Fox Now is the US equivalent of BBC iPlayer. In a nutshell it allows those in the US to catch up with Fox TV programmes and view them online.
Like many online streaming services it’s restricted to the country of the TV channel and so if you try to access Fox Now outside the United States then you’ll be blocked.
A lot of Fox programmes are popular worldwide which includes shows like Prison Break, Bones, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy and a whole host of other names that are well known in the UK and elsewhere.
With nearly 200,000 US born citizens living in the UK, there is a large group of people who want to access US TV online easily.
Couple that with Brits who love American shows and you’ve got a massive amount of people who are disappointed when they try to watch Fox Now and are smacked with the dreaded blocked message such as the one below.
Seeing the phrase “The video you are attempting to watch is only available to viewers within the US, US territories, and military bases.” is pretty disappointing especially if you want to tune into some good American drama or comedy.
Thankfully there is a way to watch Fox Now in the UK and anywhere else outside the US using a privacy tool called a VPN.
A by-product of the VPN service is it allows you to virtually reside anywhere else in the world so keep reading and I’ll explain how to use a VPN to watch Fox Now in the UK and elsewhere.
How to watch Fox Now in the UK
A Virtual Private Network or “VPN” for short is a way of creating a secure connection to another location. Their purpose is to protect your online privacy and a sideline of that privacy is it allows you to appear as if you’re in a different country.
When you visit a website like Fox Now it checks your internet connection to determine what country you’re in and if it discovers you’re outside the US then it blocks you from watching.
With a VPN you can appear as if you are in the United States even though you’re in the UK or elsewhere and because of that Fox Now will let you watch TV shows on their site.
Where can I get a VPN and what’s the catch?
There is no catch apart from VPN services cost. However, they are really cheap and will cost you no more than three to six pounds per month (about US$5-$10).
The longer you sign up for the bigger the saving although if you’re sceptical then you can certainly just sign up for a month and then increase it in future.
There are literally thousands of VPN companies these days and searching through them all can be confusing. Often the terms used relate to their privacy functions but if you just want to watch Fox Now then all that gibberish won’t be important to you. After all you just want to watch some good American TV, right?
Our site regularly tests VPN services so I’ve put together my three recommendations for watching Fox Now in the UK and elsewhere. I’d personally choose IPVanish due to their ease of use, price and excellent customer service but the other two are just as good so feel free to shop around.
Price wise they’re all very similar, but you may be able to save a few pounds by signing up for a period longer than a month. Just click any of the names below to visit their site.
What do I do now I’ve signed up?
Once you’ve signed up you need to decide what device you want to watch on.
The three VPN providers above provide apps for Windows PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices. Fox Now is available on PC and Mac via your usual web browser.
If you want to watch on an Android or iOS device and you already have the Fox Now app installed then this is fine.
If you’re outside the US and you don’t have the Fox Now app installed for Android or iOS you’ll need to follow our guide on how to download Android apps not intended for your country.
Your first port of call is to download the VPN provider software, you’ll receive links in your welcome email or via their website. Download the correct software or app for your device.
Next, install and run the software or app. Below I’ve explained the simple instructions for each of the suggested VPN providers. The mobile apps work pretty much the same and are self-explanatory.
IPVanish Windows or Mac :
With IPVanish, you simply click United States and then Connect.
Once connected visit the Fox Now website and you can watch any of the programmes or shows in the UK and anywhere else in the world.
ExpressVPN Windows or Mac :
With ExpressVPN press Select Another Location, Choose a United States server then press Connect.
Now visit the Fox Now website.
ExpressVPN Windows app.
Overplay Windows or Mac :
With Overplay select No Encryption and then a United States location such a Los Angeles, United States, then press Connect. If you’re in the UK it will be best to select a server on the East Coast such as New York which should give you better speeds.
Once connected visit the Fox Now website and you can watch any of the programmes or shows in the UK and anywhere else in the world.
Overplay
All you have to do now is sit back and enjoy Fox Now.
Image courtesy of cooldesign at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Can VPN be used to watch Fox News in the UK ?
Hi Nicola,
You could if you had some kind of subscription service from the US, but I don’t think it’s available as a ‘free-to-air’ channel.