Did you know that it’s possible to watch Modern Family on Netflix? It’s true! It doesn’t matter where you’re located or what device you’re using, in a matter of 10 minutes or less, you can have access to ten seasons of your favorite comedic families. Here’s how you can stream it.
Most people don’t realize that Netflix licenses different shows in different countries around the world. So while Modern Family isn’t available to stream directly in the United States, it is available for viewing in some countries in Europe.
Because of this, all you need to do to watch Modern Family on Netflix is to trick the streaming service into thinking you’re located in a country where the show has been licensed. In this case, that would be:
Germany – Watch the first 8 seasons
How do you do this? All you need is a paid subscription to Netflix and a Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short. Personally, I’m using NordVPN to connect to a server in the Denmark right now to watch Modern Family.
The 3-step process, which I’ll explain in more detail below, goes like this:
- Step 1: Purchase and install a VPN like NordVPN with servers in France, Germany, Denmark or Netherlands. (8 min)
- Step 2: Connect to the appropriate VPN server. You may need to try more than one, but it usually works on the first connection for me. (2 min)
- Step 3: Log on to Netflix and search for “Modern Family”. Enjoy watching! (3 min)
That’s it! Sure you could try to watch on the official Modern Family page on ABC, but you need to be located in the U.S. and they’ll force you to watch ads. Just think…in a little over 10 minutes you can start bing-watching Modern Family on Netflix without ads!
Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may be compensated if you choose to use the services mentioned. I only recommend what I personally use, though, and I’m grateful for your support of this website!
Stream Modern Family on Netflix (3 Steps)
For those that don’t feel comfortable with the short description above, here’s a more detailed explanation of the 3 steps required to watch Modern Family on Netflix.
Step 1: Purchase and Install a VPN
It’s possible that you’ve never heard of a VPN before. Don’t worry, it’s nothing to be afraid of, I promise!
A VPN is simply a piece of software installed on your phone, tablet or computer that allows you to encrypt and route your internet traffic through a specific server in a specific country. (read more on my article What is a VPN?)
It may sound weird, but this means that you can literally choose on a map where in the world you want your computer to appear to be browsing from.
Netflix will read this “location” and then serve you the content licensed for that country.
Now, there are literally hundreds of VPN services on the market today, but there are only three that I would recommend for streaming Netflix:
- NordVPN (Recommended): I’ve used this VPN for years to stream Netflix all over the world and it’s always worked beautifully.
- ExpressVPN: Another popular VPN service that has thousands of server locations across the globe.
- VyprVPN: With more than two decades worth of customer reviews, if trust is something you’re most worried about, VyprVPN has you covered.
Keep in mind that each of these services carries a monthly or annual cost and there are many good VPN services available beyond what I share here. I don’t mind paying this because not only do I get to watch Modern Family on Netflix, I also get a secure connection both at home and while I’m on public WiFi networks.
Step 2: Connect to the Appropriate VPN Server
Once you’ve purchased, downloaded and set up a VPN on your computer or device, the next step is to connect to the appropriate server.
In this case, as mentioned earlier, you would want to find a server in Germany. For me, I’ve been connecting to the NordVPN Frankfurt (German) server and the speeds have been excellent (no buffering!).
As you can see, there are quite a number of Germany servers to choose from (and many more that you could scroll down to find). All you have to do is click on one of them to connect, and you’re golden.
Step 3: Log Into Netflix and Find Modern Family
Important! Before you log in to your Netflix account or open the app, make sure that you’ve closed the browser or the app if it’s already running on your computer or mobile device. This will allow the app to reset your location when it restarts.
After you’ve logged in to Netflix with the VPN connected, you won’t see any special notification or indication that you’re connected in a different country. The only difference will be the TVs and movies that show up.
Obviously, you’re looking for Modern Family on Netflix, which you can either browse or search for.
As long as you have a fast enough internet connection, you shouldn’t have a problem streaming the show through a VPN. I’ve done it from both China and Thailand and it’s been great!
Why You Need a VPN to Stream Netflix
Netflix, like pretty much every other streaming service, licenses shows and movies and because of this they have to restrict viewing for specific countries.
This is known as geo-restricting or geo-blocking content. It’s regulating who can view content based on their geographic location.
To be honest, it’s ridiculous. If I’m a paying customer, shouldn’t I get access to all content on a certain platform? It only makes sense – and I predict we’re moving to a world where geo-restricting is no longer an issue – but for now, it’s a big deal.
Amazon geo-restricts content. Hulu geo-restricts content. Pretty much any streaming service you can think of places limits on their content.
The only way around these restrictions is to spoof your location using either a VPN or another technology known as SmartDNS. You can think of it like changing the license plate on a car. The car hasn’t actually changed locations, but the license plate reads a different country.
Continuing on with this analogy, Netflix only looks at your license plate to determine where you’re coming from.
A VPN service like NordVPN gives you the ability to “change the license plate” so to speak, in addition to encrypting and securing your internet connection.
It’s simple, easy to use and it gives you access to loads of extra content on platforms like Netflix.
Final Thoughts | Streaming Modern Family Online
Contrary to what you may have believed, it is entirely possible to stream shows like Modern Family or even watch The Big Bang Theory on Netflix. It takes an extra piece of security software and a few minutes to set up, but in the end, it’s worth it.
Think about it: you can trade about 15 minutes of work for access to over 5,000 minutes of Modern Family episodes! I don’t know about you, but that seems like a pretty good trade. 🙂
Have you had experience watching Modern Family online? How was it for you?
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