How to Install BBC iPlayer on FireStick / Fire TV (Outside UK)

Last Updated on February 6, 2023

In this article, we will explain step by step instructions to watch BBC iPlayer on Firestick or Fire TV in any country.

Sky and BT are two of the biggest cable TV providers in the United Kingdom. However, both of them have suffered from a net decline in pay-TV subscriptions, mainly due to the sudden cord-cutting boom throughout Europe.

Although premium services like NOW TV, Netflix, and Prime Video are very popular among cord-cutters in the UK, free on-demand content services, such as All 4, ITV Hub, and My5 are the main attractions. BBC iPlayer is also one of them.

BBC iPlayer, BBC’s live and on-demand video streaming service, is available for a vast range of devices. Amazon Fire TV is also one of them, considering that it’s the top preference as a streaming device among cord-cutters worldwide.

Now that you’re here, check out this guide to install BBC iPlayer on Firestick. We also have included separate sections for activation and overview of the BBC iPlayer app on Firestick.

Contents

What is the BBC iPlayer?

Since its launch in 2007, BBC iPlayer is offering live and on-demand content from all the BBC channels (e.g., BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, BBC News, and Radio 1), as well as catch-up content in the UK. It is also a free service without advertisements, and it has an optional log-in for personalized content.

With BBC iPlayer, you can stream some of the most popular BBC shows on-demand, including EastEnders, Normal People, Killing Eve, The A Word, Citizen Khan. Silent Witness, Life on Mars, Fleabag, The Missing, Waterloo Road, Call The Midwife, Luther, Miranda, Line of Duty, Gavin & Stacey, and many more.

BBC’s exclusive films are documentaries, such as Edge of Darkness, The Thomas Crown Affair, Mississippi, Imperium, Darkest Hour, Panorama, The Real Marigold Hotel, Primates, Horizon, OK: Made in America, and Blue Planet II, are also found in BBC iPlayer’s streaming library.

One of the best features of BBC iPlayer is its Adaptive Bit Rate streaming technology, which automatically adapts to the user’s internet bandwidth and dynamically adjusts the stream quality. As of now, most of BBC iPlayer’s content is encoded in max 720p HD resolution.

Features of BBC iPlayer App

BBC iPlayer offers live, on-demand, and catch-up programming over the internet.
The ‘Live Restart’ feature gives users the option to restart an ongoing live program in case they miss the first few minutes of it.
Based on your watch history and the programs you’ve added in the My Programmes section, you can opt to receive personalized content suggestions in BBC iPlayer to discover new content.
With BBC iPlayer’s autoplay feature, binge-watching a show is now totally seamless. You can toggle it on or off based on your preference.
BBC iPlayer is an ad-free service that doesn’t require users to pay for any subscriptions. (You’ll need an active TV license in the UK)

How to Install BBC iPlayer on Firestick?

Since BBC iPlayer is officially available to download on the Amazon Appstore, it’s quite easy to install it on a Firestick or other Fire TV devices; in fact. If you have zero experience in installing apps on Firestick from the Amazon Appstore, then you can follow the steps below.

Highlight the magnifier icon at the top-left side of the Fire TV home screen. It will expand the search menu.
Now search for BBC iPlayer from the search menu. While you type it in using the on-screen keyboard, a couple of instant search results will appear. Select BBC iPlayer from the results.
Scroll down to Apps & Games category on the next page, and click the BBC iPlayer.

Finally, click the Get option under the BBC iPlayer description. In a few minutes, it will get downloaded and installed on your Firestick.

After installing the BBC iPlayer, you can open the app from Your Apps & Channels section of the Fire TV home screen. You can also access it quickly from the Apps shortcut, which you can bring up by holding the Home button on the Fire TV Remote.

Steps to Activate BBC iPlayer on Firestick

Although BBC iPlayer doesn’t require users to sign in with a BBC account, it’s recommended that you create one for personalized content suggestions and watchlist synchronization across multiple devices. Here’s how to do it:

First, launch the BBC iPlayer on Firestick.

Next, click the Sign In option on the welcome screen. In case the welcome screen doesn’t appear for some reason, then click the profile icon on top of BBC iPlayer’s home screen. An activation code will be generated for the sign-in process.
From another device, go to bbc.com/account/tv and click Register. Follow the on-screen prompts to create your BBC account.

After following the prompts, you will be asked to enter a display name for your BBC account. Enter your preferred name and click Continue.
Finally, enter the activation code shown on your TV in the required field and click the ‘Sign in on your TV’

That’s it! You can now access the BBC iPlayer’s streaming library. If you get signed out of BBC iPlayer after a few minutes, then check your inbox for the verification email, open the link in the email to verify your BBC account, and later try signing in once again.

Also Read: How to Install Durex Kodi Build on FireStick?

Overview of BBC iPlayer App on Firestick

BBC iPlayer’s Fire TV version has a surprisingly modern and intuitive user interface. It also works well with the Fire TV Remote, and switching between different sections of the app is a pleasant experience.

The Home section of BBC iPlayer mostly features TV shows, films, and documentaries from BBC channels that are currently trending among other users. The Continue Watching category is accessible as well.

The Channels section sorts the live and on-demand programs by BBC’s channels, which include BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, Radio 1, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC Scotland, BBC News, BBC Parliament, S4C, etc.

From Categories, you can search for your content by dozens of different categories, such as Arts, Documentaries, Drama & Soaps, Entertainment, Films, Food, History, Lifestyle, Music, News, Science & Nature, Sport, and many more. In case you want to search for a show/film/documentary manually, then the Search option is also available on BBC iPlayer.

When you play a program, you can also choose to watch it live or start the broadcast from the beginning, which is also an excellent feature. You can use the fast-forward, rewind, and play/pause buttons on your Fire TV Remote to control the stream playback in BBC iPlayer.

Related

Conclusion

BBC is one of the leading public television broadcasters in the world, and it owns the most-watched channel, BBC One, in the UK. For cord-cutters, the BBC iPlayer streaming service is a worthy alternative to pay cable or satellite subscriptions.

In case you encounter an issue while following this guide, then please tell us about it through the comments section without any hesitation. We are always here to help you out.