How to watch the Emmys 2021 online

A gold Emmy statue in front of a colorful background
(Image credit: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty)

Tonight it's time to watch the Emmys 2021 online, and yes, even without cable. After a mostly-socially distanced ceremony last year, this year's Emmy Awards is more "normal" than before, held in person outside the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. A limited audience of nominees and their guests will be attending, along with host Cedric the Entertainer and presenters.

Emmy Awards channel, start time

The 2021 Emmy Awards are today (Sunday, September 19).
Time — 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT / 1 a.m. BST
• U.S. — Watch on CBS via Fubo.TV or Paramount Plus
U.K. — Watch delayed broadcast on Sky Max
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free

As usual, the 2021 Emmy nominations are packed with excellent shows, including Ted Lasso, The Crown, Mare of Easttown, The Queen's Gambit, Hacks, Lovecraft Country, This Is Us and WandaVision. 

Netflix is just behind HBO/HBO Max in total nominations and have already nabbed 34 wins at last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys. And this may be the year that Netflix finally adds the Emmys' crown jewel, outstanding drama, to its trophy case if The Crown prevails. 

On the comedy side, Ted Lasso is expected to be named outstanding comedy, with star Jason Sudeikis going home as outstanding actor in a comedy. 

Here's everything you need to watch the Emmys 2021 online — including the red carpet pre-show content and where it's airing.

How to watch Emmys 2021 live stream from anywhere

Just because CBS isn't available everywhere doesn't mean you can't watch the 2021 Emmy Awards if you're away from home. Watching the show along with the rest of the internet can be pretty easy with the right VPN (virtual private network). You can stream the show from wherever you go.

We've evaluated many VPN services, and our top pick is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)

ExpressVPN

We think speed, security and simplicity make ExpressVPN second to none. During our tests, we saw fast connection times, and we're impressed by the service's ability to access more than 3,000 services spread out across 160 locations in 94 countries. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.

How to watch Emmys 2021 in the US

In the U.S., viewers can watch the 2021 Emmy Awards today (Sunday, Sept. 19), they're starting at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

But the pre-show events already started at 4:30 p.m. ET with the E! Countdown to the Red Carpet (and the E! Channel is also on Fubo), which is going through to 8 p.m. ET.

CBS is a local broadcast network that can accessed with one of the best TV antennas or through a cable TV package.

If you've already cut the cord and don't have cable, you can watch CBS on a live TV service, like FuboTV, Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream.

Of these options, we recommend FuboTV, one of the best streaming services on the market.

You can also watch your local CBS station's live feed on Paramount Plus with a Premium subscription.

Fubo.TVa 7-day free trial

Fubo.TV is one of the best live TV services with CBS. The streamer all of the local broadcast networks and most of the top cable channels. Who needs cable? Not Fubo subscribers. And it's got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay up front.

Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus has your local CBS station's live feed. Its deep library includes Survivor and Big Brother episodes, as well as originals like Star Trek: Picard, The Good Fight and the iCarly revival. You need a Premium membership to watch the Emmys.

How to watch Emmys 2021 in the UK

In the U.K., Sky Max will air a delayed broadcast of the 2021 Emmy Awards on Monday, September 20 at 10:50 p.m. BST. Sky TV packages start at £25 per month. 

Unfortunately, no UK channels are airing the Emmys live. For Americans abroad who want to use the services they already pay for, check out ExpressVPN.

How to watch Emmys 2021 in Canada

Canadians can watch the 2021 Emmy Awards live at the same time as Americans. The broadcast will be available on on CTVCTV.ca and the CTV mobile app.

Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.

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