HBO has gained a highly respected reputation in the US thanks to its critically acclaimed releases. It’s continued to hold up that mantle with shows such as The White Lotus , The Last of Us and Hacks .
Despite that success, and the popularity of those massive shows, it’s surprisingly difficult to watch HBO live or browse its library in the UK or many other countries beyond the US. Here’s how to access the network’s back catalogue through the Max streaming service from anywhere, along with the best ways to watch HBO shows on UK channels.
Max or HBO Max – what’s the name of the streaming service?
In the summer of 2025 , the HBO streaming service will change back its name to HBO Max. The news was announced in May 2025 during the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront presentation in New York. According to Warner’s officials, the name dropped in 2023 better represents the service programming. A new logo will be introduced to reflect this change.
The rebranding won’t affect platform features or subscription costs or require any action from users.
How to watch Max in the UK
Warner Bros.
The full version of this Netflix-esque streaming platform lets you watch all of HBO’s content. While it doesn’t include the option to live stream the HBO channel itself, it does add most original programming and films within minutes of the start time.
With the Warner Bros back catalogue, you’ll also get access to all ten seasons of Friends, The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and huge films such as West Side Story and The Matrix.
Other content on there includes almost the entire DC library, the Studio Ghibli film collection and exclusive originals including the Friends Reunion Special and the Justice League Snyder Cut .
The big downside is that HBO uses geo-targeting to block users from outside of the US, so if you head to the Max website you’ll just see an error message. Of course, there is a way around this: use a VPN . This reroutes your IP address, allowing you to browse the web as if you’re based in another country – in this case, as long as you connect through a US server, HBO will believe you’re trying to watch from the US.
Here is what you need to do:
Find a US server on your VPN on your smartphone
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
There is a range of US servers on NordVPN – some may be more successful than others.
Ensure you are connected to a US server on your smartphone for the entire process.
Create a new Apple ID/Google Play account in your browser that’s tied to the US
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Ensure the country is either set to the United States or left blank.
Register your new account on your phone
Hannah Cowton/Foundry
Sign in on the App Store/Play Store and register your new US account on your device.
Download and install the Max app
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Verify your purchase if needed.
Tap ‘skip’ if the app store asks you to add payment information to your iOS/Google Play account before you’ve installed Max.
Create a new account in the Max app with your email address and password
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Choose whether you want the ad-supported or ad-free plan and if you want to pay monthly or annually.
Use PayPal as your method of payment (this can be a UK account)
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Verify PayPal with your phone number if you have two-factor authentication set up.
Once your account is verified, you can sign in from any device.
You should now be able to watch Max as if you were in the US, providing you have a VPN on the device you’re using.
If you encounter any more issues, then visit our full guide for signing up for Max from abroad .
As always when using a VPN to access content abroad, be aware that you’ll violate HBO’s terms of use, so the company could theoretically cancel your account if it realises you’re using a VPN. Proceed at your own risk.
Watch HBO shows on Sky Atlantic or Now
If signing up for both a VPN and Max sounds like too much work – or money – then there is one more option in the UK: Sky Atlantic .
Sky has a deal with HBO to exclusively air the American network’s shows in the UK, meaning that most major HBO shows – including The Last of Us and The White Lotus – air on Sky Atlantic. In addition to that, the channel offers a number of shows from other premium American networks such as AMC and Showtime.
There is a cheaper way to access the same content: Sky Atlantic’s shows are also included in the Now Entertainment Membership , which costs £9.99 per month and allows you to stream a variety of TV shows – from Sky channels and beyond, including the HBO series – from your phone, games console, smart TV, or PC.
Now is definitely the cheapest way to watch HBO shows in the UK, but it does come with one big disadvantage: while it always has the most recent shows, the service’s access to the back catalogue varies considerably as licensing deals change.
That may all change when Max comes to the UK in 2026.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor’s Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She’s also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she’s written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.
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