Why does my video quality change by itself sometimes?

On some devices, BBC iPlayer uses a technology called Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR). We've made improvements which mean that on devices that have ABR, if you haven't selected a video quality preference, it will automatically default to the Best Quality. 

Best Quality simply means the best quality video that your internet connection can provide. If you have a data limit with your broadband package you may not want to watch in Best Quality. In this case you can change back to standard definition:

  • On the connected TV app, go to Settings > Video Quality, then choose Standard Definition
  • On the BBC iPlayer website on computers and laptops, click on the settings cog in the playback bar and select Low or Medium

Screenshot of the playback screen on the website with the Settings icon highlighted and the video quality menu open. Medium is selected

For those devices that don't have ABR, when you select the HD button to turn on HD, BBC iPlayer will save this setting and all your future playback will now be in HD. If you turn HD off then this setting will be saved.