You don’t need to be in front of the TV at the right time any more. All the main UK broadcasters have free apps that let you watch programmes whenever you like, on your iPhone, tablet, or laptop. Here’s how to get set up.

The four free UK catch-up services

Service	Channels covered	Cost
BBC iPlayer	BBC One, Two, Three, Four, News, CBBC, CBeebies, all BBC Radio	Free (needs TV licence)
ITVX	ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4	Free with ads
All 4	Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4	Free with ads
My5	Channel 5, 5Star, 5USA	Free with ads

All four are available as free apps on iPhone. You’ll need to create a free account for each (just an email and password).

Setting up BBC iPlayer

Open the App Store, search for BBC iPlayer, and download it
Open the app and tap Sign in
Create a free BBC account if you don’t have one (tap Register)
You’ll be asked to confirm you have a TV licence, tick the box

Once signed in, you can browse by channel, search for a programme, or tap Continue Watching to pick up where you left off.

Tip: Tap the download icon on any programme to save it for offline viewing, great for watching on a train without using mobile data.

Setting up ITVX

Search for ITVX in the App Store and download it
Tap Register and create a free account
Start watching straight away, adverts will play during programmes (similar to regular TV)

ITVX covers Coronation Street, Emmerdale, The Chase, Love Island, and much more.

Setting up All 4

Search for All 4 in the App Store and download it
Create a free account
Browse by category or search, All 4 has a strong back catalogue of older Channel 4 dramas and documentaries

Gogglebox, Taskmaster, The Great British Bake Off, Derry Girls, and many more live here.

Setting up My5

Search for My5 in the App Store and download it
Register for a free account
Browse or search for programmes

My5 is particularly good for children’s content, Peppa Pig, Milkshake!, and Ben & Holly are well stocked.

Practical tips

How long are programmes available? Most stay on catch-up for 30 days after broadcast. BBC iPlayer sometimes keeps popular series longer, and has some box sets available permanently.

Do I need Wi-Fi? You can stream over mobile data, but videos use a fair amount, roughly 700MB per hour in standard definition, 2 to 3GB per hour in HD. If you’re on a limited data plan, connect to Wi-Fi when you can.

Can I watch on a bigger screen? Yes, all four services are also available on smart TVs, Amazon Fire Sticks, and Apple TV. Download the same app on your TV and sign into the same account.

Adverts: ITVX, All 4, and My5 show adverts (like normal TV). BBC iPlayer is ad-free. ITVX offers a paid Premium tier (around £3.99/month) to remove adverts if you prefer.

Having trouble with a catch-up app, or want help getting set up on your TV? Get in touch with Hebden Tech Tutors, we’re happy to help.