Seattle, WA antenna channel guide

Seattle viewers can pick up 14 full-power and Class A stations with a multi-directional indoor antenna, plus their subchannels and 7 low-power stations. The main network towers sit in 2 directions: ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW are about 1 mile north and FOX and PBS are about 2 miles east.

Free channels
16
Miles to main towers
1
Aim direction
NE

FCC data, Nov 6, 2026 · Signal tiers estimated without terrain

Main networks in Seattle

All six main networks reach Seattle over the air. Tune to these channels after a scan.

ABC

4.1

KOMO-TV · 0.9 mi N

Strong

CBS

7.1

KIRO-TV · 1.0 mi NNW

Strong

NBC

5.1

KING-TV · 0.9 mi N

Strong

FOX

22.1

KZJO · 2.0 mi E

Strong

PBS

9.1

KCTS-TV · 2.0 mi E

Strong

The CW

51.1

KUNS-TV · 0.9 mi N

Strong

Lost a channel?

No network has changed stations in the Seattle-Tacoma area in the past two years. If a channel goes missing, a rescan usually brings it back.

Rescan in 3 steps

  1. Open your TV's settings.
  2. Find the channel, broadcast or antenna section.
  3. Run "auto scan" or "channel scan" with the input set to Antenna or Air.

Is the station hard to receive here?

K29ED-D (RF channel 29) and K18NH-D (channel 7.1) are weak in Seattle; they may come and go. If a weak station is the one you're missing, these steps can help.

Recommended for Seattle

A multi-directional indoor antenna fits Seattle

Antenna type: Multi-directional indoor.

  • ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS and The CW are all within 2 miles
  • Main network towers are north and east of the city, so one fixed aim may miss some

Do you need an amplifier?

You likely don't need an amplifier. The towers are close, and a strong signal plus an amplifier can overload your TV's tuner. The farthest main network station, KZJO, is 2 miles away.

Splitting the signal to more TVs weakens it at each one. One antenna, several TVs

All stations

Station data from the FCC, as of

21 stations reach Seattle at a Strong or Moderate signal. Full-power and Class A stations are listed first, then low-power stations. 5 of them have no published channel number yet, so they show their RF channel; your TV may list them under a different number after a scan.

ChannelStationNetworkDistanceSignal
4.1 KOMO-TV ABC source 0.9 mi N Strong
5.1 KING-TV NBC source 0.9 mi N Strong
7.1 KIRO-TV CBS sourceEn español: 7.4 Telemundo 1.0 mi NNW Strong
9.1 VHF KCTS-TV PBS source 2.0 mi E Strong
11.1 VHF KSTW Independent source 2.0 mi E Strong
13.1 VHF KCPQ FOX source 22 mi WSW Strong
16.1 KONG Independent source 0.9 mi N Strong
20.1 KTBW-TV TBN source 21 mi WSW Strong
22.1 KZJO Independent / MyNetworkTV / FOX source 2.0 mi E Strong
28.1 KBTC-TV PBS source 25 mi SSW Strong
33.1 KWPX-TV Ion source 20 mi ESE Strong
44.1 KFFV Univision sourceEn español: 44.1 Univision 2.0 mi E Strong
51.1 KUNS-TV The CW source 0.9 mi N Strong
56.1 KWDK Daystar sourceEn español: 56.2 Daystar Español 20 mi ESE Strong
Low-power stations (7)
7.1 K18NI-D Translator CBS sourceEn español: 7.4 Telemundo 14 mi SSW Strong
10.1 KQAH-LD PBS 1.0 mi NNW Strong
RF 6 Low VHF KYMU-LD Not listed 1.0 mi NNW Strong
RF 8 VHF K08QY-D Translator Not listed 25 mi SSW Strong
RF 12 VHF KUSE-LD Not listed 20 mi ESE Strong
RF 20 K20NF-D Not listed 0.9 mi N Strong
RF 32 KRUM-LD Not listed 0.9 mi N Strong

Broadcasts on VHF (RF channels 2 to 13). Many flat indoor antennas pick up VHF poorly. RF channels 2 to 6 need a larger antenna. VHF antenna guide

Strong: inside the station's FCC coverage area, tower within 30 miles. Moderate: inside the coverage area, tower farther away. Weak: outside it, tower within 60 miles. How we rate signals

Network and subchannel details are adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. The "source" link in each row opens the station's article.

Weak signals: 2 more stations that may need an outdoor antenna

These towers are outside the FCC coverage area for Seattle but within 60 miles. Reception depends on terrain and antenna height.

ChannelStationNetworkDistanceSignal
7.1 K18NH-D Translator CBS source 31 mi S Weak
RF 29 K29ED-D Not listed 27 mi NNE Weak

Extra channels you also get

Stations above also broadcast these 41 subchannels. They come free with the same antenna after a channel scan.

  • 4.2Comet
  • 4.3Charge!
  • 5.2True Crime Network
  • 5.3Quest
  • 5.4365BLK
  • 5.5QVC2
  • 7.2Cozi TV
  • 7.3Laff
  • 7.4Telemundo
  • 9.2PBS Kids
  • 9.3Create
  • 9.4World Channel
  • 11.2Start TV
  • 11.3Outlaw (4:3)
  • 11.4Dabl
  • 11.5MovieSphere Gold
  • 11.6HSN
  • 13.2Grit
  • 13.3Ion Mystery
  • 13.4Buzzr
  • 13.5Fox Weather
  • 22.3Antenna TV
  • 22.5Nosey
  • 28.2NHK World
  • 28.3FNX
  • 33.2Court TV
  • 33.3Bounce TV
  • 33.4Defy
  • 33.5Ion Plus
  • 33.6Busted
  • 33.7Game Show Central
  • 33.8QVC
  • 44.2Movies!
  • 44.3Heroes & Icons
  • 44.4Catchy Comedy
  • 44.5MeTV+
  • 44.6Story Television
  • 44.7MeTV Toons
  • 44.12OnTV4U (Infomercials)
  • 56.2Daystar Español
  • 56.3Daystar in SD

Spanish-language channels in Seattle

Canales en español

4 Spanish-language channels reach Seattle at a Strong or Moderate signal. They come with the same antenna after a channel scan.

ChannelNetworkStationSignal
7.4 Telemundo K18NI-D Strong
7.4 Telemundo KIRO-TV Strong
44.1 Univision KFFV Strong
56.2 Daystar Español KWDK Strong

Where to point your antenna

Aim northeast (38°). Rings at 5, 10 and 25 miles from central Seattle; dots are Strong-signal towers.

5 mi 10 mi 25 mi N E S W Main towers KCTS-TV +3 KUSE-LD +2 KTBW-TV +1
  • KUNS-TV, KOMO-TV, KING-TV and KIRO-TV and 5 other stations: 1 mile north
  • KCTS-TV and KZJO and 2 other stations: 2 miles east
  • K18NI-D and 2 other stations: 14 to 25 miles south-southwest
  • KWPX-TV and 2 other stations: 20 miles east-southeast
  • KTBW-TV and 1 other station: 21 to 22 miles west-southwest

Placement and interference tips

  • Place the antenna on a northeast-facing window or wall. Higher is better.
  • LED bulbs, especially older or cheaper ones, can interfere. If reception gets worse when the lights are on, that's the cause.
  • Living near a cell tower? An LTE filter can block the interference.
  • Trees and hills block signals (Cord Cutters News covers these and the LED and cell tower problems), and so do metal roofs and foil radiant barriers in attics (Solid Signal). Move the antenna away from them if you can.

NextGen TV in Seattle

NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) is on the air in Seattle, broadcast from KONG and KUNS-TV. Any antenna receives it.

  • Your current TV keeps working. Today's broadcasts continue alongside NextGen TV: full-power stations that switch must keep simulcasting their main channel in today's format (CommLawCenter).
  • You need an ATSC 3.0 tuner to watch it. That means a TV or tuner box with one built in. Most TVs don't have one (PCWorld).
  • Some channels are encrypted. Some broadcasters encrypt their NextGen TV channels, and some tuners and DVRs can't play encrypted channels yet. HDHomeRun devices are one example (Antenna Land). Check before you buy, especially a DVR.
  • No shutoff date yet. Broadcasters have asked the FCC to end today's broadcasts in large markets around 2028 and everywhere around 2030. The FCC hasn't set a date (PCWorld).

Seattle antenna questions

What channel is CBS in Seattle?

CBS is channel 7.1 (KIRO-TV) on an antenna in Seattle. The tower is 1.0 miles north-northwest and the signal is rated Strong.

What channel is ABC in Seattle?

ABC is channel 4.1 (KOMO-TV) on an antenna in Seattle. The tower is 0.9 miles north and the signal is rated Strong.

What channels are NBC, FOX, PBS and The CW in Seattle?

NBC is 5.1 (KING-TV), FOX is 22.1 (KZJO), PBS is 9.1 (KCTS-TV) and The CW is 51.1 (KUNS-TV).

Which way should I point my antenna in Seattle?

Point it northeast (38 degrees). The main network towers sit in 2 directions: ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW are about 1 mile north and FOX and PBS are about 2 miles east.

Do I need an outdoor antenna in Seattle?

Probably not. The main network towers are within 2 miles of central Seattle. Hills, tall buildings and thick walls can still block signals, so an attic or outdoor antenna helps if indoor reception breaks up.

Nearby cities

Other Seattle-Tacoma-area cities with channel guides, nearest first.

Station and tower data: FCC, Nov 6, 2026. Network and subchannel data: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Signal tiers are estimates from FCC coverage areas and distance, without terrain modeling. How we estimate signals.