How to watch ARD.de outside Germany
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
ARD.de show some of the best of German TV and if you’re into sports then it’s often the place to go to for German language commentary or also sports that aren’t often shown elsewhere.
Unfortunately if you’re outside Germany then you’ll find that you’re not able to access ARD.de and instead be blocked from viewing.
If you’re a German expat, on holiday or generally just travelling for some other reason outside Germany then you’ll be left disappointed. The same can be said if you’ve never even set foot in Germany but want to watch something on ARD.de.
The great news is that there is a way that you can watch ARD.de and other German only TV streams from anywhere in the world and in this simple guide I’m going to show you exactly how that’s possible.
How to watch ARD.de outside Germany
If you’ve visited the ARD.de website outside Germany then rather than being able to watch the shows or sports that you want then you’ll be blocked from viewing and see a message similar to the one below.
Diese Sendung steht inhnen aus rechtlichen Gründen leider nicht zur Verfügung.
Basically the site is blocked from viewing outside Germany for legal reasons.
When you visit the ARD.de website it firstly checks to see where you’re located and it does this by checking your internet IP Address.
An IP Address is a unique set of numbers similar to a phone number that tells bits of data who requested them and where to send them.
The bad news is that an IP Address also gives away your location but the good news is there is a simple way you can get a new IP Address from another country and it doesn’t require any technical know-how.
By using a tool called a VPN you can get yourself an IP Address from Germany that will let you watch ARD.de in any country in the world.
A VPN is a small piece of software you can download for your computer or app for your phone or tablet.
Below I’ll show you where you can get one and how to use it to watch ARD.de outside Germany.
Where to get a VPN
The original purpose of a VPN is to protect your privacy online and as privacy is big business these days it means there is lots of choice when it comes to choosing a VPN provider.
To stream video you need a VPN provider that offers a fast service. Not all VPN providers are created equally and while they all cost much the same price the type of service you receive can vary greatly.
I’ve been testing some of the leading VPN providers to find out who is the best for watching ARD.de outside Germany and found that overall ExpressVPN offered the best in terms of speed and price.
I’ve put together a list of three of the best providers. All you need to do is click on one of their names to visit their site and sign-up.
Once you’ve visited the site continue reading below where I’ll show you just how easy it is to use the VPN.
How to use the VPN
Once you’ve signed up all you need to do is download the software or app for your device of choice and connect to a German “server”.
There is nothing more to it. Once connected simply visit the ARD.de website and you’ll be able to watch any of the live or pre-recorded shows as if you were in Germany.
I’ve put together a more detailed guide below using the provider ExpressVPN on a Windows PC but the process is the same using a Mac too.
If you want to use the mobile apps then they’re even easier.
ExpressVPN:
- Visit the ExpressVPN website and sign-up.
- Download, install and run the software.
- Click Choose Location.
- Click Germany.
- The app will automatically connect but if not press Connect.
ExpressVPN lets you watch ARD.de outside Germany
The ExpressVPN software will now take care of connection for you which should take around 15-30 seconds.
Once connected simply visit the ARD.de website and instead of being blocked you’ll be able to watch freely.
There is nothing more to it. When you’ve finished simply disconnect from the VPN service and everything returns to normal.
Enjoy watching ARD.de outside Germany from any country in the world!
