Annoyingly, The CW is exclusively available in the US, which makes it difficult if you’re not based there and still want to keep up with your favourite TV show (and avoid those nasty spoilers floating around on Twitter). Although some of these shows are available to watch in the UK on services like Netflix, not all of them are. Fortunately, there’s a way to access all CW content from the UK – you can also use this method for watching the likes of ABC, Netflix US and Starz.
How to watch The CW in the UK
All the content that The CW produces can be found on their homepage. You can browse all their current shows with the latest episodes, as well as those that have previously aired if you’re looking to binge something from the start. Unlike watching HBO, The CW on demand service is free to watch and doesn’t require you to enter your personal details and sign up – so all you need to do is know how to bypass the site’s geo-targeting blockers, which stops people from outside of the US accessing the site all together. To do that, you’ll need the help of one of our recommended VPNs. Using a VPN basically means that you’ll be re-routing your IP address, which allows you to browse the web as if you’re in another country. To watch The CW, you’ll need to connect to a US server, and once you’ve done that you should be able to access the site. Our top VPN pick is NordVPN, which offers thousands of servers and is very reasonably priced. Surfshark is also another strong option. If you’d like to see some more VPN providers, then check out our rankings of the different VPNs. If you don’t want to pay for this service, then we do have a list of free VPNs available. However, these likely won’t have enough servers to access The CW website successfully. The free versions will come with limited server options, data caps and slower speeds which will make your user experience a lot less friendly – so keep this in mind. Once you’ve activated your VPN and signed onto a US server, simply visit the site, click on the show of your choice and start watching! You will have to sit through some US advertisements, but that’s a small price to pay for accessing your favourite content. If you’re looking to access content on the go from your smartphone, The CW also has an app that you can download to stream all of your shows. Of course, you’ll still need a VPN on your handheld device first, so to get started here’s our guide to using a VPN on Android. Please note that this is against The CW’s terms of service, as it violates the platform’s content licensing agreements, so proceed at your own risk.
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Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She’s also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.
