ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk) is an incredibly popular free-to-air Austrian public service broadcaster. ORF has something to suit everybody with masses of available programs from categories such as entertainment, comedy, sports, weather, news, culture, science, religion, talk, and children.
ORF has a limited amount of content available for anyone from anywhere in the world, however, if you want access to ORF’s full category then you need to be located within Austria. Similar to most online streaming channels, ORF is restricted by licensing agreements to broadcast the majority of their content to only those who have an Austrian IP address. This means that if you’re located in another country, then your access will be blocked and you’ll be prevented with an error message that says something along the lines of, “Nur in Österreich verfügbar” (Only available in Austria). This geo-blocking is a common occurrence that regularly affects ORF viewers who are living or traveling outside of Austria.
To bypass geo-blocking and watch ORF without any restrictions you need a VPN. With a VPN, you can spoof your location and trick websites into believing you’re based in a country where they have broadcasting rights. Using a fully-featured VPN, you can also stay protected from various online threats including malware and hackers, in addition to browsing the web completely anonymously. Keep reading to find out more and learn how to watch ORF 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 ORF from anywhere quick guide
Time needed: 15 minutes.
Here is a short guide explaining the steps you need to watch ORF from abroad. With a VPN, you’ll be able to unblock ORF and any other geo-restricted content in just a few minutes!
- Choose a suitable VPN
To unblock ORF you need a reliable VPN that has Austrian-based servers. We recommended ExpressVPN and we’ll discuss why further in this article.
- Install & open app
On your preferred device(s) install and open up the VPN app. You’ll then see a list of available servers.
- Connect to an Austrian server
Simply select and connect to any server that’s based in Austria. You’ll then appear to have an Austrian IP address.
- Start streaming ORF
You can then head to ORF and you’ll have unrestricted access to all their content from anywhere in the world. Enjoy!
Top tip – If you’re having trouble with unblocking ORF, then try clearing your browser cookies and connecting to an alternate server!
Why do I need a VPN to watch ORF from abroad?
ORF, like many channels, websites, and services, is restricted to broadcasting within its own country, which in this case is Austria. This means that only viewers located in Austria will be able to access ORF’s content. This is known as geo-blocking can happen due to several reasons including broadcasting rights and copyright agreements.
For geo-blocking to be imposed, ORF will determine its viewers’ location through their IP address. Everyone on the internet has their own IP address which is a unique string of numbers that pinpoints their exact location in the world. Your IP is visible to every website that you visit, which can then block you from their content if you’re not located in a country where they have distribution rights.
To avoid geo-blocking and stream ORF from outside of Austria, you need to spoof your location by masking your IP address. This is why a VPN is a must-have for anyone who wants to watch content online. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that uses an encrypted tunnel to secure and reroute user traffic through one of its servers. Many popular VPNS have thousands of different servers that are scattered across almost every country in the world.
When a user connects to one of these servers, their traffic is redirected to first reach the VPN server before ending up at its destination. As the VPN server is acting as the source of this traffic, the user’s IP address will no longer be visible to any website they visit. Instead, they’ll appear to have the IP of whichever VPN server they’ve connected to.
So, if you use a VPN to connect to any server that’s based in Austria, you’ll appear to have an Austrian IP address. With your real IP hidden, websites such as ORF can no longer block you from their content based on your location. Using a VPN, you can circumvent geo-blocking in any country by connecting to a locally-based server, it really is as simple as that!
Explore all the top-quality content that you could be streaming from ORF using a VPN!
Which VPN is best for unblocking ORF?
The ideal VPN for unblocking ORF must have numerous high-speed servers located in Austria. As an added bonus, the ideal VPN will have a selection of other features available including military-grade encryption, a no-logs policy, private DNS, and 24/7 customer support. A VPN that provides all this and much more is…ExpressVPN!
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a user-friendly and professional VPN that provides security, privacy, and fast server speeds, making it a fantastic choice for streaming online content. With dozens of servers dotted across 94 countries, ExpressVPN can help you bypass geo-blocking for just about any website you can think of, including ORF!
These servers are well-known for being ultra-fast and super reliable, so you can stream online content in the best possible quality whilst avoiding high latency and buffering. With ExpressVPN you’re also provided with unlimited bandwidth, so you can stream as much content as you want without any restrictions or caps.
The ExpressVPN app has a straightforward interface and is easily navigable, so absolutely anyone can use it to bypass geo-blocking. You can download this app on every major operating system including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. For a completely streamlined VPN experience, you can even add ExpressVPN as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser extensions. You can also use it on most smart TV systems such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung Smart TV.
If you want to protect and stream from various devices at once, then good news, as ExpressVPN allows up to 5 simultaneous connections under a single subscription. This means all of your family can watch their favorite content online from any device, anywhere, and anytime.
With ExpressVPN’s robust security, you can safely browse the web and stream content without being at risk of cyber threats or privacy vulnerabilities. This VPN uses military-grade AES-256 encryption that is virtually uncrackable, which means that your traffic will never be intercepted by hackers or third parties. ExpressVPN also runs its own private DNS on every VPN server which protects your DNS requests against third parties and can even speed up response times.
Other security features provided by ExpressVPN include split tunneling support which lets you reroute specific traffic through the VPN while allowing the rest to access the internet directly. There is also ExpressVPN’s kill switch, Network Lock, which is a tool that automatically blocks all traffic from leaving and entering your device if it detects an interruption with the VPN connection. This ensures that your IP and identity aren’t exposed for even a second in the event of a failed connection.
ExpressVPN has a no-logs policy which states that the provider will under no circumstance track, collect, or sell any of their user’s data. By abiding by this policy, this VPN will not store any sensitive information such as timestamps, bandwidth usage, IP addresses, metadata, or browsing actively, so whatever you do on the internet remains completely private.
If you run into any trouble with ExpressVPN then don’t hesitate to contact their knowledgeable support team who are available to lend a hand 24/7 through email and live chat. You can also head to ExpressVPN’s website to find various setup guides and FAQs, or check out their YouTube channel for easy-to-follow video tutorials.
Overall, ExpressVPN is our top choice for streaming ORF from anywhere. This VPN can provide a lag-free and HD streaming experience whilst also protecting users from dangerous online threats. With their no-logs policy and AES-256 encryption, ExpressVPN also ensures that you can browse the web and watch online content both safely and anonymously.
Watch ORF with ExpressVPN* now!
Can I unblock ORF with a free VPN?
We strongly recommend against using a free VPN to stream ORF from abroad. For a start, you may not even be able to unblock their content at all without a premium VPN. Free VPNs usually have minimal servers to choose from, so you might not be able to connect to an Autrsin-based one. If this is the case, then you simply cannot bypass ORF’s geo-blocking.
As well as lacking servers, free VPNs often also have inadequate features. Whilst premium VPNs such as ExpressVPN provide users with add-ons such as unlimited bandwidth, multiple simultaneous connections, and fast connection speeds, free VPNs regularly lack even the most basic security features. Even if you do manage to unblock ORF, you’ll have to deal with an unstable and potentially unsafe connection which means lots of buffering, high latency, and even security vulnerabilities.
Free VPNs are simply just not worth the risk. They can be a hassle to deal with and can even jeopardize your security and privacy. Premium VPNs are relatively inexpensive and make up for any cost through their feature-rich plans and sufficient geo-unblocking capabilities. After all, only with a premium VPN are you guaranteed to unblock and watch ORF from anywhere in the world.