Technology
How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad: access from outside the UK
BBC iPlayer is the streaming home of everything broadcast on the BBC TV channels, and even more.
This on-demand streaming platform does not require a subscription like Netflix, but you can only watch if you pay a licensing fee. Strangely enough, anyone can create a free iPlayer account without having to prove you’ve paid for a license – you just need a UK address.
For paying viewers, viewing within the British coast is a piece of cake. They can also download programs to watch them offline from anywhere in the world.
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But if you’re abroad and want to watch Race Across the World, The Traitors or the Olympics, you’ll be confronted with a message saying you can’t. The short answer is: you need a VPN. Our top pick is NordVPNbut we recommend you read on to learn more about using a VPN.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The Beeb says the right way to watch iPlayer content abroad is to “download a program on BBC iPlayer when you’re in Britain, you can watch it anywhere in the world.”
That’s all well and good, but what if you’re abroad before the next episode of your favorite show airs? You can’t download it, so you’ll have to wait until you get home.
Maybe Britain isn’t your home, but you still want to watch. We won’t go into what’s good and what’s not: we’ll simply explain how you can do it, if you want.
And the solution is simple: use a VPN.
For the uninitiated, a VPN is an app that routes your internet connection through a server somewhere on the internet before going to the website or service you want to use.
In this case, that server must be in the United Kingdom and BBC iPlayer must be in the service. Using a VPN will hide your real location from the BBC, which will see EastEnders being streamed to a viewer in Britain. In reality you could be in Australia, Spain or anywhere else.
It’s important to know that streaming services, including the BBC, work hard to block VPNs. It doesn’t want people to look outside Britain. That is why the Beeb and VPN services play a cat-and-mouse game in which they block and avoid these blocks.
Not all VPN apps can unblock iPlayer. That’s why it’s a good idea to use one that has a good track record.
The bottom line is that if you want to watch from abroad, you’ll need to install a VPN on your device (which could be a TV, Firestick, phone, laptop, tablet, Mac or PC) and connect to a UK server. You may need to choose a specific server from the list that is optimized for iPlayer.
Once connected, then open the iPlayer app or website, log in and watch shows as if you were in Britain.
Which VPN services unblock iPlayer?
Many VPNs can unblock iPlayer. Find out more in our guide to the best VPNs for iPlayer.
There is one VPN that has reliably unblocked BBC in the past (and still does). NordVPNwhich also tops our best VPN roundup.
It unblocks the app if you use the apps for Windows, iPhone, Android and macOS, but you can also watch on an Android TV or with an Amazon Fire TV Stick, because there are apps for that too.
Whatever you use, the process is the same. First, go to NordVPN and sign up for the service. You can subscribe for one month at a time, but the best value is a two-year subscription. And NordVPN is useful for more than just iPlayer. To find out why, read up on what a VPN is and why I would want one.
Sign up for NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
You can register here. By default, the Complete plan is selected, but if you only need the VPN, click Get Standard. Choose between a two-year, one-year and one-month subscription at the top.
Follow the prompts to create your account and pay.
Install the NordVPN app
Jim Martin / Foundry
If you’re using a phone or tablet, go to the app store, search for NordVPN and then install it.
If you’re using Windows, log in to your NordVPN account in a web browser, go to the Downloads section and click Download App next to Buy NordVPN for Windows. Run the downloaded file to install it.
Launch NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
Launch the app and log in with the email address and password you entered when creating an account with NordVPN. On Windows you should see a screen like this, but other apps look very similar.
Use the list of locations (the word icon at the top left) or scroll the map to Great Britain and tap Connect to London. If requested, grant NordVPN permission to set up a VPN connection. You may need to enter your Windows password or, on a mobile device, your passcode.
Wait for the VPN to connect
Jim Martin / Foundry
You should see a message stating that the VPN is connected. You can see this by the green CONNECTED and a padlock above Great Britain.
Open iPlayer
Jim Martin / Foundry
Log in with your BBC account (create one if you don’t already have one) and find something to watch. It should work fine as the VPN gives the impression that you are in Great Britain.
Watch iPlayer abroad on Xbox, PlayStation and Apple TV
If you want to watch iPlayer outside the UK on an Xbox or PlayStation, you can change your console’s DNS settings to a setting that unblocks the service.
If you go to the network settings and manually enter the DNS addresses, you may see iPlayer play videos for you.
You can search online for free DNS servers for streaming, but they are usually overloaded and therefore slow.
That’s why it’s a better idea to subscribe to a VPN service that has its own DNS streaming servers. For this NordVPN has a feature called SmartDNS. Other VPNs have a similar function. For example, ExpressVPN has MediaStreamer.
Simply use the DNS addresses provided by these services and enter them in the network settings of your console or media streamer.
Another option is to configure your router to run a VPN, which will allow all connected devices to use the VPN’s UK server. But this method is more of a last resort, as not all devices will work properly if they need to connect to the Internet via a VPN.
BBC iPlayer accounts and the UK TV license
The BBC requires anyone using iPlayer to be a UK TV license holder. We have a separate guide for those who need a TV license.
You’ll also need a BBC account, which requires a UK postcode (and you must be over 13 years old).
When you register for a BBC account (which is free), you’ll need to provide your date of birth, gender and email address, along with a valid UK postcode.
The BBC says the purpose of the account is not to pursue iPlayer users who have not paid for a TV license, but admitted it will check email addresses with people who previously claimed they did not need a license.
If you are a UK resident and have paid license fees, simply log into your BBC account and use a VPN service as described above. You’re still breaking the Ts and Cs by watching through a VPN, just like anyone abroad who logs in with a fake UK address.
