BT HD Channels Not Working? – (Instant Solutions!)

Finn Wheatley Updated on
bt hd channels not working

BT HD channels not working? There are multiple possibilities if the BT TV box cannot stream or display any available HD channels with your subscription package.

The list below contains all potential possibilities and influencing factors that could cause issues with the supposedly available HD broadcasts.

Here’s why the BT HD channels in your lineup are missing or won’t work:

  • There’s a temporal service issue in your area of residence.
  • A problem with your subscription or the Freeview channels.
  • Misconfigured BT guide filtering settings or viewing options.
  • The box is not updated to the most current firmware version.
  • There’s an issue with the connected TV or third-party devices.

Those were the causes for the suddenly missing channels in the channel lineup of your BT TV box.

To review the best-working and reliable solutions against the issue, keep reading further!

BT HD Channels Not Working – Here’s How to Fix!

Tip: Follow the steps in the guide below chronologically!

1. Power Cycle the BT Receiver Box!

power cycle the bt receiver box

To address temporal issues with the service of the HD channels in the lineup of the BT TV box, it is advised to perform a power cycle on the device.

This is an effective resolution against any streaming issues with the channels, including errors with particular broadcasts or their options.

Follow these steps to perform a power cycle on the BT TV box in easy steps:

  1. Unplug the power cable from the back of the BT  box.
  2. Disconnect the other end of the adapter from the outlet.
  3. Wait for 60 seconds while the TV receiver is unplugged.
  4. Reconnect the power adapter of the box to the outlet.
  5. Plug the other end of the cable into the back of the box.
  6. Wait until the BT receiver turns on and test the channels.

Remember that for the power cycle to affect the TV box positively, the power adapter must be disconnected for at least 60 seconds. 

Note: Inspect the power adapter and the TV box's power port for defects or obstructions!

2. Filter the BT TV Box Channels!

filter the bt tv box channels

To set the BT guide to only display Ultra HD and HD channels available in your lineup, all you have to do is adjust the settings configuration of the section.

You will also determine if there are HD channels available with your subscription in the first place and whether they are available.

Here’s how to apply the HD/Ultra HD channel filtering settings to the BT channel guide:

  1. Press the “Guide” button on the BT remote to access the TV guide.
  2. Press the “DOWN” arrow on the remote to access the purple toolbar.
  3. Press the “RIGHT” arrow to highlight the “HD” channels option below.
  4. Press “OK” to lock in the channel filtering, and press the “UP” button.

The purple filtering toolbar allows for a specific search of individual groups of channels available in your lineup.

Aside from “HD” channels, you could also filter “Sport”, “Kids”, “Music”, “News” and “Shopping” channels with the advanced filtering options the BT TV box offers.

Note: If no HD channels appear after applying the filtering settings, none of them are available!

3. Check for Ongoing BT Outages

check for ongoing bt outages

If an outage or scheduled maintenance is affecting the service in your area, you should find out more about the TV status on the official website of Digital UK.

Information can be found if there’s an outage with any HD Freeview channels in your BT TV box’s HD lineup for peace of mind.

Here’s how to check for ongoing outages affecting the service of your BT HD channels:

  1. Open a web browser application on your mobile device or computer.
  2. Navigate to “bt.com” and press the “Help” button at the top of the page.
  3. Afterwards, go to “Check Service Status” and wait for the page to load.
  4. Enter your client’s landline number in the provided “Check Status” tab.
  5. Press the blank “Check Status” button on the provided field’s right side.
  6. Wait for the service checker to display the most relative outage results.

Once the service checker has completed the residential check, any outages reported in the last 24 hours will be displayed and organised in a table.

If the service doesn’t seem to be impacted, then unannounced maintenance may be undergoing.

Note: For more information on outages and maintenance, contact the BT customer support!

4. Improve the Signal Quality of the BT Box

improve signal quality of the bt box

HD channels typically require more bandwidth; if the signal quality received by the TV box is insufficient, none of the higher-quality broadcasts will be available.

Fortunately, there’s a setting that allows the user to inspect the quality of the BT box and apply recommended actions!

How to Check the BT TV Box Signal Quality?

  1. Press the “Home” or “YouView” button on the remote.
  2. Go to “Settings” > “Signal & Connection & Quality.”
  3. Highlight the “TV Signal Quality” option and press “OK.”
Note: The signal quality percentage must be above 50% for HD channel viewing!

Tips to Improve the BT TV Signal Quality!

Here are some helpful tips to improve the signal quality if it is below 50%:

  • Hold the “Standby” button on the TV box to start a refresh.
  • Reconnect the service cable from the box’s “AERIAL” port.
  • Reboot the internet router if the box uses Wi-Fi/Ethernet.
  • In case of bad weather, your BT signal might be impacted.
Tip: In case of constant signal dropouts, contact BT customer support!

5. Update the BT Software and Apps

update the bt software and apps

Another reason why the HD channels not working on BT is due to outdated firmware versions on your receiver.

To maintain the proper functionality of the TV box and receive the latest fixes and optimisations, you must keep the firmware of your BT receiver and applications up to date!

How to Update Software On BT TV Box?

  1. Open the “Settings” tab from the home page of the TV box.
  2. Navigate to “Software Information” > “Update Software”.
  3. Press “Check for Updates” or select the “Install” button.
  4. Wait until the BT TV box downloads and installs the update.

How to Update Players and Apps On BT TV Box?

  1. Navigate to the “Settings” of the BT TV box.
  2. Open the “Software Information” section.
  3. After that, select “Update players and apps”.
  4. Follow the on-screen steps to update the apps.

Remember that BT periodically releases newer firmware updates for the BT system, and checking the “Software Information” occasionally is advised. 

Alert: Do not unplug or power off the TV box while the software/app update is ongoing!

6. Restore the BT TV Box to Defaults!

restore the bt tv box to defaults

One of the most potent solutions against non-working channels on your BT TV box is the factory reset, which comes with a great downside.

This reset is permanent and erases all of your TV box data, settings and personal configurations.

Here’s how to perform a factory reset on a BT TV receiver box in easy steps:

  1. Go to the TV box menu by pressing the “Home”/“YouView” button.
  2. Scroll downwards in the menu tab and enter the “Settings” section.
  3. Go to “Information & Reset” and choose the “Factory Reset” tab.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to initialise the BT box’ system.

Once the factory reset starts, cease all interactions with the TV box and do not cut the power supply to the receiver.

Accidentally cancelling the factory reset may cause further issues with the firmware and the system of the TV box that could be irreversible.

Note: Once the reset is complete, you must carry out the TV box’s initial setup!

Quick Recap:

If the BT HD channels not working, verify that there are no applied channel filters and try to improve the signal quality of the receiver.

Additionally, you must check for ongoing outages or maintenance affecting your area and restore the receiver to factory defaults.

Visit our blog for tons of troubleshooting content on BT!