The CW is a long-standing staple channel of American television. With titles like Joan Walker, Whose Line is it Anyway? and of course some of the best DC Universe programmes including Superman & Lois, The Flash and Gotham Knights, you’re spoilt for choice.
Annoyingly, The CW is exclusive to 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 its 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 like Supernatural.
To do that, you’ll need the help of a VPN. Using a VPN reroutes 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, even if you’re in the UK.
Once you’ve activated your VPN, here is what you need to do:
- Time to complete: 5 minutes
- Tools required: PC/laptop, VPN
Connect to a US server on your VPN
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There are lots of different US servers to choose from, but NordVPN will connect you to the fastest.
You can always connect to another one if you find the website is buffering/not loading.
Head to theCW website
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CWTV is free to access, and also includes a range of shows to stream.
Choose your show and start streaming
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
New episodes of series are available to stream the day after they air on TV.
Keep in mind that The CW website includes ads on its content, and you should wait at least a minute for content to load.
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 .
Alternative ways to find The CW shows
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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