Feature guide

IPTV Catch-Up TV: How to Watch Programmes You Missed

Catch-up lets you go back in time on supported channels and play programmes that have already aired, straight from the TV guide. It is one of the features that makes IPTV feel more flexible than traditional broadcast.

With an aerial, once a programme has finished it is gone unless you recorded it. With catch-up, the service keeps recent programmes available for a limited period, usually from a few hours up to several days depending on the channel. You simply scroll back in the guide and press play.

How catch-up works

The provider stores recent broadcasts on its servers for channels that support the feature. Your player app reads the guide, knows which programmes are still available and requests them when you choose one. Because it relies on the guide to know what aired when, catch-up only works well when your EPG is set up correctly.

Finding catch-up channels

Not every channel offers catch-up. Apps usually mark supported channels with a small clock or rewind icon in the channel list, or group them in a dedicated catch-up section. The number of days available is sometimes shown next to the icon.

Watching a missed programme

1. Open the TV guide and pick a channel with the catch-up icon.
2. Scroll left or back in time to the programme you missed.
3. Select it and choose play. Some apps show a "watch from start" option.
4. Use pause, rewind and fast-forward as you would with on-demand content.

Start-over on live programmes

Joined a film twenty minutes late? On supported channels, many apps let you restart the current programme from the beginning. Look for "play from start" or a restart icon when you highlight the programme in the guide. This is one of the most useful everyday features and works exactly like catch-up, just for the programme that is on now.

Which apps support catch-up

Support varies by app. Popular options such as TiviMate and IPTV Smarters include catch-up features, and many Formuler and MAG-style interfaces support it too. Simpler players like VLC can play streams but do not offer a catch-up guide. If catch-up matters to you, test it in your chosen app during a trial.

When catch-up does not work

• No icon on any channel. Your app may not support catch-up, or it may need enabling in settings.
• The programme will not play. It may have passed the catch-up window for that channel.
• The wrong programme plays. Your guide times are likely offset. Correct the time zone or EPG offset.
• Catch-up plays but stutters. Treat it like any buffering issue and check your connection.

Catch-up versus recording

Catch-up is convenient but temporary; programmes disappear once the window closes. If you want to keep something for longer, some apps can record to your device or a USB drive. Our guide to recording IPTV programmes explains the options and their limits.

Catch-up FAQ

How far back can I watch?

It depends on the channel. Some keep a few hours, others several days. The app often shows the number of days.

Does catch-up use more data than live TV?

No. It uses roughly the same amount as watching the same programme live.

Does catch-up count towards my device limit?

Yes. Playing catch-up uses a stream just like live TV.

Look for the catch-up icon, make sure your guide times are correct, and you can rewind the TV guide to watch recent programmes whenever it suits you.