Can I still use BBC iPlayer Radio on my Windows Phone now that the app has closed?
With your Edge browser, you can still access BBC iPlayer Radio providing you have Windows a 10 phone. On a Windows 8.1 phone, you can continue to listen to radio programmes on IE browser. However only those with Windows 10 Mobile installed will be able to access TV programmes.
Why have you closed the app?
When the BBC iPlayer Radio Windows Phone app was originally created it was not technically possible to playback BBC programmes via the browser. As that's now possible it’s no longer cost-effective for us to maintain a BBC iPlayer Radio app for Windows phone devices. And by using the browser version of BBC iPlayer Radio, Windows phone users will get the benefits of the web version as it evolves.
Should I update to Windows 10 Mobile?
Many phones running Windows 8.1 are able to update to Windows 10 and Microsoft have created the Windows 10 Upgrade Advisor app which can check whether your device can be upgraded: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/store/p/upgrade-advisor/9nblggh0f5g4
If you do upgrade to Windows 10, you’ll be able to play content from BBC iPlayer Radio and BBC iPlayer. If you remain on Windows 8.1, you’ll only be able to play radio programmes.
How to Pin BBC iPlayer Radio to the Start Screen
For quick access, you can pin a shortcut tile on your phone’s start screen to BBC iPlayer Radio. Here’s how:
Windows 10 Mobile
- Navigate to www.bbc.co.uk/radio in your Edge browser
- Tap ‘more options’(the ellipses) button at the top left of the screen
- Select ‘Pin to start’ for the list of options.
Windows 8.1
- Navigate to www.bbc.co.uk/radio in your IE browser
- Tap ‘more’ on the bottom right of the screen
- Select ‘Pin to start’ for the list of options.