*So happy to report that it WORKED and you are now able to view previous episodes for up to one month. Information and links below!!!!*
Hi Downton Abbey Fans!
I know everyone is excited about the new season starting September 22, 2013 at 9pm in the UK! After last years disappointing season, I know we are all anxious for a bit of happiness, right? Hopefully, nobody will die this season. That would be amazing. What do you think will happen?!
If you started following my posts last year for Season 3 from this post, thanks so much for sticking around with me this last year! I have received MANY requests and dare I say a plea or two to share if and HOW I plan on sharing Season 4. Last season, I did no more than provide a place where you could find all of the links in one place. The videos are not hosted by my blog and I have no control over them.
I have no ethical issue watching this show through legal internet means. People in the UK are able to watch the shows after they air in the same way that we can watch them on PBS here in the U.S. after they air. Because of the internet, the rules change in a big way. The way I view it, people in the UK are watching them legally online, therefore I should be able to, even if an ocean away. I, personally, pay for all of my music and movies legally and never attempt to break the law. I see the attempt to keep this out of our hands, a way to make more money and put pretend barriers up for the U.S. from the UK. What? Craziness.
ANYWAY, you guys really just want to know how to watch, right?
**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be patient with each option. Not every option will work for every person simply because of your specific computer/setup. Try each option more than once until you find one that works!**
How to watch in the U.S. (5 options!):
OPTION 1: This option includes any extra videos and behind the scenes option on ITV!
*Update* I changed the information below to a step-by-step process once I watched the first episode all the way through!
Here’s what you need to do to get Downton Abbey to play on your PC:
1. Download Tunnel Bear here. You will need to pay the $4.99/month to get enough data for the season. No biggie in the long run! Tunnel Bear is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which changing your IP address to reflect that of someone in the UK.
2. Confirm Tunnel Bear by e-mail.
3. Once you are signed in to Tunnel Bear, turn the knob you see to “on”. It will say “connected”.
4. Now, set the country option to “United Kingdom”. Your computer will now be compatible with the region showing Downton Abbey.
5. Go to http://www.itv.com/itv/
You’ll need a postal code to access the ITV player on the website. Use any of the ones on this list. If one doesn’t work, try another.
6. To watch the shows already aired Season 4 episodes, go to the ITV website’s Downton Abbey page:
https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/downton-abbey/
To watch the show live as it airs in the UK at 1pm Pacific Standard Time, go here to watch the live streaming ITV player:
http://www.itv.com/itv/
6. Make sure you turn Tunnel Bear to “off” when not watching Downton as you want your computer to know which country it is really in. :)
7. Hopefully, you’re smiling and watching Downton! If not, “like” and check my facebook page here for loads of questions answered, as well as the comments below.
OPTION 2:
1. Download this firefox add-on Media Hint here (great success and safe!!) or this VPN from here to give you a UK IP address to access UK shows instantly.
2. Go back and follow steps 5-7
OPTION 3:
Watch by clicking below in the questionably legal way click here from Watch TV Series:
Option 4:
Some previous links are available from the ITV website but you obviously have to have the ability to watch the player using options 1 or 2 above. ;)
Option 5: Download this ITV player automator here. I tried it and it worked.
In the meantime…
GET EXCITED!
Support your local PBS station here in the U.S. who provides shows like Downton.
Share your favorite characters and scenes in the comments below!! What’s going to happen?!
Amazon has all three previous seasons on Instant Video so catch up on Season 1, Season 2, and Season 3 here.
Watch the trailer for Season 4 here as well as a behind-the-scenes teaser here.
Check out some fun posts like this one from Downton Abbey Addicts, listing all of the new characters this season.
If you decide to wait for the U.S. air date, have fun waiting until:
January 5th, 2014 !!! Crazy!
For more of my own Downton Abbey-era blog posts, read below! See you back soon! Sorry for the excessive exclamation marks. I’m excited.
Click on the above image  to like my FACEBOOK PAGE so you can get the updates for NEW episodes!!
Also, check out my other Downton Abbey related  posts:
Stick around and find us on:
F a c e b o o k  //  T w i t t e r  //  P i n t e r e s t  //  I n s t a g r a m  //  E m a i l
Oh girl I am so excited about this. Thanks for sharing. Lets hope for no more deaths!!!
Ugh! No more death! Here’s hoping!!
Thanks for the Downton info! You have such a pretty site. I love the photos & the font. Enjoy watching tonight!
Love your site!
If ONLY I had seen this BEFORE…any idea where I can see it now?
Thank you :)
Do you mean watch the first episode again? As far as I know, that was the only time it was available to watch until it reruns somewhere. It was a live stream :/ You didn’t miss much. You could easily pick up on episode 2!!
Actually, looks like maybe you can! Try this:
https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/downton-abbey
Just bought TunnelBear for 4.99. Turned it on, set it to UK, turned it on, and it connected. Went to itv.com and entered the postal code SW181AA as directed. Still says “Sorry. This video is not available to play in your region.”
Please help.
Try another from this website:
http://www.londontown.com/LondonPC/Postcodes/ZipCodes/Information/SW18/
Hope that works!
Try putting the first 4 letters/# in first box and remaing #/letters of postal code in the second box that appears for postal code imput. It worked for me that way on ITV.
If I turn tunnel bear off, will it retain the postal code? or do I just leave tunnel bear running? Thanks, Paige
I’m not sure, Paige. So far, I haven’t had to input it again!
This is how I did it- a long time ago I downloaded ITV player on my computer hoping to watch Downtown. When I went to try and watch an episode a screen popped up saying I needed to put in postal code. So when I saw this post I downloaded tunnel bear registered it and turned it on picking UK as the country I wanted to watch. I then opened up my ITV player and found the episode I wanted to watch and clicked on it. A screen popped up wanting to know the postal code and so I put it in and itv regestered me and then I could watch it. Hope this helps!!
So glad that worked! Unfortunately it seems that what works for one computer is not another ;/ Hopefully, people will keep trying and find what works for them! Thanks, Paige!!
I tried everything. When I got to the postal code spot, I entered one of the postal codes and was told it was not available in my region. Now it won’t let me enter another code! So close and yet so far!
Keep trying different codes! It should work! Back out of the website and then go back in! Hope this helps!
This did not work for me either. Itv takes me to the App Store but it won’t allow me to download because I am in the wrong country. Thanks to this advice I wasted my money on tunnelbear. And btw ITV in England runs advertisements every 20 minutes and is not similar at all to PBS.
Keep trying different codes! It should work! Back out of the website and then go back in! Hope this helps!
I did everything on this list, but I can’t get the episode to air on the website. It keeps trying to open in the App Store and doesn’t allow me to view online. Is it only available to live stream? Really bummed out, I thought tunnel bear actually worked.
Keep trying different codes! Other people had great success with backing out of the page and loading again. Keep trying!
Also, the tunnel bear app, once downloaded, will get you through to either the live feed or the previous episodes I just linked to in the post. Hope this helps!
I watched it for free at:
http://www.simplyjune.org/2013/09/downton-abbey-4-episode-1.html
I watched it for free at:
http://www.simplyjune.org/2013/09/downton-abbey-4-episode-1.html
Hi Caroline, thanks for sharing that. It worked for me.
I have a service that provides me with a UK IP address. In prior years I had no problem watching Downton Abbey on ITV when in aired in the UK. This year I spent over 1/2 an hour trying to get on. I didn’t followed the instructions above as it seemed that a lot of folks were having the same issues I did with my current UK IP when they used Tunnel Bear.
I WAS SUCCESSFUL in watching Downton Abbey season 4 episode 1 with my current UP IP address on the website http://www.watch-tvseries.net/series60/Downton-Abbey/
You will only be able to watch the episode after it airs in the UK, but beats waiting until Jan here in US.
Hope this helps some that were unable to watch yet.
So i can’t get the Itvplayer. It says my account is in the us is I turn on the VPN to UK, but if I turn the VPN to US it says that app not available in the US???
Any suggestions?
Are you using the ITV website or the app?
Does anyone have the specific post code that worked for them?
I used SW181AA and have not had a problem at all!
Great!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
THanks you!!!!!!!!
Watched Downton Abbey on iTunes tonight. You have to go to the iTunes Store and set up a UK iTunes account and then pay with a UK iTunes gift card. Bought the whole season and will be able to watch as the episodes air in the UK. Watched on Apple TV in HD. Worked great.
That’s great news, Chuck!! Thanks for sharing! I’m going to check that out!
Just wanted to say thank you for posting all these things. As a die hard Downton Abbey addict, it’s sooooo hard to go a whole year with no Downton! :) :)
No problem, Amanda! Happy to share what I know :)
Hi! Thanks for all the advice to watch Downton Abbey now. I have one question. Why do you call Option 3 questionably legal? I’m not going to get arrested if I watch it that way, am I?
Of course not :) I call it questionable because I don’t know the exact source or whether it was acquired legally :)
Seasons 1 to 3 are also available on Hulu Plus. Finally got my tunnelbear to work for the new season.
I have tried all the tips in this thread and none of the postal codes are working for me. I tried putting in the same code twice (which seems to be what is required). I have worked my way through all the suggestions. I also tried various combinations. No luck. I’m going to try some of the other links that are listed here. Unfortunately, just spent $39.99 to satisfy my Downton Abbey cravings!
I already had a VPN since I love British shows like Doctor Who..I had to go to the 3rd page of the postal codes before it excepted one..save that because it does give you a pop up asking for the postal code..I saved mine in a txt file for any future use..I couldnt find Episode 2 till I read your link..thank you so much for that was able to watch it tonight & not have to wait till tomorrow.
So glad it worked out! I don’t know what the deal is with the postal codes! ;/ Episode 2 posted now ;)
I can use tunnel bear on my PC, no problem. When I go to use it on my ipad and want to access the itv player I get a message that I can not purchase using UK iTunes, must use US iTunes. Not following what to do, works fine on my pc! Any suggestions?
Yes, you can install UK itunes and purchase with a UK itunes card…so I’ve heard. You’ll only be able to purchase the season for download with that option, though!
Otherwise, you can’t download the app because the only way to do that is if you have a UK billing address on your credit card when you go to change the country.
I’m so frustrated! I can’t get a postcode to work. Does anyone have one that they know works?
I can’t seem to download the itv player app. It won’t come up to download in the App Store … Now what?
You don’t download it on itunes, just to your computer ;) It’s not available to download in the U.S. on itunes without changing your itunes billing info with a UK address.
Oh!! So thank you. I watched the first one and now go for the second.
Is this the same in New Zealand?
I’m not really sure. Wish I knew, Joanna. You could give it a shot! ;)
Thanks for sharing this. I love Downton Abbey and don’t know how I just found out that it had started. Gotta get caught up. Hope you don’t mind that I shared this on my blog, linking back to your blog of course. Thanks again!
Share away! ;)
stream-tv.me allows you to stream all new episodes here in the U.S. without paying any fees. I just watched both new episodes and it worked perfectly!!!
Great! I offered that link on the FB page so I was thinking of maybe switching to offering that one ;)
I still say support PBS, too!! I will watch DA, again, (and again?) when it airs in the U.S. but I love that I don’t have to wait!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Bon,
I was wondering were you able to watch episode 3 yet? May be its not on yet. I just tried on the iTV link you gave and it only has the first 2 episodes
Thanks so much for sharing this by the way :-)
Episode 3 just finished 5 minutes ago LIVE so the link will posted today ;)
Fantastic! Thanks for adding some sunshine to my world! I was not quite sure how I was going to make it to January! :)
Yay!
Just wanted to give an update for US viewers…if you’re a Mac user, you can download a program called Get iPlayer Automator. It makes ITV programs available for download, no matter where you are in the world. I successfully downloaded the first 3 episodes of series 4, and the program auto-converted them to iTunes format and placed them in my iTunes library. Happy watching!
That’s amazing!!
How exactly did you use Get iPlayer Automator to do this? I was able to download a free episode of an ITV program, but when I search for Downton Abbey in the automator all I get is one episode, and the download fails. i tried downloading one of the first three episodes of season 4 but can seem to figure out how to do it.
Read the comments for so many useful ideas! ;)
I read the comments above and below. Would it be too much trouble for a more constructive hint? Meri, can you help me out?
I wish I could help you out on your computer in person. ;) If you were able to download the tunnel bear to block your IP address, you can go to this link to view the episodes on the iTV website: https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/downton-abbey Hope that helps!
When a new episode airs in the UK at 9pm their time (3pm CDT), how long does it take them to make it available on the ITV website?
When you watch it on ITV you are watching it live but they do have a link to the episodes (available for 30 days) which I listed above!
thank you. you made my day!
Thanks you so much for this site! What time would episode 4 post?
Posting right now!
Thank you so much for the tips for watching Downton Abbey in the US! Just posted a mild rant on my blog a couple days ago about DA not being available in the US, yet we can get Doctor Who from the BBC on the same day. The itv player link and London postal guide list site worked for me. Thanks again! Now to play catch-up on season 4. :)
Yay!!
I have used Option 3 to watch all the episodes so far with no problem. For some reason the last episode (#4) doesn’t allow me to see the last ten minutes. Every time it gets to about 38 minutes it then quits and goes to the end. How can I see the last 10 minutes. Help! :-)
You can ignore my last comment. I waited a little while and tried again, and it worked. I was able to view the last 10 minutes. Thank goodness! Thank you so much for this site! I love Downton Abbey.
Yay! So glad it worked!!
I was able to use tunnel bear.. but it would only allow me to view the latest episode. I was locked out of the previous episodes because I have no valid UK e-mail address :(
oh no! So weird! Maybe try one of the other options or links?
Im wondering if you know of any problems going on with watch tv-series right now? I have been able to watch everything up until a couple of days ago where it gives me an error code when I click on the play button saying something like “it’s not downloaded….”
It worked fine for me. Although 2 weeks ago I had to reopen the window to get it to work properly. Did you try that?
THANK YOU!
You are my absolute “she-ro” (girl + hero, for those not familiar)! I love being able to watch the shows without waiting. I downloaded TunnelBear, but still haven’t quite figured it out, yet…plus, I don’t want to pay them monthly, so I have the free version. I actually saw Season two online, before PBS showed it, but the carriers were rather questionable…you, my dear, are a Godsend! Like someone else posted, I will still watch it when PBS broadcasts the series in January…can’t get enough!
Enjoy!!! ;)
Tune Bear is too expensive! Use Private Tunnel – $12 for 50GB, you can choose your location, data never expires, uses about 6 GB per SEASON, & no monthly fees.
I was wondering when and if you were going to post episode 6..
I just posted it ;) My hard drive crashed. Sorry for the delay!
Thank you so much for making this available! I look forward to it every week! Will you be posting episode 6 soon?
Posted! Sorry for the delay! My hard drive crashed ;(
No season4 episode 6 for option 3 ??? I’m having withdrawl now….. :(
Posted! My hard drive crashed. Sorry for the delay ;(
Thank you so much for always posting the episodes! My husband refuses to watch, says he’s waiting until Jan. but he keeps popping in while i am watching! :) After seeing 6 I’m dying to see 7!!!
\\\\
Are you sure your fancy icon for episode 6 is working? I couldn’t get it to work. Thanks for posting these! I’m not one who can wait till January. :-)
Thanks, Laura! Fixed ;)
Is it just me or is the image for episode 6 not working as a link?
fixed, Christy! Thanks!
When do you post the new episodes?
As soon as they are available; usually a couple hours later ;)
How long after an episode airs in the UK will it be available on ITV? An hour later? Hour & 30?
When you watch Downton on ITV, you are watching LIVE. They do have some past episode links on their blog that I’ve linked to above ;)
No, I’m not watching live. I’m streaming it AFTER it first aired. I’m quite familiar with how all this works.
So, again, AFTER DA airs live in the UK and completes, how long does it take for the keepers of the ITV website to put the episode on their website for streaming?
This site is so great! Thank you so much! There is a slight problem with the link for episode 7, though. It stops abruptly at about 32:30. Is there anyway that you could fix it? I haven’t been able to find another website that will let me watch Downton without paying, and I am dying to know what happens!
Jessica, did you try opening in a new window?
Can’t get episode 7 to play at all. =( I’m going crazy trying to get it to work!
Oh no! Did you open in a new window?
Thnx so much for posting these!! Love the show! Can you tell me the schedule for the next episodes please I’d love to know when they would be available
New episodes are posted every Sunday evening, usually a few hours after it airs in the UK at 1pm Pacific time here. ;)
You are a saint for posting these! The people of the U.S.A. are extremely grateful :)
Thank you sooooo much!! Eagerly waiting for episode 8
Thanks for posting all the episodes for season4! There is no way I could wait to see what was going to happen! Great season! :)
How long will the links be available? I am having a Downton Season 4 viewing party next Thursday and I want to make sure I will be able to watch using your links!! Thanks for providing this!!
I have no plan to take them down, Kari ;)
Thank you for this wonderful website! I was able to watch all episodes.
Yay, Ana!
Thanks for the website and directions that work! I am catching up now on Season 4 and so happy to not have to wait until January 2014! My friends are 1. Jealous! and then 2. Begging to know who to do it too! Thanks again.
Enjoy, Tim!
Just watched all of Season 4 … YOU are amazing making this side door available to us … THANKS. Any idea when you’ll make the Christmas Special link available? Evening of the 25th Regards, Tom in Oregon
My plan is to post Christmas Evening (Pacific time) when it is available ;)
Thanks for sharing, it made my day! :-)
Thanks u so much!
Is the Christmas special for season 4 posted here? I can’t seem to find it. Thanks in advance!! I love Downton!!!
Oops! Nevermind:), just saw where you said you would post it Christmas evening! Thanks!
Thank you for being able to watch Downton Abbey! I am watching in Holland through the US!
If I miss one episode I cannot watch this again as this is blocked. Thanks to A Golden Afternoon (which was a bit of a search :-))I am able to watch this incredible series.
Again many thanks from Holland!
are there only 8 episodes? I am loving season 4!!!
Yes, 8. There will be one more epsisode posted on Christmas ;)
Just a quick note to say thank you – I watched the entire series in a sitting and have shared with other devout Downton fans – Happy Christmas to you and I will be checking in all day in the 25th looking for the special. Only regrettable thing is what to do for entertainment all winter in the US.
Cheers – C
Totally true! Glad you enjoyed it like me! ;)
Will the Christmas episode be posted today?
Totally posted ;)
Are you posting the latest episode tonight?
I just did. It became available late this year but enjoy! ;)
It has been great watching the first 8 episodes – thankyou!
Can you tell me when the Christmas special will be available for the US fans using Option 3?
Posted! ;)
When will ya be postin the Christmas episode?
Posted! :)
Has anyone been able to view the Christmas Episode 9 yet? I’m using TunnelBear and for the first time ever, the ITV website is asking me to register my email in order to view Downton. Anyone else having this issue? Have you found something that works? I’d like to be able to watch the Christmas Special!
Posted the Christmas special, Pam ;) Also, available on the iTV website! Enjoy!
Merry Christmas! Looking for the special …. And not seeing it yet. Tomorrow?
Anxious in Ohio
It’s finally posted, Kelly! Enjoy with your morning coffee ;)
Hi Bon …
We eagerly await the Christmas Special …
Any idea on timing?
THANKS for making the wait worth while!
Tom in Portland, Oregon
Thanks for hanging out and waiting. Posted a bit ago! Yay!
Does the Christmas special work yet?
Totally posted, Kels! ;)
Never had a problem until tonight..it has a bug in Xmas episode when you try to watch. I’m getting all kinds of naughty websites coming up.
Thank you so very much for putting this site together. My wife and I are just enamored with this show and detest waiting so long to watch it – because of your directions and posting we got to sit last night after the rush of Christmas was done and watch the Christmas special.
Even better – the TunnelBear let us watch other British shows we’d not been able to watch!
Happy 2014 :)
Yay! So glad everything worked out! Happy 2014 to you as well ;)
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to watch the Christmas Special!
Thank you so much for uploading these!!
Oh, duh. I get it now. I was just too excited. Feel free to decline all these comments. ;)
Glad it worked ;)
Thank you so much for updating the list with the Christmas special!
Thank you so much for sharing the way to watch DA in the US. I just watched the last episode–The Christmas Special, and I am thrilled!
Thank you, thank you!!
Every time I try to watch the Christmas Special it stops playing about 12 minutes before the end. I tried multiple times and every time I get the same thing. Anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions. I really want to see the end! Aggghhh…
Bummer! Did you try opening up a new window? That usually works…
I stream the episodes from my iPad/iPhone to my Apple TV. Works great with high resolution on my HD TV.
Great!
CC. CM. My Apple TV only shows what’s on the iPad screen which works fine for US TV but not for UK tv. I have tunnelbear which which allows me to browse UK sites using a UK VPN but when I go to itv.com or itv player it takes me to the apple App Store and a big blank white box appears. When I click outside the box I’m back in the UK App Store. Is there something I’m doing wrong or do I have to have a UK iTunes account
Yes, you have to have a UK itunes account
I just wanted to say thanks so much for this post – I’m enjoying everything about it especially watching the episodes – and to ask if you would do the same for Season 5?
Planning on it ;)
Thank you so much for posting the DA episodes! I followed during the Fall and would excitedly check Mondays for the newest video :) I wanted to ask – have you, or anyone else, noticed that the episodes from the UK airings do not match up with the US airings? I assume that the episodes you posted on here matched the airings in the UK this fall (I never looked it up nor felt the need to look it up). But I notice that, for instance, the US episode that aired last week was Anna Bates’ assault. But in the UK, it was episode 3. Any thoughts?
So glad you enjoyed them! I haven’t watched the current airing in the US so I don’t know ;/
Thanks so much!!!!!!!!
I did everything you said, but it still wants to charge me to rent the episodes. Is that a new thing?
Yes, that must be new. Where are you looking that it’s asking you to rent? ;)
thank you SO much for posting this link-I watched them all in 4 sittings and loved it!
You ROCK!! I watched the entire 4th season before the first episode was broadcast here in the US (to the envy of all my DA loving friends). I just hope you can post Season 5 online as well once it’s available.
Now all I have to do is wait another 7 or 8 months…..As the Dowager asked “Is this an instrument of communication or torture?”
Cheers!
Yay! YEs! The hard part of watching with the UK is waiting the full year again! It will come sooner than you know ;)
will you please be doing season 5 as well?
Planning on sharing as soon as the dates are released ;)
I know you will think this is CRAZY but I had not watched Downton until a month ago when I tried Amazon Prime for free for 30 days. It struck me as I was going through the list of shows and after watching Larkrise to Candleford all 4 seasons in a week btw….lol I enjoyed watching “Mr. Bates” so much that I had to see what Downton was all about. Needless to say I watched all 4 Seaseons in 5 days!!!! Nothing was done at my house and my family did not get Fed but I was ever so HAPPY! Now my trial is up with Amazon and I do NOT want to pay the $99. My question to you is in September when Seaseons 5 starts how soon is it before you have the episode on here after it airs in the UK? Thanks so much Me~Lady…..
Hi Dianne! So happy you have enjoyed the series so much! September 21st is the probably air date in the Uk. You can watch it live following the tunnel bear instructions on this page. The episodes are usually available within a day ;)
hi Bon!
Thank you SO much for doing this last season. It was so nice of you and so great to watch it with the Brits! Will you be doing this for season 5 in a few weeks?
N
Yes! Check out this post:
http://www.agoldenafternoon.com/home/how-to-watch-downton-abbey-season-5-episodes-in-the-u-s-americauk/