Computer issues

Why do the play controls remain on screen?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:42:28 +0000

Why do the play controls remain on screen?

The play controls (the progress bar, pause button and subtitles option) will remain on screen while the cursor (arrow/mouse pointer) is resting on the bar or while you're moving the cursor around the screen.

If you move the cursor away from the play controls and let go of the mouse or trackpad, the bar will disappear after a few seconds.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Troubleshooting problems on a computer or laptop

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:43:36 +0000

Troubleshooting problems on a computer or laptop

This page offers steps to try if you’re having problems with �鶹Լ�� iPlayer on your computer.

Buffering or stuttering playback?

Head over to the How do I check if my internet connection is fast enough for �鶹Լ�� iPlayer? page. This will help you check if this could be due to your internet connection, whether that’s between your computer and your internet router or your router's connection to your internet service provider. It may only take a couple of minutes to improve playback performance.

Other issues with the website

We recommend you follow the steps below in order:

Restart your internet browser
Make sure all windows and tabs are closed before restarting.
Check you're using the latest version of your browser
Using a dated version of an internet browser can often be the cause of issues playing programmes. You can easily check using a website like www.updatemybrowser.org or www.computerhope.com. (The �鶹Լ�� is not responsible for the content of external sites.)
Try a different browser
If you already have another browser, check to see if you can play programmes there. If you don't have another browser installed, try the next step.
Clear your browser cache
Your browser will store recently visited websites in a temporary storage 'cache'. Clearing the cache can help improve performance. Check the How do I clear the cache (browsing data or temporary internet files)? page for advice on how to do this.
Restart your computer
This is useful if you usually leave your computer in sleep or hibernation mode.

Still need help?

Contact our support team if you’ve tried the steps above and haven’t been able to resolve the problem. Provide as much information as possible including:

the browser you're using and any browsers you've tested this on
the date and time the problem started
whether the issue affects live TV channels or on-demand programmes (or both)
any error messages or numbers displayed when you try to play programmes
details of any security or ad-blocking software
whether the issue is related to a VPN or work network
the steps you've taken to try to resolve the issue

You can contact us through our live chat service (have a look at the Can I contact you using Live Chat? page) or by selecting the Contact Us button below.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why do I get a blank screen when switching to full screen?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:45:00 +0000

Why do I get a blank screen when switching to full screen?

When users switch to full screen, programmes may display a blank screen.

This problem occurs on PCs with Windows 8.1 or below installed and is due to incompatibilities between the computer’s hardware (the machine itself) and the media player mode we use to play the programme.

You may find that maximising the browser window is helpful as an interim measure.

If you’re seeing a blank screen regardless of whether you’re using full screen or not read the Why is there a blank screen where programmes would normally play? page.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why do I need JavaScript and how do I enable it?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:45:45 +0000

Why do I need JavaScript and how do I enable it?

JavaScript is a common computer language used by many websites, including �鶹Լ�� iPlayer, in order to run correctly.

If you already have JavaScript enabled but it is not recognised, try refreshing the page or clearing the browser cache. We also recommend you use one of the browsers we support for use with �鶹Լ�� iPlayer.

How to enable JavaScript

Chrome on Desktop (on mobile it is always enabled)

Go to Chrome Menu
Click on Settings
Click Privacy and Security
Select Site settings
Scroll and select JavaScript
Select Sites can use JavaScript

Safari on Mac OSX

Launch Safari from your desktop or Dock
From the main menu at the top of your screen, click Safari and then Preferences
Click the Security icon
In the Web content section, ensure that the Enable JavaScript check box has been checked
Close this window

Safari on iOS

From a �鶹Լ�� screen on your iPhone or iPad, navigate to Settings then choose Safari
Tap Advanced. You may need to scroll down to find this
Tap the JavaScript switch to turn on or off

Microsoft Edge

Click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the browser window
Select Settings from the drop-down menu
Select Cookies and site permissions from the left-hand menu
Underneath the All Permissions heading, select the JavaScript menu item
Toggle the Allowed setting to the right so that the toggle turns blue
Close the settings window and refresh your browser

Firefox

In the URL type - about:config
In the search box type - javascript
Check javascript.enabled is set to true

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why is there a blank screen on the website where programmes would normally play?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:47:06 +0000

Why is there a blank screen on the website where programmes would normally play?

If you’re getting a blank screen (like below) when using �鶹Լ�� iPlayer, try the following troubleshooting steps.

Refresh the page
If you're using a Windows PC, press the F5 key on your keyboard. If you're using a Mac, hold down the Command key and then press the R key.
Try another browser
You could be having an issue with a particular browser, so try another to see if that helps. Check the Supported internet browsers and operating systems page for a list of browsers we support for use with �鶹Լ�� iPlayer.
Clear your cache
If the programme plays on a different browser, try clearing the cache on your original browser as this may resolve the issue. Check the following page for help: How do I clear the cache (browsing data or temporary internet files)?

Does it only happen when switching to full screen?

If it only happens when you switch over to full screen mode, check the Why do I get a blank screen when switching to full screen? page.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

How do I clear the cache (browsing data or temporary internet files)?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:50:03 +0000

How do I clear the cache (browsing data or temporary internet files)?

Your browser saves information from websites to help them load more quickly next time you visit them and to remember any settings you set. This is known as a cache. If you’re experiencing problems with a �鶹Լ�� website, try signing out of your account and clearing the cache. Here's how:

Windows

Google Chrome

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
Click the Chrome menu button on the browser toolbar (three vertical dots) and select Clear browsing data
Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete; select beginning of time to delete everything
Select the tickboxes for the types of information that you want to remove
Click Clear browsing data

Firefox

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
Click on the Menu button (three horizontal lines on the top right), then select Settings
From the menu choices on the left, select Privacy & Security
In the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data
Select Cached Web Content
Click Clear

Edge

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
Click on the Menu button (three dots on the top right), then select Settings
Choose Privacy, search, and services from the left-hand menu
Under Clear browsing data select Choose what to clear
Choose a time range to remove. All time will clear all of your browser cache.
Tick Cookies and other site data
Click Clear now

Apple Macintosh

Safari

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
In the Safari menu, select Clear History and Website Data

Firefox

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
In the Firefox menu, go to Tools and select Clear Private Data
Ensure the Cache box is ticked
Click Clear Private Data Now

Google Chrome

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
In the Chrome menu, select Clear Browsing Data
Select the checkboxes for the types of information you wish to remove
Use the Clear data from this period menu to select the amount of data you want to delete
Click Clear Browsing Data

iPad or iPhone

Safari

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (click on your account name and select Sign out then Continue)
Open the Settings app on your iPad or iPhone
Scroll down the list of options on the left and tap on Safari
On the right, choose Clear History and Website Data

�鶹Լ�� iPlayer app

Sign out of your �鶹Լ�� account (tap on your account name and select "Sign out" then "Continue")
Delete and reinstall the app. Please bear in mind that this will remove any programmes you have downloaded. When you reinstall, you will need to download these again

Android phone or tablet

Internet browser

How to clear the cache on your Android device's internet browser will depend on the browser your device uses. For information on how to clear the browser cache on most Android devices, check this wikiHow article. The �鶹Լ�� is not responsible for the content on external sites.

�鶹Լ�� iPlayer app

Long-press on the �鶹Լ�� iPlayer app then select App info
Under Storage and cache, choose Clear cache

If you continue to have problems after clearing the cache, try clearing the storage. There are two ways to do this.

Long-press on the �鶹Լ�� iPlayer app then select App info
Under Storage and cache, choose Clear storage*

You can also delete and reinstall the app*

*Please bear in mind that this will remove any programmes you have downloaded. When you reinstall, you will need to download these again

The �鶹Լ�� is not responsible for the content of non-�鶹Լ�� websites.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why am I seeing an error message when I try to play �鶹Լ�� audio and video?

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:55:03 +0000

Why am I seeing an error message when I try to play �鶹Լ�� audio and video?

Some �鶹Լ�� media players stopped working from October 2020. Your device is affected if you see the message:

This player will stop working on your device soon OR
This player no longer works properly on your device

This change is because your device uses a range of technologies to play video and audio, and one technology is Adobe Flash. Adobe have now closed Flash, so if your device uses Flash, you'll need to make some changes to continue watching or listening with an alternative. This is out of the �鶹Լ��'s control.

What do I need to do to keep watching and listening?

Find out your device's operating system
What you need to do depends on the operating system on your device. (The operating system controls the device's hardware and software.)

Find this out by checking whatsmyos.com through your device's internet browser (read our external links policy).
Based on your operating system, follow these instructions:

Operating system	Instructions
Apple Mac pre-10.12	If your web browser is Safari, �鶹Լ�� videos still work but at a lower quality. For the best quality, use an alternative browser. We list �鶹Լ�� iPlayer compatible browsers here: Supported internet browsers and operating systems. Or, upgrade your operating system to at least 10.12.
Windows XP and Vista	Unfortunately, these operating systems are no longer compatible.
Windows 7, 8.1, or 10	You can either update your web browser or use an alternative one. �鶹Լ�� iPlayer compatible browsers are listed here: Supported internet browsers and operating systems.
Linux Ubuntu 11.x	Try upgrading your browser or try a different browser. We list �鶹Լ�� iPlayer compatible browsers here: Supported internet browsers and operating systems.
Android 4.4 or below	Unfortunately, the device will no longer be compatible with �鶹Լ�� media players. If you can update the operating system to 5.0 or above, try the �鶹Լ�� iPlayer app (it's available from the Google Play Store).
Android 5 or higher	Try upgrading your browser or try a different browser. If that doesn't work, try upgrading your operating system. If that still doesn't work, it means the device will no longer be compatible. �鶹Լ�� iPlayer compatible browsers are listed here: Supported internet browsers and operating systems. Or, to watch �鶹Լ�� iPlayer programmes, try installing the �鶹Լ�� iPlayer app for Android (OS 5.0 or above, available from the Google Play Store).
Kindle Fire OS 4	Try upgrading your operating system. If that still doesn't work, it means the device will no longer be compatible.

Anonymous (not verified) 06 October 2023