Why isn’t the CBeebies website working for me?
There could be a number of reasons why the CBeebies website is not working for you. The site may not be working because it is experiencing technical difficulties, which we always try to fix as soon possible. If this is the case please wait a little while and then come back to the site later, once we have had time to fix the problem.
When trying to view the CBeebies homepage, I’m seeing a message that says ‘oops, you can’t see this activity’ – what should I do?
If you're seeing this message, it's likely that the browser you're using isn't a sufficiently up to date version to access the content on the homepage
Try updating to the most recent version of whichever browser you are using.
Why don’t some games work on my Android device?
Mobile devices often come with several different mobile browsers installed and not all of them will run our games. If you have a problem loading certain CBeebies games, try them in a different mobile browser.
Why can’t I watch CBeebies website video content or play games from overseas?
Access to the BBC's website is restricted, meaning that overseas users are prevented from seeing content on www.bbc.co.uk. This is because unfortunately many programmes have broadcast rights restrictions which don't allow us to show CBeebies programmes and content to people outside the UK.
In addition, broadband content is expensive for the BBC to stream, so we have to give priority to people within the UK, who ultimately bear the cost of us doing this through their licence fee. However, as more and more people outside the UK are starting to watch CBeebies from abroad, there is an international website at www.cbeebies.com, which is steadily growing and may provide some of the content you are missing.
I am in the UK, but get an error message saying that I am not
Sometimes even though you're in the UK, it's possible you may see a message saying you're not. This could be because your computer is on a foreign-based network, or is routed overseas without you knowing. Some computer programs, such as web accelerators, can also cause your computer’s unique IP (Internet Protocol) address to appear as if it is outside the UK.
For rights and licensing reasons, our BBC technology system only recognises IP addresses provided by UK-based internet service providers (ISPs). If a CBeebies activity doesn't recognise your IP address at all, then you won't be able to play, stream or download the activity. You may find this problem occurs elsewhere, beyond CBeebies.
What can I do about it?
Occasionally it may simply be a network error, so it's worth closing your browser and turning your broadband/network router box off and on. This may get you a new UK-based IP address.
If this doesn’t work, you must contact your internet service provider (ISP) as only they can register your address. If your ISP has registered with the appropriate databases, our servers will update on the next regular refresh. You will have to wait until that time before you can play. Please do keep trying us on a regular basis to see if the situation has changed.
Why am I now seeing an error message saying I’m outside the UK, when I wasn’t previously?
Sometimes your internet service provider (ISP) will allocate you a new IP address, or will carry out maintenance work that means you are given a new IP address. In some cases, this IP address will not yet be registered by your ISP as being in the United Kingdom, and as such CBeebies will no longer recognise you as being in the UK, even if you are. This is something your ISP is best placed to fix, so you must contact your ISP as they alone can register your address.
Why has my child’s favourite CBeebies show gone from the website?
With brand new CBeebies shows and characters arriving on the website and the CBeebies channel all the time, we sometimes need to remove older shows in order to make it easier for our young audience to find their way around the website and to enable our team to focus on supporting new and innovative content. Shows are also occasionally removed from the CBeebies website because they are no longer licensed by CBeebies.
We always try to balance our online offering so that it includes a range of CBeebies shows that work well online, and appeal to children of different ages and needs.
Why are some games and activities not available on the CBeebies website?
Sometimes content needs to be removed from the website because the brand is no longer licensed by us and we have to take down any relevant content, sometimes it is because technology has moved on and we are trying to fix the game - we always try to bring back as many as possible.
If your child is struggling to cope with the change, we suggest you spend a little time sitting with them and exploring the rest of the website. Who knows – you may find a new favourite! You can also read our Grown-ups article on Helping Children Deal with Change
Should you access a game or activity where the page looks 'blank', it does not necessarily mean that the page is broken. It just means that the content has been removed. On the few occasions where we need to remove content, we also remove direct access to them by amending our menu pages so that the risk of you accessing a missing piece of content is minimised.
Legal or 'rights' issues can also mean we are unable to provide theme tunes or other video clips for some brands.
We regret that it is not possible to send any of this content to you.
Why do I see a pop-up on the CBeebies website asking me to accept cookies?
When you go on the CBeebies site you might see a pop-up asking you to accept cookies. CBeebies cookies are completely harmless – we use them (among other technology) to make the site better by remembering what you’ve done already.
For example, the Alphablocks game takes your child to a new word every time and shows them the stickers they’ve already earned, instead of them always having to go back to the beginning. You’ll need to tick continue on the pop-up to get the best experience of the site.
CBeebies (along with nearly every other website) has been using cookies to enhance our site for years but because of new guidelines, sites now have to add the pop-up. You can find out more about cookies on BBC Webwise.
The CBeebies website is telling me to enable JavaScript – what should I do?
Many websites use JavaScript, which is a type of computer language, to work. The CBeebies website needs JavaScript to run correctly. It comes automatically installed with your browser and checking whether it is enabled is relatively easy.
If you are being asked to enable JavaScript please follow the steps below. If you are being told to turn on JavaScript when you already have it enabled, try clearing the cache in your browser or refreshing the web page.
Google Chrome
1. Click the 'Customise and control Google Chrome' button in the top right of the browser.
2. Next click the 'Settings' option.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the tab and click 'Show advanced settings'
4. Under the 'Privacy' settings, click the 'Content settings' button.
5. Next, scroll down to the 'Javascript' heading and check the button next to 'Allow all sites to run JavaScript'.
6. Press the 'Done' button and then reload the page which needs JavaScript.
Internet Explorer
1. Go to the 'Tools' menu in IE and choose 'Internet Options'.
2. Click the 'Security' tab.
3. Make sure the 'Internet Zone' is highlighted and press the 'Custom Level' button to open the security options.
4. Look for the entry near the bottom of the list which says 'Scripting', then 'Active Scripting' and make sure it is enabled.
5. Press 'OK' to close the panels. Now reload the page which needs JavaScript.
Safari
1. In Safari, go to the Safari menu and choose 'Preferences'.
2. Click the 'Security' tab.
3. You can check or uncheck both JavaScript here.
Firefox
1. Go to the 'Firefox' menu in the top left of the browser and select 'Options'.
2. Click the 'Content' tab.
3. Check 'Enable JavaScript' in the main panel and click 'OK'.
Can I download songs, games or stories from the CBeebies website?
It's not possible to download any songs, games or stories from the CBeebies website. You can listen to and join in with many of the songs on the website and some of the music on CBeebies has also been made available on commercial download websites. You can also play CBeebies games without being online using the Playtime Island app and enjoy stories together using the Storytime app. You can download and take away CBeebies Radio podcasts using the BBC iPlayer Radio app