even your ISP won’t be able to see what you are doing online, or what you are watching.
This is a good thing because ISP’s may throttle your connection when you are live streaming.
This they do to save bandwidth, and for anyone who watches streaming content from the UK, it can lead to buffering as well as affecting any other family members using the internet.
To sign up and use a VPN to watch UK TV is very easy. If you follow the steps and the VPN service recommendation, you can be up and running in less than 30-minutes.
For accessing streaming content from anywhere in the world, there is no better VPN than ExpressVPN.
It delivers the fastest download speeds of any, so buffering is none existent. It will also keep all your personal information away from any prying eyes.
Here are the quick steps to sign up for this VPN.
- Navigate to the ExpressVPN website
- Select the plan which suits you
- Enter your email address
- Select payment option – there are many available including Bitcoin
- Wait for your confirmation email with download link
- Install the client – you can install this on routers
- Once installed you are already protected
- Change the VPN server to United Kingdom
- Log into the All 4 app or website
One thing to remember is you will need to turn off any ad-blockers you have running before it grants you access. It is an ad-funded service, so this is a small price to pay for great content.
If you find you can’t gain access, you can change UK server, but on occasions, there have been reports users need to set the time zone of their device to that of the UK.
This is easy to do from your device settings, but you will need to restart your device.
ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. If you use this like a free trial, you can thoroughly test all the features and at the same time access Channel 4 or the iPlayer from the BBC. If you don’t wish to continue, you can easily cancel before the 30 days.
However, when you sign up to this VPN, they now offer 15 months for the price of 12. This makes it the cheapest VPN that delivers premium services and features.
