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My5 is Channel 5’s own streaming service, and it’s completely free if you’re in the UK. It’s home to Channel 5’s shows, documentaries, and live channels, all without a subscription fee. The catch: it only works inside the UK. If you’re traveling or living abroad, you’ll need a VPN to get in. Here’s what My5 actually is, how to unlock it from outside the UK, and how to get set up.

What Is My5?

My5 is Channel 5’s on-demand and live-streaming platform, carrying shows and box sets alongside live simulcasts of Channel 5, 5STAR, 5USA, and other channels. It’s funded by advertising, so there’s no subscription tier, just a single free, ad-supported service.

Is My5 Free?

Yes. My5 doesn’t charge a subscription; you just need a free account to sign in. That’s also why access stops at UK borders. My5 checks your IP address, and if it doesn’t come from a UK-based provider, you’ll see a message saying the content isn’t available in your region.

How to Watch My5 Outside the UK

If you try to open My5 from outside the UK, it’ll block you based on your IP address. The fix is a VPN: connecting to a VPN server based in the UK makes My5 see you as a local viewer, so the block never triggers. We recommend IPVanish for this specifically, since it consistently keeps UK servers unblocked for streaming sites like My5.

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  1. Step 1: Get IPVanish here and create your account.
  2. Step 2: Set your VPN location to the United Kingdom.
  3. Step 3: Open up My5 and sign in. It will load like you are browsing from the UK.

How to Sign Up for My5

Once you’re connected through a UK server, head to My5’s website and create a free account with just an email address. From there, you can watch straight from the browser, or download the My5 app on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and most smart TVs.

More Free Streaming Sites

My5 is one of dozens of free, legal streaming sites we’ve rounded up, including other UK options like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4 that follow the same VPN rule. Check out our full list of free streaming sites for more.