How to Change Your Location on CBS All Access

One of the reasons why so many people subscribe to CBS All Access is that they get to enjoy live TV. You don’t need a cable subscription to enjoy the local news, you get to watch it from your mobile device. But what happens when you’re traveling?

Or when you want to watch a live football game, but the local CBS station affiliate doesn’t support it? It would be great if you could use a VPN or change the location manually to enjoy this service. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

What’s the Obstacle?

In a nutshell, CBS has some pretty strict rules and requirements for watching live TV on their platform. While you’re able to watch any other content at your leisure, you can’t use this particular feature as you please.

In fact, you won’t get any live TV streaming unless the CBS station in your area has a contract with CBS that allows for it. If you still haven’t subscribed to CBS All Access, you may want to check out this list to see if you’re located close to any of the affiliate stations.

Like KPIX in San Francisco, some stations have been an affiliate since the 1940s, but others have only gotten on board more recently. The way CBS All Access prevents you from “cheating” the system is by asking for your location when you log on.

If your location services are switched off on your browser or on your mobile device, then it will prompt you to turn them on before you start watching.

Will Turning Off the Geolocation Make a Difference?

Sometimes the CBS All Access will default to a CBS affiliate station that belongs to a different media market. And so, you don’t even get to enjoy the CBS local station that’s actually in your area.

You might consider turning off the geolocation on your browser or your mobile device to avoid this issue. But even though you wouldn’t get a wrong CBS station, you would get a message on your screen to instruct you to turn on your location again.

You can expect a similar outcome when you try changing your zip code on your CBS All Access Profile. First, the platform won’t allow you to update the existing zip code.

You can delete the current CBS All Access Account and create a new one with a different zip code. However, that still won’t matter because you can’t override the geolocation prompt.

Talk to CBS All Access Directly

If you’re having significant issues with the CBS All Access location, it’s best to directly talk to their support staff. For example, if the platform either changes the local CBS affiliate station that you’re seeing or there are some general access issues, it could be a fixable problem.

For further troubleshooting, contact the CBS All Access support page. You can choose to contact them via email, Facebook, Twitter, or simply give them a call.

Can You Watch CBS All Access Outside of the US?

If you’re a CBS All Access subscriber who travels a lot outside of the US, you might be wondering if it’s possible to enjoy Star Trek or the new Big Brother while you’re away.

The answer is yes, but you would have to use a VPN to make that happen. Before you commit to a VPN plan, make sure to research your options and see which VPN provider is best suited to the country you’re visiting.

How to Sign Up for CBS All Access

If you’re a cord-cutter looking for a single-network streaming provider, CBS All Access is a great option. And let’s not forget about all that local CBS content too.

If you’re not sure about the platform just yet, the good news is that you can sign up to a 7-day free trial to decide if it’s right for you.

After that, the monthly subscription with limited commercials is $5.99 per month. To watch it commercial-free, it will set you back $9.99. You will need a high-speed internet connection to watch it, though.

Also, you will need a mobile device that’s compatible with the CBS All Access app for Android and iOS. Or, you can use Roku and Amazon Fire TV to access it. Then all you need to do is:

1. Go to CBS All Access homepage.
2. Choose a username and password.
3. Click on “Sign Up.”
4. Choose your plan and give billing information.
5. Start watching CBS All Access.

Managing Your Location on CBS All Access

The only time you can impact your location on CBS All Access is if you’re traveling abroad. And you settle on a VPN provider. At home, you’re mostly stuck with where the CBS takes you.

It could be the wrong local CBS affiliate, and in that case, it’s best to talk to them directly. If you’re trying to access your local station while you’re on a business trip a few states over, you might be out of luck.

Do you wish you could watch your local CBS station on another location? Let us know in the comments section below.