Watch Modern Family online: How to stream the series finale live right now from anywhere

watch modern family online
(Image credit: ABC)

Tonight is our last chance to watch Modern Family online live, as the series is airing its final episode. The finale is a two-hour spectacular, combining a double-length episode that lasts an hour and a retrospective of the series that goes another hour.

The Pritchetts, Dunphys and Tuckers have a lot in store for the finale. One of the Dunphy kils is going to move out of the house, Mitch and Cam are still dealing with their new house and as for Jay, Gloria and Manny? Well, Gloria is finally starting to see the men in her life able to take care of themselves.

Modern Family finale start time, channel

Modern Family's 2-hour series finale begins tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern, on ABC.

And that's just the first half of the finale. As for the second half? Well, ABC's keeping things tight lipped, with its official finale synopsis only stating "the entire family discovers saying goodbye is much harder than it seems." Which makes me wonder if they're all going to be stuck together.

It's all the kind of family sitcom finale that sparks a lot of emotions and will likely make us all feel a lot of feels. We don't know when Phil (or someone else) will ask "why the face?" but we know that if it happens someone — or the whole family — will likely burst into tears.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Modern Family online, live from anywhere on Earth.

How to watch Modern Family online anywhere, with a VPN

Just because ABC isn't available everywhere doesn't mean Americans need to miss the finale if they're away from home. Watching the final season 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

Our favorite VPN service, ExpressVPN, really shines thanks to its safety, speed and simplicity-to-use. It's also compatible with loads of devices - from iOS and Android to Roku, Apple TV and PlayStations. You'll even get an extra 3 months free if you sign up for a year, or there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you just want to give it a try.

How to watch the Modern Family finale in the US

Americans get first crack at watching Modern Family's finale, which airs on ABC. If you've cut the cord, the good news is that it's available on multiple cord-cutting streaming services, including Hulu, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now.

If you've never tried one of these before, we'd recommend Hulu, which has much more substantial originals. It's also got a 1-week free trial. YouTube TV is better for those who want to record everything, as it's got an unlimited Cloud DVR. We do not recommend AT&T TV Now.

  • Hulu With Live TV: 60-plus channels and access to Hulu's library and originals for $54.99
  • YouTube TV: Unlimited DVR storage, 70-plus channels for $49.99
Hulu + Live TV

ABC is one of the many channels on Hulu + Live TV, which includes top original programming, including The Handmaid's Tale and the new High Fidelity series. It's also got CBS, FOX, NBC  and 24x7 news networks including CNN, FOX News and MSNBC. Hulu's Live TV service is currently offering a 1-week free trial.

YouTube TV

You can start a 2-week free trial to check out YouTube TV , which has more than 70 channels, including all four major networks — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. YouTube TV also has an unlimited cloud DVR storage. 

How to watch the Modern Family finale in the UK

Unfortunately, the Brits have to wait a while. Modern Family's finale won't air in the UK until May 15, when it broadcasts on Sky One and Now TV.

Americans stuck in the UK might want to try out Express VPN, to make their devices appear to be home in the US.

How to watch the Modern Family finale in Canada

Canadians have it easier, as Modern Family airs on the same time and day in the great white north, on the Global TV network. 

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.