It’s been coming for months but the final deadline for some BBC iPlayer users will come into full effect next week. The major update will leave anyone who accesses this popular streaming platform via their PCs blocked from using the app or viewing any downloads previously made. As originally reported by Express.co.uk, the change actually came into effect late last month but the BBC has continued to offer limited access to this application.
This has meant users can still view existing downloads already on their laptops but that all ends on Monday, April 8 with things closing down for good after that date.
It’s worth noting that PCs can still stream BBC shows via the web, they just can’t use the dedicated app anymore.
“We have made the difficult decision to close the BBC iPlayer Downloads application for PC and Mac, due to the low number of people using it and the cost required to keep it going,” the BBC explained.
“This does not affect downloads on the BBC iPlayer mobile or tablet apps, and viewers can continue to stream programmes on BBC iPlayer on their PCs and Macs.”
Here are the devices affected by the change.
• All Windows PCs including those running Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems.
• All Apple computers including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
If you have things you want to watch downloaded onto your PC then you need to some serious bingeing before next week as anything downloaded simply won’t work.
This change does not affect iPlayer on phones and tablets with that service remaining active. That means owners can continue to download files and watch them away from Wi-Fi or a data connection.
Here’s the full timeline of the BBC PC app closure.
• From Friday 2 February, the BBC revealed that new users would be unable to download and install the BBC iPlayer Downloads app
• From Monday 11 March, users could no longer download programmes from the web. Users can still watch any existing downloads until Monday 8 April 2024.
• From Monday 8 April, the BBC iPlayer Downloads app will be closed.
