That's what we said in our five-star BBC iPlayer review , and we stand by it. In the 12 years since BBC iPlayer began — wow, that makes us feel old — it has grown into one of the most popular ways to stream and catch up on shows in the UK — not surprising considering the wealth and quality of programming, not to mention the fact it's completely free to use. BBC 4K iPlayer trials are also sporadically on the menu. Whether you're a iPlayer loyal, only use it to catch up on Pointless or are a complete newb, here are our favourite tips, tricks and features to help you get the most from the service.
Originally you could watch all iPlayer content without having an account, but now the service requires all viewers to sign up and log in to watch anything.
Signing up for iPlayer gives you plenty of perks such as tailored recommendations, synced favourites lists and seamless playback across all your devices.
You will be asked for your postcode when registering, although the BBC insists that's for delivering relevant local information, and not for tracking whether or not you've paid your licence fee. But since September , that's no longer the case. There are some exceptions for over 75s, the visually impaired and care home residents, which can be viewed here.
MORE: Best video streaming services. Your BBC ID also helps the Beeb learn your viewing tastes, and tailor the homepage to display shows you might be interested in. So along with the top 40 most popular shows and new programmes blazoned across the main page, you'll also get blocks of shows recommended just for you. The homepage's grid-like display shows off a mix of everything that iPlayer offers: TV boxsets and returning shows to brand new shows, comedy picks and a long list of David Attenborough nature documentaries.
Tap 'Menu' at the top left corner of the app screen, or pull down on the main interface, and you'll find the drop-down navigation menu for all the sections in iPlayer. On the website, this menu is simply a bar at the top of the iPlayer homepage. Here you can access all the BBC channels, the TV guide, refine your programme search by category or simply type in the show name in the search field , and the My Programmes section where you'll find your viewing history, bookmarked and downloaded shows.
Scroll right to the end of the page or go to the app's settings , and you'll find an option to change your location to any of the UK regions. Unfortunately, iPlayer is only available within the UK so if you're holidaying abroad we'd make sure you've downloaded the shows you want to watch before your departure.
Or there's always a VPN you can use see below for deals. You can also change the language from English to Welsh, Irish Gaelic or Scottish Gaelic within the app's settings or at the bottom of the webpage. Want to see what's on TV right now? Select the TV guide or go to each channel's own mini-page to see what's on the schedule. Missed the crucial first minutes of Death in Paradise?
Watch from the beginning by tapping on the big restart button that pops up after pressing play. You can rewind as far back as two hours, on both the website and app. You can also switch back to the live broadcast by moving the slider on the time bar towards the end.
We don't need to tell you that streaming over wi-fi is cheaper and more stable than your mobile data connection. Regardless of which iPlayer interface you use, there is an option to enable Parental Guidance. BBC iPlayer collects statistics about who is using the service.
Along with personal data from accounts created in iPlayer, things like IP address, browser, operating system, and how you access iPlayer are also stored. If you don't like this, you can prevent the data being collected on your mobile. However, it is also possible to watch live TV through the app. This is particularly useful for streaming devices and consoles, as well as catching sporting events.
You can then see what is currently broadcasting across the BBC network and choose the show you want to catch. Meanwhile, if you open the iPlayer app and a big show is airing on live TV, you'll be invited to Start Watching. Just tap the button and enjoy! If you fancy getting ahead of the pack, you can experience new features and new looks for iPlayer by trying iPlayer BETA.
You'll find this on streaming devices and console versions of iPlayer. To enable:. If a new feature doesn't work well, don't worry. With personal accounts, parental controls, and the ability to keep your data private, BBC iPlayer also boasts a library of stunning programming, both modern and from the BBC's archive.
Can't access iPlayer because you're not in the UK? Don't worry — many BBC shows are available on Netflix. You can with these tools. Image Gallery 2 Images.
Share Share Tweet Email. Christian Cawley Articles Published. About BBC iPlayer and our policies. Getting started with BBC iPlayer. Parental controls. Signing in. Supported devices. Watching iPlayer. Programme availability. Recent changes to iPlayer. Watching outside the UK.
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