SRF (Swiss Radio & Television) is a German-language broadcasting platform that is remarkably popular among viewers who reside in Switzerland. SRF streams hundreds of different series, movies, and programs ranging from news, education, and politics, to comedy, entertainment, and literature. With SRF, viewers of all ages and backgrounds will find something to enjoy watching.
Unfortunately though, due to legal agreements, SRF is only licensed to broadcast in Switzerland. This means that anyone who doesn’t have a Swiss IP address will be blocked from streaming any SRF content. This geo-blocking is not an uncommon occurrence and can affect all sorts of channels and websites. This can be incredibly frustrating for anyone who is either traveling or living outside of Switzerland but still wants to watch content from SRF. But don’t fret, as there is an easy and cost-effective solution!
A VPN (Virtual Private Network), is technology that masks your IP address as it redirects your data through a server before reaching your desired channel/website. If you connect to a VPN server that’s based in Switzerland, then you can spoof your location and appear to have a Swiss IP. This means you can freely access any geo-blocked content from SRF without having to physically be located in Switzerland. Keep reading to find out more about how to watch SRF from anywhere using a VPN.
| VPN Provider | Rating | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberGhost | Best value for money | Get CyberGhost | |
| ExpressVPN | Premium VPN | Get ExpressVPN | |
| Private Internet Access | Great VPN, good value | Get PIA VPN |
How to watch SRF from abroad quick guide
Time needed: 10 minutes.
Follow this short guide and you’ll be able to stream any SRF content in just a few minutes.
- Install a VPN
Sign up and install any VPN that unblocks SRF. For this, we highly recommend CyberGhost and will go into further detail about that later.
- Connect to a server
Next, open the VPN and you’ll see a list of available servers. Connect to any server that’s in Switzerland and you’ll then appear to have a Swiss IP address.
- Head to the SRF website or app
Now, you can head to the SRF website/app and create an account (you’ll need one to stream their content). After this, you’ll be all set to watch SRF from anywhere!
Top tip – If you find that you still can’t unblock SRF, then try connecting to a different Swiss server and clearing your browser’s cookies!
Do I need a VPN to watch SRF from abroad?
Yes! Without a VPN, your real IP address is exposed which means that all websites, including SRF, can see exactly where you’re located. Due to licensing agreements, many online channels come with geo-restrictions, meaning that they’re restricted to exclusively broadcasting within their own country.
With SRF, only those with a Swiss IP address can stream their content. If you reside or are traveling outside of Switzerland and try to access the SRF website without a VPN, then you will be greeted with an error message like this telling you that their content is geo-blocked and not available. So, in order to watch SRF from outside of Switzerland, you need to mask your real IP address and replace it with a Swiss one. This is why you need a VPN.
With a VPN, you can connect to any server from around the world and essentially spoof your location. When using a VPN, all data from your device is redirected through an encrypted tunnel and travels to a remote server before reaching the internet. When your data reaches its final destination (such as the SRF website) it will appear to be coming from the VPN server. This server’s own IP address is also what is shown to websites, whilst your real IP is completely hidden. So, when you connect to a VPN server that’s based in Switzerland, you’ll appear to have a Swiss IP when navigating the internet. Therefore, you can access absolutely any geo-restricted website or channel, including SRF.
What’s the best VPN for watching SRF from aboard?
The best VPN for streaming SRF abroad will have fast server speeds, strong encryption, and plenty of servers located in Switzerland. There are also a few other features that although not completely necessary, are still great additions to have. This includes multiple simultaneous connections, specialty servers, a no-logs policy, and 24/7 customer support. With all this in mind, here is the VPN that we recommend the most –
CyberGhost
CyberGhost is one of the most well-known providers in the VPN market and is also our top choice for bypassing geo-restrictions. With CyberGhost, you have over 7000 servers to choose from, including hundreds located in Switzerland. You’ll have no trouble connecting to any of these and gaining unrestricted access to all SRF content.
Not only are CyberGhost’s servers plentiful, but they are also super-fast and highly reliable. Server speed is important because it can drastically affect the quality of your streams. Since, when connected to a VPN, your data has to travel further to reach the server, it means your connection speeds are slightly slower than usual. This is usually a very minimal impact and with top-quality VPNs such as CyberGhost, you shouldn’t even notice a difference. With CyberGhost’s lightning-fast server speeds, you can stream any content in the highest quality without experiencing any lag or buffering.
CyberGhost takes its user’s security very seriously and takes significant measures to protect against cyber threats such as malware, hackers, and prying third parties. With this VPN, your data will be secured with 256-bit AES encryption which is military-grade encryption and almost impossible to crack. As well as this, your data will be secured with the NoSpy servers, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch.
With CyberGhost, you can watch SRF and any other channel on just about any device including macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux. You can also have up to 7 simultaneous connections, which means that you and your family can all enjoy streaming from your own devices at the same time.
To make your streaming experience even more enjoyable, you can also make use of CyberGhost’s ad-blocking feature, AdBlocker. Whenever you enter a website AdBlocker will automatically hide any advertising material such as pop-ups and auto-play videos. Online ads can be very intrusive and can often slow down the loading speeds of websites, so with AdBlocker, you can experience the internet completely ad-free.
CyberGhost also has a strict no-logs policy. This policy states that the VPN provider will never monitor, collect, or share their user’s private data. This means that your online activity is kept completely private and you can browse the web anonymously. Online privacy is incredibly important and should always be prioritised, so using a VPN with a no-logs policy is strongly encouraged.
Finally, CyberGhost has an excellent customer support team available to answer questions and resolve any issues. This support team is available 24/7 through email/live chat and is well-known for being knowledgeable, fast-responding, and overall very helpful. Otherwise, you can check out CyberGhost’s support center to find tutorials, general info, and answers to common questions.
So, we’ve established that CyberGhost can help you bypass geo-restrictions to watch SRF from anywhere. Even better, your streams are guaranteed to be high quality and lag-free thanks to the VPN’s speedy servers. You can also have peace of mind knowing your data is protected with CyberGhost’s strong encryption, AdBlocker technology, and no-logs policy. Overall, CyberGhost provides anything you could possibly need from a VPN to safely stream region-locked channels such as SRF, all in an affordable and fully-featured subscription package.
Stream SRF with CyberGhost* now!
What can I watch on SRF?
The different SRF channels have plenty to offer for people of all ages and interests including sports, news, documentaries, entertainment, comedy, culture, religion, and politics. There’s even tons of content available for kids! Here is a sneak peek at what you could be watching on SRF –
- Radio
3 auf Zwei – A morning, lunch, and afternoon radio channel that broadcasts music, news, weather, and even games.
- News
Tagesschau – A program that reports the latest news and information regarding Germany.
Sportflash – A program that keeps you updated on what’s happening in the world of sports each day.
- Comedy
Life in Pieces – An American sitcom that’s told through each family member’s unique perspective.
Deville – A provocative and entertaining look at current events with Swiss comedian, Dominic Deville.
- Entertainment
SOKO Kitzbühel – An Austrian crime series that’s the spin-off of the German series SOKO 5113.
1 gegen 100 – A game show where one candidate goes up against a hundred opponents to answer difficult trivia questions and be crowned the winner.
- Documentary
Hoch Hinaus, Das Expeditionsteam – A series that follows the journey of young climbers who are training and preparing for a large mountain expedition.
- Literature
Literaturclub – A show that discusses and reviews the latest publications.
- Religion
Fenster Zum Sonntag – A series that discusses current affairs from a Christian perspective.
- Kids
Guetnachtgschichtli – Child-friendly and educational short stories of different animated characters learning about friendships, family, and life difficulties.
Kinder News – The latest world news that is explained in a way that children can understand.
Check out SRF’s media library to discover all the content you could be streaming from SRF using a VPN!