In this article I’ll show you the simplest way to get BBC iPlayer on the US app store.
If you’re living abroad and you want to download BBC iPlayer on your Apple device, you’ll notice that it’s not available on the app store. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to watch your favourite British shows away from home.
Fortunately, there is a simple way to get around this. All you need is a UK iTunes account and a reliable VPN and you’ll be able to download BBC iPlayer on your Apple device in the US or anywhere in the world.
See Also:
- BBC iPlayer not working with VPN? Here’s how I FIXED that!
- How to listen to BBC Radio abroad
- How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad
How to get BBC iPlayer on the US App Store: Step by step guide
The first thing you’re going to need to do is set up a UK Apple ID account. Note that once you have BBC iPlayer downloaded on your device, you can change back to your normal region and use the app.
Once you have a UK Apple ID, you need to download a reliable VPN. We recommend NordVPN ($3.49/month) or Ivacy ($1.33/month)
Total Time: 7 minutes
Go into your device settings and tap on your name
This will take you into your Apple ID options.
Tap Media and Purchases
If prompted login to your current Apple ID after tapping Media and Purchases
Sign out of your account
Sign out of your current Apple ID. You’ll need a new one to get BBC iPlayer on the US app store.
Create a new UK Apple ID
Make sure you have a spare email address you can use because you’ll have to verify your email.
Make sure that you change your country/region to the United Kingdom
After you’ve setup your account details, you’ll be asked to select your country/region. In order to get BBC iPlayer this needs to be set to the United Kingdom. You’ll also be asked for an address and a postcode. You can simply google a UK address and use that.
Download BBC iPlayer on the app store
Note that once you have downloaded BBC iPlayer, you can change back to your original account and use the app.
Download NordVPN ($3.49/month)
NordVPN has three different plans that you can choose. Pick one that suits you.
Connect to a UK server
You need a UK IP address in order to watch BBC iPlayer outside of the UK. NordVPN has reliable UK servers that allow you to do this.
Watch BBC iPlayer on your Apple device in the US
You can now watch BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world on your Apple device.
Why do I need a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer on the US app store?
The BBC doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content in the US. It only has broadcast rights in the UK.
To avoid licensing and copyright issues, the BBC blocks users from accessing its content outside of the UK. This is why BBC iPlayer isn’t available on the US app store and even if you were able to download BBC iPlayer on the US app store, the content will be blocked. You’ll run into errors saying “this content is only available in the UK.”
To get around these blocks you need a UK IP address. The best and easiest way to get one is using a reliable VPN like NordVPN ($3.49/month) or Ivacy ($1.33/month)
How does the BBC block my connection?
The way the BBC blocks your connection when you’re outside of the UK is all to do with your IP address.
Whenever you connect to the internet your device is allocated a unique IP address. This IP contains information about where you are located when you go online. (Similar to an area code on a landline phone.)
When you connect to BBC iPlayer outside of the UK, the BBC can see you are outside its broadcast zone and it subsequently blocks you from accessing its content.
To get around this you need to fool the BBC into thinking you’re based in the UK. You need a UK IP address and the easiest way to do that is with a good VPN like NordVPN ($3.49/month) or Ivacy ($1.33/month)
Will any VPN work?
No, not every VPN will work with BBC iPlayer. This is because the BBC uses blocking techniques that prevent VPNs from accessing its service.
The BBC blocks VPNs by monitoring for an abnormal (more than your average household) amount of connections coming from the same IP address. For lesser VPNs, this can be an issue.
Nearly all VPNs have more customers than IP addresses and this can result in customers sharing IP’s. When the BBC sees hundreds of connections coming from the same IP, it knows it’s an IP address that has been provided by a VPN and it blocks it.
Lesser VPNs don’t have measures in place to get around these blocks and eventually the BBC is able to identify all of the IP’s provided by these VPNs and block them.
The good news is, VPNs like NordVPN ($3.49/month) or Ivacy ($1.33/month) do have measures in place to get around these blocks. When the BBC identifies an IP address provided by
NordVPN ($3.49/month) and Ivacy ($1.33/month) these providers will close that IP and open a new one. This cat and mouse game ensures that they stay one step ahead of the BBC’s blocks and it allows you to reliably use BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world.
The Best VPNs to watch BBC iPlayer in the US
1. NordVPN
The BEST VPN of 2022

Pro
- Fast servers
- No logs
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 6-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
SPECIAL OFFER – $3.49/month
2. Ivacy
The BEST low-cost VPN

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- Dedicated streaming servers
- 5-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 5 devices
- Sometimes runs slow
- Occasionally blocked by streaming sites
SPECIAL OFFER: 7-DAY TRIAL ($0.99)
3. ExpressVPN
A very reliable and fast VPN

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
SPECIAL OFFER – 3-MONTHS FREE!
4. Private Internet Access
The BEST mid-range VPN for streaming!
Pros
- Fast and reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 48 server locations
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 82%!
30-day money-back guarantee
5. CyberGhost

Pros
- 1-day free trial
- Reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 7-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
- Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
30-day money-back guarantee