How to Watch BBC IPlayer from the United States and Abroad on IPhone, IPad or Mac

If you're trying to watch BBC iPlayer from the US or from any other location in the UK You'll discover that it's not as simple as connecting to the service and pressing play. It's a frustrating problem however there's an option to solve it and it's easy. This article will help you understand how to connect to BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world.

iPlayer is among the biggest streaming services in the UK, offering a range of high-quality TV both live and on demand on popular channels, including BBC One and CBeebies, radio shows and feature films, direct from the BBC and completely free of advertisements.

It's only accessible to UK viewers. You can also access it from the UK however that's a shame. UK TV owners pay for the BBC through the licensing fee, which is why it's logical to restrict BBC iPlayer to UK viewers.

What about holidaymakers and those who live in two countries? If you've paid for it you may like to access BBC iPlayer when overseas in countries including the US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Spain, Italy, and many more.

The most popular shows such as Eastenders, Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice and more are available to watch live or on demand through BBC iPlayer, and many will be sad to miss a show or two while away from the UK.

To view on-demand content on iPlayer, you will need a TV license. In the past, you only needed a license to stream TV live, but the rule change means all iPlayer content requires you to pay up. Our sister title Tech Advisor explains all here Do I require a TV licence?

How to obtain BBC iPlayer abroad

Here's a quick outline of the steps needed to access BBC iPlayer on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac when you are outside of the UK. It's also available on PCs, and Android devices too.

This is in violation of the terms and conditions that govern BBC iPlayer. You proceed at your own risk. Although you won't be arrested or fined, your account could be suspended. Even this is unlikely in practice.

In summation:

1. A subscription is required to use the VPN. We recommend Surfshark or NordVPN, but there are ten excellent alternatives in our list of the top VPNs. 2. Get your VPN app on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.


3. Log in.


4. Choose a server based in the UK.


5. Log into BBC iPlayer by browsing to


6. You should now be able to access BBC iPlayer content.


How to watch iPlayer using a VPN

Similar to Netflix dominating US traffic, BBC iPlayer dominates UK traffic, with up to six percent of all internet traffic going to BBC iPlayer. It's a very popular option. But you can't watch the BBC while you're in another country.

It checks your public IP address (Internet Protocol) when you open the BBC iPlayer App on your iOS device, or when you log into iPlayer via your Mac or PC. The IP address is composed of four parts, such as 91.108.140.168. (A easy way to locate yours is to type "IP Address" into Google.)

This figure is related to your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or cellular connection, connected to the server which is sending you data. Enter the numbers into IP Location to find the location of the server as well as the host. If the server isn't located in the UK and you're not in the UK, then BBC iPlayer will refuse to show you any content.

To use BBC iPlayer abroad, you have to convince the BBC that you're using an IP address that is located in the UK.

Don't worry. It's much easier than you think due to VPNs (or virtual private networks). Instead of connecting directly with the servers of iPlayer, you connect to the VPN and that connects using a British address. This lets you access all iPlayer content just as you would normally.

This violates the terms and conditions that govern BBC iPlayer. You must proceed at your own risk.

These are our top recommendations of the best VPN services to use with BBC iPlayer. All of these have apps that work on both Mac and iOS So you can use them to watch the show from any Apple device.

It's a little more difficult to stream Apple TV from Apple's set-top box. However we have a tutorial on how to connect a VPN with Apple TV.

Surfshark The Surfshark VPN is the most affordable VPN on our list, and is currently at the top of our VPN chart.Gservers It's compatible with BBC iPlayer, but it isn't able to access the speciality servers offered by NordVPN. Register here

NordVPN This service offers an all-inclusive VPN service for a reasonable cost. You can browse securely wherever you are by encrypting your data. You can access iPlayer anywhere you go with it. In addition you can use secure online banking to access your funds when you are on public Wi-Fi hotspots. It offers speciality servers designed to stream, making it ideal for watching BBC iPlayer. Sign up here.

ExpressVPN: Another of our favourite VPN services with top security and privacy features , as well as simple-to-use apps. It's a bit pricier than NordVPN and Surfshark however it's an exceptional service. Sign up here.