Data privacy and cyber security expert.
Joe has been working in the VPN field for over seven years, and has a passion for analysis and debate. He loves learning new technologies and software, and regularly uses everything from Kali Linux to Pro-tools. When not writing about digital security, Joe helps businesses improve their website usability and spends his free time playing guitar and reading about data science, IoT, and philosophy.
How to watch ITV in the USA – Three Troubleshooting Tips
ITV, and other United Kingdom-based streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, use geo-blocking to block access from outside the UK. Here we set out, step-by-step, how to use a VPN to access ITV from the US or anywhere else outside the UK:
- Get ExpressVPN
- Launch ExpressVPN and connect to a UK server
- Go to the ITV website
- Enjoy all your favorite UK TV shows
We also provide three troubleshooting tips, in case you are still having trouble watching ITV.
Why you need a VPN to watch ITV from overseas
ITV is an extremely popular family of UK TV channels hosting many original British TV shows and movies, as well as sports broadcasting. The ITV Hub is ITV’s online streaming platform, with selections from all the current ITV channels including ITV1, ITV2, ITV3,CITV, and ITVBe.
If you are in the US, or anywhere else outside the UK, it is likely that your access to ITV will not be available through a regular internet connection. This is because the content is geo-restricted to IP addresses located in the United Kingdom.
With a Virtual Private Network or VPN, you can access ITV via a UK VPN IP address which unblocks ITV on your device.
Installing a VPN also has the added advantage of anonymity or privacy for all of your internet activities.
Step-by-Step Process to Watch ITV in USA with a VPN
Using a VPN is the easiest, most secure, and most efficient way to get ITV running in the US. A VPN allows you to watch ITV, hassle-free, through a UK-based VPN IP address.
You need to select an excellent VPN that offers UK IP addresses. We recommend ExpressVPN for its speed, enhanced security features (such as a kill switch) and its sheer number of UK IP addresses that it has available. This means it has the ability to quickly replace any IP addresses that are blocked by ITV.
Once you have signed up for the VPN service, you should download the app and install it on your device. You can choose whether to add the VPN as a browser extension as well.
It is also worth considering whether you wish to install a VPN on your router, rather than your device. One advantage of this is that it will allow you to watch ITV via a device that does not allow the installation of a VPN (such as some smart TVs).
Once installed, open the VPN app, choose a UK server and press “Connect”. After around 10 seconds you will be connected to a UK server and your IP will now become a UK IP.
After this you can go to the ITV website and log into your online account, as now the website will believe that you are in the UK.
That’s it.
If you have not already registered for the ITV Hub via its website, you will need to do this before watching ITV as well. Armed with a UK VPN IP address, you should have little trouble in doing so.
Below we offer three troubleshooting tips in case you are still having trouble.
What if you are using a VPN IP address, but it still says you are not in the UK?
This is often a result of your browser having US or other non-UK geographical data saved in it. You can fix this easily by clearing browser cookies and cache, and then refresh the page.
Could your GPS be preventing your access?
If you are trying to access ITV via a VPN on your phone, or other portable devices, it is possible that your GPS is giving away your location. You can fix this by clicking on Settings, then going to Permissions, and then Location and turning it off.
You have taken those steps, and still can’t access ITV?
It is possible that ITV has blocked that specific VPN IP address. However, ExpressVPN constantly refreshes its IP addresses, so this is unlikely to stop you for long. Simply re-connect again, selecting a new UK location until you find one that works.
Conclusion
Employing a VPN is a straightforward way of accessing ITV from the US or elsewhere abroad. In our view, ExpressVPN is the most reliable VPN for this purpose.
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I used to be able to do this. However I can’t get this to work anymore. I’ve tried several UK IP addresses but it says that I’m not in the UK. I have also changed my region on my computer to the UK. Maybe you can suggest something else.
Hi Pamela. It should still be possible to do it with a VPN. I recommend the top ones such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, as they add new IPs all the time, so if an IP gets banned there is always a new one.
As for the region not being recognized: Sometimes this is because of your browser. If you have accessed ITV before from your US IP, then ITV will know from your browser that you are in the US from the cookies they store in your browser.
In order to fix this you should clear all cookies and browsing history from the browser you are using and only then connect to the VPN and then to ITV.
Let me know if this helps.
I have tried this and whenever I try to play a show I get the message “this video isn’t available right now”. It does this for anything I try to play. Any idea why?