How to play BBC iPlayer on Apple TV

I finally bought an Apple TV box last weekend. It’s a lovely piece of kit. But my biggest question was: can I use the BBC iPlayer on it?

The simple answer is yes, but not straight from the Apple TV box. I played the iPlayer on my first generation iPad, streaming it to Apple TV via AirPlay. It works beautifully – you wouldn’t know it wasn’t a live broadcast. This is what I did:

  • Choose the content you want to play on the BBC iPlayer app on your iPad or iPhone.
  • Double-click the iPad/iPhone home button – the physical square button on the front of the device. This will bring up your open apps. Slide the icons to the right, revealing various video buttons and the AirPlay icon (a square with a triangle underneath) – as seen in photo below. Click the AirPlay icon, and select Apple TV. Click the play button on the iPad or iPhone  – and enjoy the show.
Playing BBC iPlayer on Apple TV: getting started

(NB: remember to set up home sharing on Apple TV and your iPad before you start.)

Responses

  1. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    Brilliant, so easy to set up and also to mirror other apps on my I pad and watch on full sized tv. Many thanks.

    Reply
    1. Rob Skinner Avatar
      Rob Skinner

      You’re welcome Brian!

      Reply
  2. Peter Duncan Avatar
    Peter Duncan

    Thanks for this Rob – Brilliantly simple.
    I didn’t think it was possible from the google research I’d done

    Reply
    1. Rob Skinner Avatar
      Rob Skinner

      Glad to help, Peter!

      Reply
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