How to watch HBO in the UK

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 Succession, The Last of Us and The White Lotus.

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.

How to watch Max in the UK

If you want guaranteed access to everything HBO produces – including the extensive back catalogue of Warner Bros content – the easiest method is to sign up for the Max streaming service (formerly known as HBO Max). This costs $9.99 per month for ad-supported content, $14.99 per month for ad-free streaming with a 1080p streaming cap and $19.99 per month for ad-free 4K viewing.

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 round 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.

We have managed to access Max using NordVPN, which you can sign up to from a couple of pounds per month. You can also check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming video if you want to look at some of the other VPNs we’ve tested that are particularly well suited to streaming platforms like Max.

Here is what you need to do:

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 be in violation of HBO Now’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 Succession 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.

Because of that premium content, you can’t add Sky Atlantic to a TV package with another provider – it’s exclusive to Sky subscribers. So if you want to watch the latest HBO shows on Sky Atlantic you’ll need to sign up to Sky. You can do this by either purchasing a Sky Q box, a Sky Glass TV or the most flexible option, a Sky Stream box.

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.