Are you having trouble watching BBC iPlayer in the USA via the iPlayer app or website? You’re not alone. In fact, many American viewers are trying to access this service and are unable to do so because of content geo-restrictions.

But thanks to a reliable VPN service, this problem can easily be sorted! A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a great way to protect your online privacy and get around geo-restrictions with a single click.

However, sometimes a VPN can cause more problems than it solves. For example, we have been trying to access BBC iPlayer with a VPN on but cannot do so. Luckily, we have identified several possible factors that may be causing this issue.

The BBC iPlayer is currently down for many users. The streaming service seems to be hit with some major issues, leaving people unable to watch their favorite shows. Thankfully, the BBC has acknowledged the problem and says they are working to fix it. Here are some workarounds you can try.

Why can’t I access BBC iPlayer with a VPN?

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which is one of the leading broadcasters in the United Kingdom, has spent a tremendous amount of time and money trying to stop people from using its service who live in other countries. Because of this, using a VPN to access content restricted on BBC iPlayer can sometimes be challenging. Here are some of the reasons why your virtual private network (VPN) could not work with BBC iPlayer:

  • The servers of the VPN have been placed on the BBC’s restricted list.
  • Both your device’s GPS location and IP address location are incorrect.
  • Your virtual private network (VPN) does not possess the capacity to continue exploring solutions if BBC iPlayer’s geo-blocking is enhanced.
  • Your device has a cookie from the BBC iPlayer that indicates you are not currently in the United Kingdom.
  • Your Virtual Private Network (VPN) uses virtual servers, and BBC iPlayer can determine where the server is physically located.
  • Your true Internet Protocol address is being exposed.
  • Your server cannot remove the block on BBC iPlayer.

How To Fix BBC Iplayer Down & Not Working

The following is a list of the procedures you need to conduct to fix the above-mentioned issues and broadcast BBC iPlayer live from any location. After completing each step, you can test to check if it was successful by accessing the BBC iPlayer. If this is not the case, proceed to the following step.

  1. Either delete the cookies on your computer or try a new web browser.
  2. To unblock the most popular streaming services, you may need to inquire with the customer support team of your VPN provider about which server you should use.
  3. Enable leak protection in the options menu of your virtual private network (VPN) to prevent BBC iPlayer from discovering your actual location.
  4. Instead of watching on a mobile device, give a desktop computer a shot. Unfortunately, your GPS position data won’t be able to be cross-referenced with your IP address if you do it this way.
  5. If none of the measures outlined above were successful, your virtual private network (VPN) might be incompatible with BBC iPlayer. So instead, I recommend that you use one of the VPNs listed below.

Other Options to Fix BBC Iplayer Down & Not Working

  1. Disconnect Any Unused

    Devices

Your internet bandwidth could get eaten up by the devices linked to your home network. Therefore, to optimize the quality of your playback, we recommend that you disconnect any devices that are not currently in use.

  1. Try Using a Different Browser

If you are using the BBC iPlayer on your smartphone or computer, try starting the application on a different browser to see if this resolves the problem you are experiencing. You can also close any additional tabs that have been opened, particularly those that may slow down your device.

  1. Switch to Using a Wired Connection

If you’re having trouble connecting to the internet, you might find that switching to a wired connection rather than using wifi helps. However, if you do not have access to an Ethernet wire at your residence, you might try moving your router closer to the device in question.

Why Do Streaming Services Region-Lock Their Content?

Although there are occasional exceptions, like with Netflix Originals, streaming services often do not own exclusive international broadcast rights to their content.

This implies that another network will air a certain title in the US while the BBC may have the right to broadcast it in the UK. Big streaming services frequently implement region-locking to uphold their half of the contract and restrict viewers from other countries from watching anything.

Region-locking is obviously of little use if your broadcast schedule penalizes the viewer for residing outside a particular nation.

For instance, the US and UK had separate release dates for Killing Eve season 2, which meant that British fans had to wait longer and stay away from spoilers for a number of months.

As a result, many fans resorted to utilizing VPNs to see new episodes as they were shown on American TV to avoid having one of the UK’s most popular programs in recent years ruined for them.

Conclusion

BBC Iplayer is one of the most popular streaming services in the UK, but many users are currently experiencing issues with the service.

Some people report that they can’t even load the homepage, while others say they can watch shows only for a few minutes before it stops working.

The BBC has acknowledged the issue and says it’s working to fix it as soon as possible. We hope that with these methods, you can troubleshoot and successfully resolve the problem.