How to watch TV on mobile

After moving house and arranging all the furniture in the living room, you noticed that there are no antenna sockets near the TV. Before changing the furniture in the room again, you decided to contact an antenna technician and book an intervention to solve the problem. In the meantime, however, you will be forced to give up all your favorite shows, the match of your favorite team and the new episodes of the TV series you follow every day. But are you sure? You may have never thought about it, but you can use alternative solutions, such as watching TV on your mobile.

Yes, you read that right! There are solutions for all needs and budgets: applications of individual broadcasters with live streaming and on-demand content, “generalist” apps that allow you to watch live broadcasts from multiple TV channels and paid solutions that, on the other hand, allow you to watch Italian pay TV channels, such as Sky for example, on your smartphone. Interesting, right? So don’t waste any more time and get deeper into the topic right away.

Below you will find a collection of the best apps to enjoy TV programs on your smartphone, divided between free and paid: look for the solution that best suits your needs, which allows you not to miss a minute of your favorite TV show, install it and start use it following the directions I am about to give you. Fun is guaranteed!

Index

• How to watch TV on mobile for free
  • RaiPlay (Android / iPhone)
  • Mediaset Infinity (Android / iPhone)
  • Super TV Guide (Android / iPhone)
  • Specto (iPhone)
  • Other apps and sites to watch TV on mobile for free
• How to watch TV on a paid mobile phone
  • How to watch NOW TV on mobile
  • How to watch Vodafone TV on your mobile
  • How to watch a TV series on your mobile
• How to watch TV on mobile without the Internet

How to watch TV on mobile for free

Among the first solutions to watch TV on mobile phones to consider are the applications of free broadcasters, which allow access to the live programming of numerous free-to-air channels and rich catalogs of content on demand.

RaiPlay (Android / iPhone)

As the name itself implies, the RaiPlay application is dedicated to Rai programs: it allows you to watch live streaming, completely free of charge and without the need to register, to the content broadcast by the public broadcaster.

Among other things, RaiPlay also allows access to past broadcasts in on-demand mode, to create a list of favorite channels and programs and to download some content in offline mode: to take advantage of these features, however, it is necessary to registration – also free – to the service.

In any case, to start watching Rai programs immediately, download the RaiPlay app from the Google Play Store , from an alternative market for Android (if your device is not equipped with “Big G” services) or from the App IPhone Store : open the reference store of your device, search for the name of the app using the appropriate function and, when you have found it, press the Install / Get button to download it. If prompted, complete the procedure by recognizing the face , the fingerprint or by entering the password of the account configured on the device.

Once the application is open, you consent to the use of cookies or express your personal preferences by pressing the appropriate button and, to watch live channels, tap on the TV channels button (below), then on Direct and, subsequently, on the name of the channel of your interest, in order to start watching it in streaming.

To access the player controls, tap on the screen during the live broadcast: in addition to the Play / Pause buttons , you can use the (i) button to get information about the program on air; the keypad- shaped button , to view the list of channels; or the one depicting a gear , to set the speed and quality of playback.

If you are interested in watching RAI programs on a deferred basis, you must instead press the On demand button and select the category of your interest ( Film , Fiction , Series and so on); then, locate the content of your interest, tap on its preview and then on the Play button to watch it.

If you are not yet registered on the RAI online platform, you will be asked to do so: then tap the Login button , click on the Register tab and complete the registration, entering your name , surname , email address , date of birth and gender . To simplify everything, you can also take information from Facebook , Twitter , Google , Apple or HUAWEI ID , by pressing one of the dedicated buttons. For further information, you can take a look at the specific guide I have dedicated to RaiPlay .

Mediaset Infinity (Android / iPhone)

If you are interested in watching the TV channels of the Mediaset networks, you can use the Mediaset Infinity application , available both for Android (also on alternative stores ) and for the iPhone : it allows you to watch the live broadcasts of the Mediaset channels and the free on-demand content offered by broadcaster, as well as access to films, TV series, documentaries, shows and everything available within the Infinity + subscription platform . Viewing live broadcasts and on-demand shows is almost always free (except for rental content) but, in order to use them, you need to register for the service.

In any case, once you have downloaded the app from the reference store of your device, open Mediaset Infinity and tap the Close button located at the top, to skip the introductory tutorial. Once you have reached the main screen of the app, touch the symbol of the little man located at the top right, touch the Login button that appears in the displayed panel and touch the item Register , to start creating a new profile.

Now, choose whether to log in with Apple , Facebook , Google or register your email and password by pressing the appropriate button and complete the simple subscription to the service by following the instructions that are provided to you.

Once the registration is complete, you are ready to watch the TV broadcasts of the Mediaset channels: tap the Direct button located at the bottom, select the TV card and set the drop-down menu you see immediately below on the Mediaset Networks option ; at this point, locate the channel you want to watch and tap the Direct button , to start streaming, or the Restart button , to watch the broadcast from the beginning. To activate the full-screen view, tap on the content playback box and press the square symbol , located at the bottom right.

If you are interested in watching the broadcaster’s programs available on-demand, tap on the Catalog tab , select the category of your interest from those available (eg. Fiction and TV Series ) and, having made your selection, press the Watch / Go to the videos , to start playing the content from the first episode (if it is a series) or access the list of past episodes of the chosen program. More info here .

Super TV Guide (Android / iPhone)

If you find it inconvenient to install applications from national television broadcasters individually, you can opt for a “generic” solution, such as Super TV Guide : it is an application available completely free for Android (available also on alternative stores ) and iPhone , which allows you to watch the live streaming of Rai and Mediaset channels, but also of many other broadcasters such as La7, Paramount Channel, TV2000 and Sky TG24, where available.

Another interesting feature of Super TV Guide is to be able to access, almost always without registration, the on-demand content available on the broadcasters’ websites, within a couple of taps; However, I must warn you that, to access the viewing of some channels or programs, you may be required to download or start the broadcaster’s app, or to subscribe to the dedicated platform.

This possibility, however, only occurs if you try to access channels or programs that are only available after subscribing to a given service (eg discovery + ).

In any case, using Super TV Guide is very simple: once you have downloaded the app on your device, open it and select the platforms of your interest, activating / deactivating the corresponding levers.

If you are interested only in viewing live and / or free content, leave the switches for the National item active (you can still change this setting at a later time). Once you have made your choice, click on the Next and Finish items and then on the Accept button to accept the cookies from the service.

The game is practically done: to watch live TV, tap the Now on air button located at the top (if you don’t see it, first touch the ☰ symbol located at the top left and then the Now on air item , located in the menu that appears), tap on the National tab and then on the name of the channel / program you want to watch.

Finally, tap on the Play button visible in the box dedicated to the preview of the content and tap on Direct (Streaming) , which appears immediately after, to play it; should you be brought back to the broadcaster’s website, press the Play button again , in order to start the integrated player.

In some cases, the live broadcast could be started with the volume deactivated and / or in a reduced form; to change this behavior, tap on the multimedia player box and then on the crossed-out speaker icon , in order to activate the playback of sounds, or on that of the square , to enable full-screen viewing.

Specto (iPhone)

Another very valid “generic” app dedicated to watching free channels in live streaming is definitely Specto : available for iPhone (and iPad) , this app is characterized by its simple and immediate user interface, through which it is possible to access channels such as Cielo, TV2000, Cartoonito, Super, Sportitalia and many others, as well as the channels of the Rai and Mediaset broadcasters.

Basically, Specto is a free application with the presence of ads, but there is a paid version (obtainable through in-app purchase) that eliminates the banner ads.

After downloading the app from the reference store of your device, start it and choose whether or not to allow the sending of notifications , responding affirmatively or negatively to the warning that appears.

If everything went well, you should now see the main screen of the app, which consists of a list of channels: to start watching the station of your interest, tap on its name and wait for the start of the integrated player.

By default, the player will be displayed in portrait mode: if you want to set it to full screen, tap on the playback box and then on the two oblique arrows , located at the top left.

Still by tapping on the playback box, you can send the streaming content to an AirPlay device (the screen icon with the triangle ) or activate / deactivate subtitles (the screen icon with the inscriptions ).

If you prefer, you can ensure that the playback of streaming content always starts in full screen mode: reach the Specto home screen, tap the gear symbol located at the top right and select the General item from the menu that appears . Finally, set the Auto Full Screen toggle to ON and that’s it.

Other apps and sites to watch TV on mobile for free

In addition to the applications mentioned above, you should know that there are other solutions to watch TV on mobile for free that you can consider: here are some of them.

• Paramount Channel( Online ): is the Paramount Pictures Corporation television channel, visible on digital terrestrial channel 27, on satellite and streaming on the Web, even via smartphones and tablets. The ideal solution for lovers of American cinema: its schedule, in fact, focuses on American films, but there are also TV series such as “ER Medici in front line”, “All in the family” and “Sex and the city”.
• La7( Online ): it is channel 7 of digital terrestrial, also usable through the browser of the device in use by connecting to the Live Live section of the La7 site. There is actually a dedicated app for Android and iPhone , but the reviews of other users are not very encouraging, so I don’t recommend it (at least for the moment).
• TV8( browser ): is one of Sky’s free-to-air channels. It broadcasts on number 8 of digital terrestrial and on the Web, and is accessible via a browser for smartphones and tablets. Its schedule includes programs, television shows and important sporting events.
• discovery +( Android / iPhone ): this is the application that allows you to watch both the programming of Discovery Italia’s free channels and those included in the subscription to the Discovery + platform of the same name. In a single solution, channels such as Real Time, DMAX, Focus and Giallo are collected. More info here .
• TV2000( Android / iPhone ): is the broadcaster of the Italian Bishops’ Conference which broadcasts not only religious-themed programs, but also films and TV series. It is available on digital terrestrial channel 28 and on satellite, while in streaming it is visible in the Watch live section on the broadcaster’s website and via the free application for smartphones and tablets.

How to watch TV on a paid mobile phone

If you are looking for a method to watch satellite channels on your mobile device, or those included in the streaming subscription that you usually enjoy from your TV, you must rely on solutions that allow you to watch TV on your paid mobile phone . Through the applications made available by the various pay TVs, it is possible to access the channels available also via smartphone and tablet, without the need to use dedicated TVs, antennas or boxes. How? I’ll explain it to you right away.

How to watch NOW TV on mobile

NOW is Sky’s online TV that allows direct access to pay TV channels, such as Sky Calcio, Sky Sport, Sky Cinema, Fox, Fox Crime, Eurosport and many others.

NOW is also available as an application for Android smartphones (also on alternative stores ) and iPhone and offers two packages (called Pass ): Cinema + Entertainment , which includes the best of Sky movies, TV series and shows, is available on two screens at the same time and costs € 14.99 / month ; and Sport , which includes Sky’s sports offer (football included) and costs € 14.99 / month .

In some promotional periods, it is possible to activate a subscription to NOW at a zero or discounted price for a given period of time (for example, at the moment you can buy the Cinema + Entertainment pass for € 3 for the first 30 days); both offers have no duration restrictions, nor activation costs.

If you are interested in going down this path and you are interested in activating a subscription to NOW, visit the website of the platform , press the Discover the offer button and, after selecting the pass you are interested in, tap the Choose button and complete the subscription and subscription to the service, following the instructions you receive on the screen. If you need a step-by-step tutorial explaining how to do it, take a look at my guide to how NOW works .

Once the subscription to the NOW service has been activated, all you have to do is download the app of the same name from the reference store of your device, start it and press first on the ☰ symbol and then on the Login item , located in the menu that appears, to log in using your credentials.

Once this is done, return to the main screen of the app and tap the preview of the content you are interested in playing; once this is done, press the Play button , to start watching it, or the Download button , to download it to your device. If necessary, you can browse the available videos by categories, by tapping the ☰ button, or search by name, by pressing the magnifying glass symbol . For more information about the operation of the NOW app , I refer you to reading my guide dedicated to the topic.

How to watch Vodafone TV on your mobile

You have activated or are you planning to activate a new Vodafone fixed network offer in fiber (or in ADSL with a speed exceeding 8 mega) which includes the Vodafone TV service and you would be curious to know if you can enjoy the contents included in the service even on the move, without necessarily having to use the supplied TV or box? Of course yes!

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In this case, the Vodafone TV Mobile application comes in handy, available for Android phones (also on alternative stores ) and for iPhone ; after obtaining it, if you are connected to the Wi-Fi of the Vodafone network on which the service is active, access occurs automatically; otherwise, you will have to enter the MyVodafone credentials associated with your subscription, in the appropriate fields, then pressing the Login button.

The operation of the application is extremely simple: using the navigation menu available at the top, you can browse the videos included in the service, using the convenient preset categories; otherwise, use the magnifying glass icon to locate the content you want.

Once you have identified the program, film or TV series to watch, you simply have to press on its preview and then on the Watch button, visible immediately below. For more information about how Vodafone TV works, I refer you to the specific guide I have dedicated to the service (and to the app).

How to watch a TV series on your mobile

Are you a passionate “devourer” of TV series and would you like to subscribe to a service that allows you to enjoy them in complete freedom, directly on your mobile, wherever and whenever you want?

In this case, I have excellent news to give you: in addition to the aforementioned NOW service, which includes the best of the TV series available on Sky ( here is the list), you can take advantage of numerous other subscription streaming platforms which, in almost all cases , have dedicated apps for Android, iOS and iPadOS smartphones (and tablets). Let me list a few for you.

• Netflix: is one of the most famous and long-lived streaming platforms active in Italy. It boasts a rich catalog of original content, TV series (including the famous Narcos , Thirteen , Breaking Bad , The Crown and Stranger Things , just to name a few), shows and entertainment programs of various kinds. The subscription to Netflix Italy, whose catalog is available on this page , costs € 7.99 / month (SD quality on one device at a time), € 11.99 / month (HD quality on 2 devices at a time) or € 15.99 / month(4K quality on 4 devices at a time); to learn more about the service, you can take a look at the in- depth analysis available on my site .
• Amazon Prime Video: This service, included for all Amazon Prime customers, boasts a well-stocked catalog of original Amazon and non-Amazon TV series, such as The Wilds , The Boys , American Gods , Supernatural and many more . As you can imagine, the costs of Amazon Prime Video correspond with those of Amazon Prime (therefore € 3.99 / month or € 36 / year), with the possibility of a 30-day free trial for new subscribers and a discounted price for university students (who can activate Amazon Prime Student instead for 18 € / year, with a 90-day free trial). IPhone owners can activate a subscription to Amazon Prime Video independent of the Prime service, associating it with the Apple ID, at a price of € 3.49 / month . To learn more, check out my guide on how to watch Amazon Prime Video .
• Disney +: The huge Disney + catalog, partially available on the platform’s home page, includes all the original Disney / Pixar series, most of the Marvel, Fox and National Geographics TV series, as well as the so-called Star Originals series such as Big Sky , Boris , The ignorant fairies and many others. The service costs € 8.99 / month or € 69.99 / year : for a complete overview, you can take a look at the specific guide , available on my website.
• Apple TV +: Apple’s video streaming platform allows you to easily access a wide range of original productions, including TV series such as Ted Lasso , The Morning Show , Little America , Dickinson , Trying and others, with prices that start at € 4.99 / month . What not everyone knows, however, is that the service cannot be used only by compatible Apple TV and Smart TV devices, but also by iPhones, iPads and Android devices (in the latter case, via the Web). To learn more about the service and how to use it, you can consult my tutorial on how to watch Apple TV + .
• Infinity +: Mediaset’s on-demand streaming platform also boasts a catalog of respectable TV series, such as Young Sheldon , Riverdale , The Flash , Prodigal Son , Robot , Roswell – New Mexico and many, many others (you can access to the partial catalog by visiting this Web page , setting the top drop-down menu to the In the Infinity + catalog optionand pressing the arrow symbollocated next to the Most searched series item). At the time of writing, the service is priced at € 7.99 / month and can be used free of charge for the first 7 days, with no obligation to renew. To find out more, I refer you to reading my in-depth study on how to see Infinity + .

How to watch TV on mobile without the Internet

Have you found the solutions that I have proposed so far exciting, but you cannot apply them, since you do not have an Internet connection fast enough to handle the video streaming, or do not have any at all? If that’s the case, the question could get complicated, as smartphones – not even the most modern ones! – they do not integrate decoders, tuners or other modules dedicated to the reception of television channels via antenna (except for some old mobile phones from China which, however, do not work outside the country).

However, there are small tuners / TV receivers compatible with smartphones (and tablets) equipped with a USB-C or micro-USB port, which, with the help of the “companion” app, allow you to receive and watch TV channels directly. on your mobile phone, even without the use of the Internet.

Before proceeding with the purchase, pay close attention to the characteristics of the receiver: make sure that the connection port complies with the one on your smartphone (USB-C or microUSB) and, above all, that channel reception is enabled with the DVB-T2 standard .

In any case, I cannot guarantee that devices of this type can guarantee optimal reception of the TV signal, as everything varies according to the position in which you are, the weather conditions and, above all, the brand and model of smartphone in your possession. : it is not uncommon to come across, in fact, on occasions when the receiver malfunctions, is almost impossible to configure, or does not work at all. Then don’t say I didn’t warn you!