BBC iPlayer Not Working on Sony Smart TV: Quick Solutions

Has your BBC iPlayer app stopped working on your Sony Smart TV? There are various ways in which the BBC iPlayer can stop working.

Network issues and app malfunctions are usually the culprits for the BBC iPlayer app not working on your Sony Smart TV. To fix the issue, ensure a good internet connection and try restoring the TV to its factory default settings.

Let’s start by understanding the cause of the issue before exploring all of the solutions.

Why Is BBC iPlayer Not Working on my Sony Smart TV?

Every time BBC iPlayer stops working on a Sony Smart TV, the problem can be traced back to one of these four causes.

Network Issues

If your device is unable to connect to the BBC servers due to problems either with your internet or the servers themselves, then the BBC iPlayer will not work.

The problem resolves itself as soon as the internet or the target servers are restored.

App Crashes

If the app develops some coding incompatibilities, then the app may freeze or refuse to open.

Relaunching the app or the device usually fixes this problem.

Obsolescence

If you don’t update your apps and TV operating system regularly then BBC iPlayer can stop working.

The solution to this problem is to update the software on the television.

Discontinued

BBC has stopped supporting all Sony Smart TV models from 2015 or before when it comes to the iPlayer.

The app screen carries an error message to the tune of: “BBC iPlayer will no longer be available on this device, as it is unable to support the technical requirements.”

While every Bravia model from Sony sold after 2015 runs on Android, all older models were based on XrossMediaBar. XrossMediaBar was a Google TV platform that is no longer in use.

As a result of this software change, there’s no real solution to this problem if your TV is not supported.

Reboot The Sony Smart TV

Restarting is the age-old solution to all kinds of electronic problems, especially software problems. You can do it in two ways.

Manually

• To reboot your TV, simply switch it off and unplug it from the power outlet.
• Press and hold the Power button on the television for 60 seconds.
• Wait for two minutes before plugging the TV back into the power socket and turning it on.

Via Remote

• Press and hold the Power button for five seconds or till the shutdown message appears on the screen.
• In some models, you may see another prompt on the screen. Press Restart and wait for the TV to restart.

Clear Browsing Data and Cache

Clearing the stored data and cache information on the BBC iPlayer can also help resolve the problem. Here are the steps.

• Press the Home button on your remote.
• Select Settings (gear icon) and then Choose Apps.
• In some models, you’ll have to select See All Apps after this step.
• Find and click on BBC iPlayer.
• If you don’t find BBC iPlayer listed, then select Show System Apps and it should become visible.
• Choose Clear All Data and Clear Cache one by one.

You’ll have to sign in to your BBC iPlayer again after this step.

Update The App

If clearing all the data doesn’t work then maybe your app is outdated. To update it, you’ll have to use the Google Play Store.

• Press the Home button on your remote.
• Choose Apps and then Google Play Store.
• Go to the My Apps section, find BBC iPlayer, and select Update.

You wouldn’t have to manually update your apps if you had the auto-update feature turned on. Here’s how to do this.

• Follow the steps above to reach the Google Play Store and select Settings instead of My Apps.
• Find and pick Auto-Update Apps and then select Auto-Update Apps at Any Time.

Update The Operating System

An obsolete operating system on your Sony Smart TV can also be responsible for specific apps like the BBC iPlayer not working.

It is important to keep the TV software updated at all times.

• Using your remote, press the Home button.
• Select Help.
• In some TVs, Help may not be visible without clicking on Apps or Settings.
• Find and press Customer Support. In some models, this button is replaced by Product Support or just Setup.
• Then, you have to press Software Update.
• In the new menu, you’ll either find Automatic Software Download or Automatically Check for Update.
• After you’ve turned this feature on, press Enter.
• Pressing this button will initiate a new download and set the device to automatically update the operating system as and when a new version becomes available.
• If the software is already up-to-date, you will see a message saying “Newer version not detected.”

Reboot The Wi-Fi Router

If your network is the reason for the BBC iPlayer not working on the Sony Smart TV, then the first step is to reboot your router.

• Switch off the power to your router and unplug it.
• Wait for at least one minute before plugging it back in.
• Turn it on and wait for the lights to stabilize.

Check if the app is working again.

Factory Reset the Sony Smart TV

If all else fails, you can perform a factory reset on your Sony Smart TV.

However, don’t take this step lightly because it will delete all your login details, preferences, app data, network settings, parental control settings, and any third-party apps that you may have downloaded.

However, it is possible to save some of this data by syncing the device.

Here are the steps to sync your device.

• On your remote, press Home and then Settings.
• On Android 9, choose Accounts & Sign in or Device Preferences and then select Google.
• On Androids 7 and 8, you’ll be able to select Google without going through other options.
• On Android 6, you’ll have to go through Personal to select Google.
• After selecting Google, click on Sync and then Choose Synced Apps.
• This will give you the option to select what you want to sync. We recommend choosing everything.
• Press Sync Now.

This will sync as much data as possible so that you can recover it after the Default Reset.

Here’s how you can perform a factory reset.

• Press the Home button on the remote and then Settings (gear icon).
• The next step can vary slightly. Options are.
  • Select Device Preferences and then Reset.
  • Select Device Preferences, About, and then Reset.
  • Select Storage & Reset.
• Select Factory Data Reset and then Erase Everything. This step may not be needed in some models.
• Press Yes to confirm the action.

Conclusion:

The BBC iPlayer not working on Sony Smart TV isn’t all that difficult a problem to solve especially if you know your way around your TV’s user interface.

Even if the problem proves to be particularly tenacious, it won’t be able to defy a Factory Reset.