Watch BBC iPlayer in India For FREE, Live Broadcast

Sally Polly July 23, 2021 | 09:00

Check out our guide on how to watch BBC iPlayer in India for Free using VPNs and smart DNS proxy.

How to watch BBC iPlayer in India

BBC iPlayer is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services delivered to UK-based viewers feature no commercial advertising. The terms BBC iPlayer, iPlayer, and BBC Media Player refer to various methods of viewing or listening to the same content. Viewing or recording live television broadcasts from any UK broadcaster or viewing BBC TV catch-up or BBC TV on-demand programmes in the UK without a TV licence is a criminal offence.

In 2015 the BBC reported that it was moving towards playing audio and video content via open HTML5 standards in web browsers rather than via Flash or its Media Player mobile app.

On 17 October 2018 the BBC iPlayer Radio brand was replaced with BBC Sounds.

Whether you’re into live news, mainstream sports, or yet another movie or TV show buff, BBC iPlayer gives you everything.

On the sports front, you get to catch all major sports events live, be it athletics, badminton, football, or even women’s rugby. On the entertainment front, it has a huge catalog of both classic and new movies and TV shows, such as Killing Eve and Peaky Blinders.

Can I Watch BBC iPlayer In India?

To make it simple for our Indian fans, BBC iPlayer employs more or less the same type of location-restrictions as SonyLIV or Voot does. While they are both restricted to within India only, BBC iPlayer is only accessible if you live in the UK.

Regional restrictions have been the bane of every streamer’s life since the rise of online streaming. Be it Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, or any other popular streaming service, all are notorious for restricting access to their content based on users’ location.

As discriminating as it is, you can always use a reliable VPN service such as PureVPN to get past these restrictions with ease.

How to watch BBC iPlayer for FREE in India using VPN

Have you ever tried to access BBC iPlayer from India? If so, then the following sentence should sound familiar to you:

“BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.”

If you get access to BBC iPlayer and you are not in UK, you will get geo-blocked. Photo: Screenshot

This is called a location error message and it pops up on your screen if you happen to live outside the service’s coverage area. You see, BBC iPlayer has broadcasting rights in the UK alone, meaning any attempt to access the channel from abroad will fail, even if you have a UK subscription.

Therefore, you need a tool that can spoof your geographic location and make it appear as if you were inside Merrie England. So say hello to the virtual private network.

Better known as a VPN, this cybersecurity instrument will re-channel your internet connection through a network of secure servers. Then, it conceals your IP address and gives you a new one from the region that you selected. It does so because your IP reveals your online location. So if you have one from the UK, BBC iPlayer will think that you are inside the region.

Simply put, all you have to do is connect to a server from the UK and you’ll be watching your favorite shows in just a few seconds.

Furthermore, VPNs prevent anyone who tries to monitor your online activity by encrypting your traffic. You’ll be able to go about your business in complete privacy.

How to install a VPN

To successfully access BBC iPlayer in India, you need to install a VPN on your device.

Register with a trustworthy VPN service like ExpressVPN, an elite brand with a large server network and excellent security features.
Download and install the app on your iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, or Android device.
Open the app and sign in to your account that you just created.
Connect to a server from the UK and get a British IP address.
Go to the BBC iPlayer website or open the app. You’ll notice that there are no more geo-error messages.
Enjoy your favorite programs.

Successfully unlock BBC iPlayer. Photo: Screenshot

Best VPN to unlock BBC iPlayer for FREE in India

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is considered the best VPN to watch BBC iPlayer in India.

ExpressVPN is our #1 VPN overall because it does everything a VPN needs to – and does it extremely well.

There’s a vast selection of servers - including several options in the UK - and finding a perfect connection isn’t a hassle. However, if something’s not working properly, we’ve found the live-chat support to be quick and helpful (and available 24/7), and they should be able to get you accessing iPlayer in no time - even if the Smart Location server choice doesn't let you get it working at first.

ExpressVPN’s split tunnelling also allows you to choose which of your connections route through the VPN. This is perfect if you’re running apps that are significantly affected by VPN use but still want to use BBC iPlayer abroad.

Back end of 2020 we experienced the odd issue unblocking iPlayer on any platform outside the service's MediaStreamer tool. But it's back working reliably again now so it returns to the top of our list.

While a little more expensive than some competitors, ExpressVPN combines great iPlayer access with a full suite of features. And if you’re not happy, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN has long been a great option for watching iPlayer abroad, with swift connection speeds, plenty of servers and great security. NordVPN is also optimized for P2P, so if you’re a keen torrenter it’s a great torrenting VPN, too.

With an effective kill switch, DNS leak protection and 2048-bit encryption, the security conscious will feel safe while streaming from BBC iPlayer with NordVPN.

If problems arise, the live-chat support will get you streaming in no time and, although some billing plans are a little pricey, NordVPN definitely earns its place on our top BBC iPlayer VPN list.

3. Surfshark

Don’t be fooled by the bargain-basement price – Surfshark is a top-notch VPN that offers just as much as many of its pricier rivals. Offering decent speeds which will be perfect for streaming as well as unlimited simultaneous connections, Surfshark is a wallet-friendly way to access BBC iPlayer.

Far from being a basic VPN, Surfshark offers great security with its private DNS on each server, and a double-hop ability to further obfuscate your location to ensure ultimate privacy. Add to this P2P support, split tunnelling and more, and you’ve got a premium package.

The easy set-up, unlimited simultaneous connections and quick live-chat support make Surfshark the cheapest way to stream BBC iPlayer abroad with a VPN.

How to watch BBC iPlayer for FREE in India using a smart DNS Proxy

Not a fan of the VPN way? Perhaps you’ll find solace in a Smart DNS proxy service. This tool can also get you access to BBC IPlayer by only rerouting the traffic that exposes your location. It doesn’t make a lot of changes to your connection like VPNs do, so don’t expect it to hide your IP address or encrypt your data.

When it comes to Smart DNS proxies, I also advise you to go for the top brands because not many services can unblock BBC iPlayer. I used Unlocator because it supports over 200 channels, including BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, BT Sport, HBO Go, Hulu and much more. It also allows you to try the service with a free 7-day trial period.

Go to Unlocator and register. You’ll benefit from a free 7-day trial.
You’ll need to configure the service manually on your device. Don’t worry, there are plenty of useful videos/setup tutorials to help you.
You can install the service on any device you want, including Xbox, PS4, Smart TV, iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, and Mac.
Visit the BBC iPlayer website and enjoy all its content.

How To Watch BBC iPlayer On Your Xbox

Follow the below-mentioned steps.

Launch Xbox.

On the Game and Apps section, click on Apps.

Select the Settings option.

Click on the location option and choose the UK region.

Once you have changed the region to the UK, restart your Xbox.

Go to the App Store and download BBC iPlayer.

Watch BBC iPlayer shows on your Xbox anywhere in India.

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