BBC iPlayer Downloads
BBC iPlayer Downloads is a desktop application that allows users to download video content from the BBC iPlayer streaming service for offline viewing. It was designed to make BBC programmes available for watching on Mac without requiring an internet connection. The app integrates with BBC iPlayer to manage and organize downloaded media files in a proprietary BBC4 archive format.
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1 suggestionBBC iPlayer Downloads has been discontinued by the BBC and is no longer supported or updated. The app runs only as an Intel-only binary and has no native Apple Silicon build. Since the app is no longer maintained, there will be no future updates to add Apple Silicon support. The Intel-only build continues to work under Rosetta 2 today, but Apple will remove Rosetta 2 in macOS 28 (September 2028), meaning this app will stop launching entirely on that release. Users who rely on BBC iPlayer content should instead use the BBC iPlayer web app in Safari or the BBC iPlayer mobile app on iPhone or iPad, both of which work on all Macs and are actively maintained. If you have downloaded media files in BBC iPlayer Downloads, export or save them to a standard video format (MP4 or similar) now while the app still runs under Rosetta, as the app itself will become unusable in roughly 28 months.
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