How to unblock and watch Rai TV outside Italy (in the US, anywhere)

How painful it is when you miss watching your favorite Rai TV show just because you moved outside Italy?

Do you feel left out when your friends in Italy tease you by discussing your favorite movies they watch in Italy while you miss the fun?

Agreeably, streaming has made watching our desired content way easier. Anyone can browse to their favorite streaming platform and watch anything at any time.

But, the menace of geo-restrictions has made things terrible. You miss the fun as soon as you step outside a specific geographical location.

This restriction also applies to the Italian content, as Rai TV is broadcast with an Italy-only specification.

But, as PrivacySavvy always strives to help you evade unnecessary restrictions, this guide aims to help with unblocking Italian content.

So, let’s get started with how to unblock Rai TV when abroad.

How to unblock Rai TV outside Italy: Quick guide

Short of time to read details? Here we summarize how to enjoy Rai TV streaming abroad in a few easy steps.

What is Rai TV, and why is it limited to Italy only?

Rai TV is owned by a famous Italian media broadcasting giant RAI Net. The service started back in 2007 as Rai.tv, a website offering programs produced by Rai.

While it continued as a website, it initially lacked live streaming features.

However, it later transformed into RaiPlay in September 2016. After that, the service underwent massive transformations and upgrades to compete with streaming giants like US-based Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Today, RaiPlay offers live streaming of free TV and radio content to Italian users.

The service doesn’t necessarily require registration from the viewers. However, users can create free accounts on the service to enjoy On-demand content and more exciting features.

And, don’t be confused; you’ve read it right. RaiPlay does offer FREE streaming to the users.

But, unfortunately, this whole lot of fun is limited to Italian users only!

But you can’t blame Rai TV for that as they have to abide by the regulations regarding copyright and streaming rights.

Though, as elaborated on their website in the FAQs here, users can access RaiPlay abroad. But the service is limited. Also, users can’t stream Rai TV live outside Italy. As mentioned on their site [translated],

If you are abroad, the message will appear instead of live streaming: “We are sorry, Rai holds the rights to stream the content exclusively for connections from Italy.”

So, you see, even if you have an account on RaiPlay, you can’t access all that you want once you travel outside Italy.

But, don’t worry; there’s a key for every lock. So, we’ll explain how to unblock Rai TV when abroad in the following sections.

Top ways to watch Rai TV abroad

Now that you know you can’t watch Rai TV outside Italy the way you do inside Italy, the question is, what’s the workaround for it?

Well, to unblock Rai TV anywhere, you should first understand how this content geo-blocking works.

As you now know, watching Rai TV doesn’t cost money. Nor does it require the users to register on the platform necessarily.

So, what’s that particular thing that Rai TV detects to manage content broadcast?

It’s your IP address!

Like many other services, Rai TV also applies content filtering by tracking the IP addresses generating the requests. Through these IP addresses, the service tracks the users’ location and decides about content provision.

If the incoming request belongs to Italy, the service will allow full access to the content. If not, it will display the following error message.

So, in short, if you wish to watch Rai TV while outside Italy, you should look around for ways to get an Italian IP address without relocating there physically.

And how would you do that?

Below we list the top methods to let you unblock Rai TV anywhere.

Method #1. Get Rai TV unblocked outside Italy with VPN

The number one solution to changing your IP address is using a VPN.

A VPN or a Virtual Private Network is an excellent resource to change your virtual location as it offers a plethora of different IP addresses to you from around the world.

If you wish to learn about how VPNs work, please go through our simple beginners’ guide to VPNs.

But for a quick understanding, let us explain that VPNs work by rerouting the traffic generated from your device through its own servers.

And, even before this transmission, it first encrypts all your data. In this way, your information becomes unreadable to everyone online.

It then decrypts your data as it leaves the VPN servers.

However, because of the rerouting, your IP address gets masked with that of the VPN server. Consequently, your online location also changes.

This is how VPNs help you change your location in the comfort of your home.

So, if you wish to watch Rai TV outside Italy in the same way as an Italian resident does, use a VPN.

Here’s how you should proceed.

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1. Subscribe to the right VPN service

Rai TV is exclusively an Italian platform. Therefore, you should choose a VPN carefully while ensuring that it has its servers in Italy.

Moreover, the VPN should also facilitate streaming services without speed lags. Also, it should offer IP leak protection for an uninterrupted streaming experience.

Once you select a VPN service provider, create an account, and subscribe to one of its subscription plans.

2. Install the VPN app on your device

After completing the subscription process, download the VPN on your device.

Ideally, you should get a VPN that offers multiple device connections. This will let you watch Rai TV when abroad on any device you want. All it would take is to download and install the respective VPN client on your device(s).

3. Connect to an Italy server

After completing the installation process, sign in to your VPN with your account credentials to launch the app.

Once done, search for a fast-speed server from Italy. Generally, a server from any Italian city would allow you to access Rai TV easily. Just make sure that it shows stable and robust connection strength so that you won’t face long buffering times while streaming.

4. Visit Rai TV website or app

After the VPN connection sets up, go to the Rai TV website or app and click on your desired media to watch.

Then, if you wish to avail yourself of the ‘on-demand feature, sign-in to your Rai TV account.

Also, if you’re a new user, you can even subscribe to this service as you have received an Italian IP address now – thanks to your VPN.

As Rai TV is a free service, you don’t have to worry about managing your payment methods.

Method #2. Use Smart DNS

Another strategy to enjoy Rai TV streaming abroad is using a Smart DNS.

Briefly, a Smart DNS provider works by rerouting your DNS queries through its own DNS servers.

In this way, it lets you bypass content filtering. Moreover, since it doesn’t encrypt your data, your connection speeds remain unaffected. Hence, you face no trouble while streaming.

However, the main issue with using a Smart DNS is the lack of encryption that keeps your real IP address and location exposed online. So, you remain vulnerable to getting detected by the service you’re trying to access and eventually be blocked.

Nonetheless, a Smart DNS, in most cases, is free. So, you can try and see if this method works for you.

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Method #3. Use Tor

Tor is another helpful option to encrypt your data and go anonymous online, evading all content censorship.

However, Tor’s extensive security and data encryption policies make it an unfeasible option for streaming purposes.

So, again, you can test yourself and see if this method works for you.

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Which is the best VPN for Rai TV?

After going through all the methods described above, you must have understood that the best way to unblock and watch Rai TV outside Italy is to use a VPN.

But, the question is, how to pick the right one?

Well, to learn how to decide better, you may go through our detailed guide on choosing the right VPN for your needs.

Also, if you want a quick list of the best VPN services overall, you can check out our extensive list here.

But, if you’re in a hurry and want some quick recommendations from us, then here we list the three VPNs that we like the most to stream Rai TV anywhere.

1. NordVPN

This service provider boasts one of the largest server networks with 5200+ servers across 59+ different countries. It means you get multiple servers from one location, thus getting more chances of uninterrupted access to your desired content.

For Rai TV fans, NordVPN is an excellent option as it has 65 servers across 2 locations in Italy.

In doubt about its feasibility? Sign-up and assess yourself without worrying about your money as they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark has managed to establish a substantial global presence within a short time. Today, they have over 3200 servers in 65 countries, including two server locations in Italy.

Also, like the other major players, Surfshark too offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, feel free to subscribe to this service and evaluate its suitability.

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3. ExpressVPN

Our next recommended VPN to unblock Rai TV is ExpressVPN.

Due to their robust security features and privacy protection, ExpressVPN works seamlessly well to unblock Rai TV.

Also, you don’t have to worry about connection issues. Thanks to its vast network of 3000+ servers across 160 locations in 94 countries, it also offers multiple servers from two different locations in Italy.

The service also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to first-time users. So, you can easily subscribe to assess the feasibility of ExpressVPN for you.

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Can a free VPN help me unblock Rai TV outside Italy?

Technically, yes. But, in practice, free VPNs often fail to evade advanced content blocking. It’s because these services often come with compromised features that fail to resist VPN detection.

Also, most free VPNs do not offer as thorough protection to your privacy as paid ones do.

For an in-depth comparison of free and paid VPNs, check out our guide here.

Yet, if you’re adamant about using a free VPN, you can select a service by going through this extensive list of the best free VPNs. Unfortunately, though, we cannot assure you that these VPNs would succeed in letting you watch RaiPlay outside Italy for long.

Best channels to watch live with Rai TV

Interestingly, accessing Rai TV won’t give you access to just one channel, but many.

Using its “Dirette” (direct) feature, you can watch any Rai channel live in Italy or elsewhere. That means, from sports to news, you can easily watch your favorite media anywhere through this single platform.

Here are some of the channels you can watch live.

• Rai Sport
• Rai 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Rai Yoyo
• Rai Gulp
• Rai News 24
• Rai Scuolo (School)
• Rai Premium
• Rai Movie
• Rai Storia (History)

Can’t watch RaiPlay On TV? Here’s how to fix.

Unblocking RaiPlay on TV requires you to install the VPN on your Smart TV or to connect to a VPN router.

However, even after changing your IP to an Italian one, you might face issues in accessing RaiPlay. Here’s how to fix the glitch.

• Log out of your RaiPlay account.
• Change your VPN server to another one from Italy.
• Clear the device cookies and cache (app or browser cache).
• Sign in to RaiPlay again and start streaming.

As a precaution to avoid such glitches in the future, make sure to enable IP leak protection on your VPN.

Conclusion

We now come to the end of our detailed guide to access Rai TV anywhere.

It isn’t challenging to watch Rai TV outside Italy. All it takes is to pick up a robust VPN service that supports streaming. Once done, rest assured that you won’t miss watching your favorite movie, sports, or any other media, no matter where you are.

If you follow our guide thoroughly, we’re sure you won’t face trouble unblocking RaiPlay at your place. Yet, feel free to drop us a comment in case of any ambiguity.

FAQs