BBC iPlayer sign in problems

In case you’re experiencing BBC iPlayer sign in problems, keep reading!

We all know that after downloading the BBC iPlayer app on our device we need to sign in to start streaming. Sometimes, we only encounter a log-in error.

There could be numerous reasons why you’re unable to sign in and, in this guide, we’re going to unwrap all of them.

The reason why you can’t log in to BBC iPlayer could be because of a wrong input language, or a forgotten password. If we put these possibilities aside, we also need to clear the cache data, remove browser cookies and cleanly reinstall the app.

Let’s next learn more about the reason why you’re unable to sign in!

I Can’t Sign into BBC iPlayer – Why?

As we’ve already mentioned, there could be quite a few different reasons why, which are based on whether you’re on a mobile, TV, or a browser.

Below we’ve listed the most frequent reasons why users are unable to sign in to BBC iPlayer at your disposal to review.

  • Temporal Startup Issue
  • Wrong Input Language
  • Forgotten Password
  • Corrupted App Cache
  • Bad Cookies Credentials
  • No VPN when outside the UK

The problem with the sign-in that you’re experiencing on BBC iPlayer is definitely related to one of the above-listed bullets.

Make sure to proceed further and attempt each of the solutions to sign in to BBC iPlayer and start streaming.

The solution guide only takes 3 minutes!

How To Fix BBC iPlayer Sign In Problems?

fix BBC iPlayer sign in problems

In order to solve the problem as soon as possible, we’re going to address each possibility in chronological order.

It’s important not to skip any of the solutions and apply them in order for the best effects in troubleshooting. Let’s jump right in!

Solution #1 Sign Up To BBC iPlayer

The very first step would be to create a BBC iPlayer account in case you haven’t got one.

If you’ve already registered, but you’re suddenly not able to log in, simply jump to the next solution.

Follow the steps below to create an account and sign in to BBC iPlayer.

Sign Up for BBC iPlayer Online:

  1. Open your browser and go to “account.bbc.com”.
  2. From there click on Register Now.
  3. Select under or over 16 years of age.
  4. Input your birthday (day, month, year).
  5. Insert your Email Address and Password.
  6. Select your country.
  7. Click on Register.
  8. Confirm the registration on your email.

Sign in to BBC iPlayer on TV:

  1. Download and open BBC iPlayer app.
  2. Select Sign In.
  3. Download the BBC iPlayer app on your mobile device.
  4. Input the code shown on the TV screen on your mobile device.
Tip: Alternatively go to bbc.com/account/tv on your mobile device!

Sign in to BBC iPlayer on Mobile:

  1. Download and open BBC iPlayer app.
  2. Input your Username & Password.
  3. Press on Sign-in.

In case something does not quite work, or you’re seeing an error when attempting to log in then there is a problem.

To identify the issue we’ll proceed with the solutions coming up next.

Solution #2 Check Input Language

check input language

In case you’re attempting to sign into BBC iPlayer on a browser or mobile device, it’s important to check the input language.

We can’t clearly see the password as we’re inserting it since it appears as black dots, instead of letters.

  • Change your device keyboard input language to UK English!

Then attempt to insert your email address and password again.

Note: Observe whether your password length, matches the number of password letters!

Solution #3 Change Password

When you already have a BBC iPlayer account, but suddenly you’re unable to log in, perhaps the password is wrong.

However, by having access to the registered email address you can change your password in a minute.

Simply go to account.bbc.com and click “Need Help Signing In?”.

change password

From there you can select, Forgotten Email or Password. In case the password has been forgotten, the mail will be used for recovery.

However, when the email has been forgotten, this might become a bit more complicated. Do you remember your security questions?

Tip: If you’re unable to retrieve your sign-in credentials with the automated form, feel free to contact BBC iPlayer Customer Support for ownership verification.

Solution #4 Clear App Cache

In case you were able to sign in to BBC iPlayer yesterday but today you’re facing issues, it’s time to focus on resolving application issues.

Based on whether you’re using BBC iPlayer on TV or a mobile device, follow the respective steps below!

clear app cache

Clear App Cache on TV:

  1. On your TV, head to System Settings.
  2. Go to the Storage or Application Manager.
  3. From there select the BBC iPlayer app.
  4. Lastly, click on Clear Cache.
Note: The TV menu options labels depend on the brand.

Clear App Cache on Mobile:

  1. On your smartphone go to Settings.
  2. Open the Apps/Storage tab.
  3. Select the BBC iPlayer app.
  4. Tap on Clear Data > Clear Cache.
Note: On Apple (iOS) devices, simply go to Settings > BBC iPlayer > Offload app.

Solution #5 Clear Browser Cookies

In case you’re experiencing problems signing in to BBC iPlayer on your computer, through an online browser, this is the solution for you.

Since browsers are made to remember and save your login credentials, this may cause an issue if you’ve changed the BBC iPlayer password.

  • You can either clear the Cookies and Cache or manually type in your password.

Here’s how to clear the Cache & Cookies on Google Chrome:

  1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
  2. Tap on the three dots on the top-right.
  3. Click on More.
  4. From there select More Tools > Clear Browsing Data.
  5. Select All Time to erase everything.
  6. Check the box next to the Cookies.
  7. Click on Clear Data.

When you’re ready, re-attempt signing into BBC iPlayer, and in case the problem is still there, switch to another browser.

We recommend testing with Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Solution #6 Reinstall BBC iPlayer App

When you’ve attempted the previous solutions in this guide and nothing managed to help, we know that the problem is deeper.

In order to target most of the possibilities at once, we need to perform a clean BBC iPlayer app reinstallation.

reinstall iplayer

Reinstall BBC iPlayer on a TV:

  1. From the Home Screen, go to Settings.
  2. Find the Apps Tab and select BBC iPlayer.
  3. Choose Uninstall to remove the application.
  4. Open the Google Play Store.
  5. Locate and download the BBC player app.
  6. Attempt to sign in to your account.

Reinstall BBC iPlayer on Mobile:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Scroll down to find Apps/Storage.
  3. Select the BBC iPlayer app.
  4. Tap on Uninstall.
  5. Open the dedicated application store.
  6. Download the BBC iPlayer app freshly.
Tip: To uninstall an app on Apple (iOS) simply hold the icon and tap on the “X” mark.

Solution #7 Use A VPN

All BBC iPlayer users should know that the service is only available in the UK.

In case you’re outside of the country you’ll definitely experience issues when signing in.

use vpn

The solution, however, is simple!

  • When you’re outside the UK, enable your VPN and connect to a British server.
  • When you’re within the UK, it’s important to disable any active VPN.

In case you’re wondering which VPN is going to get the job done, scroll down at the bottom of this guide for the best recommendation.

However, in contrast, you need to disable any VPN when you’re from within the UK to prevent sign-in issues.

Note: The VPN could be an app on your mobile phone or an extension in your browser!

Quick Recap:

Thus, to solve sign-in problems with BBC iPlayer, users need to make sure that they remember their login credentials. We’ve also learned that a password reset might be necessary as well as removing the app cache data and extensions from our browsers.

Read Next: How to Fix BBC iPlayer Error Code 01119?

Wrapping Up:

Now that we’ve learned how to deal with BBC iPlayer sign in problems we can finally log into our accounts and start streaming.

In case the issue is persistent, your account might be suspended so it’s best to seek more help from BBC iPlayer Customer Service. Good Luck!

In case you’re on a vacation outside the UK, but still want to catch up on your favourite BBC iPlayer content, we strongly recommend getting Atlast VPN.

The software will allow you to connect to a British server and sing-in BBC player from within the UK.