Your guide to the BBC News iPhone and iPad app
Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the international version of the BBC News app for iPhone and iPad.
This app is available to download in all of the Apple App Stores outside the United Kingdom and is supported by advertising.
How do I send feedback to the BBC about the BBC News iPad app?
If you have a comment or suggestion about the BBC News iPad app, or a question that isn't covered by these FAQs, please email firstname.lastname@example.org
If you wish to raise a formal complaint about the BBC News iPad app, please go to the BBC Complaints homepage.
What are push notifications?
Push notifications are a new addition to the BBC News app, allowing you to be alerted to the biggest news stories as they break.
When a push notification is received it will pop up on your screen similar to a text message, regardless of whether or not the app is open at the time. Depending on your settings the alert may also be accompanied by a sound.
Tapping the notification will load the corresponding story in the app when it is available.
The service is available to users with iOS 5 and above running version 2.1 of the BBC News app or higher. To download the latest version, visit the App Store from your device's home screen and tap 'Updates'.
How can I subscribe/unsubscribe from push notifications?
When opening the app for the first time you will be presented with a message requesting permission to send you push notifications.
Tap 'OK' to subscribe or 'Don't Allow' to decline.
This preference can also be changed at any time within your device's notification settings:
- To turn notifications off
From your device's home screen, visit Settings > Notifications and select the BBC News app from the list. Ensure all options are set to 'off', and Alert Style is 'none'.
- To turn notifications on
From the same screen set Alert Style to either 'Banners' or 'Alerts'.
Additionally you can choose whether to display alerts in your device's Notification Centre or lock screen.
NB, If you are not receiving notifications but the settings screen suggests they are switched on, it may be necessary to reinitialize the push settings by first turning all alert settings off before turning them on again.
How do I turn the push notification sound off?
By default the BBC News sound is played whenever an alert is received.
This can be turned off or re-enabled from your device's notification settings screen (see above).
How many push notifications will I receive?
The number of alerts we send out will vary according to the news agenda, however this will typically be between 1 and 3 notifications a day reflecting the highest profile stories
Will I be charged for push notifications?
Push notifications are free to receive, but may make minimal use of your data plan if delivered via your mobile network provider.
If you choose to receive push notifications, a unique identifier relating to your device will be stored by ProcessOne on behalf of the BBC to provide you with the service.
No other personal data relating to you (such as a username or email address) is processed. The BBC will keep your information secure and not share it with anyone else in accordance with the BBC's Privacy and Cookies Policy, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy.
You can choose to unsubscribe from push notifications from BBC News in your device's 'Notifications' screen.
How do I get the content in the app to refresh
In order to get the app to refresh you need to pull down on the main content area that shows you the stories that are available to read.
This applies to both the iPad and iPhone versions of the app.
You can also refresh an individual story by pulling down on the story body text.
Can I watch/listen to BBC news?
Yes. Users outside the UK can listen to BBC World Service radio live by selecting the 'live radio' button near the top of the main screen.
To watch or listen to BBC news summaries, scroll through the categories on the main screen and select Audio and Video.
You'll also find some audio or video clips embedded within specific news stories.
How do I stop the live radio playing?
You can switch the live radio off by going back into the app and tapping the 'live radio' button in the top left hand corner of the home screen.
Can I save video to watch later?
No. Currently, the BBC offers video and audio clips as streams which are only available when your device has a network connection.
How can I personalise the BBC News app?
You can access the personalisation features by tapping the Edit button in the top corner of the main screen.
In the personalisation view you can add and remove BBC News sections by tapping on the + and - icons.
You can also re-order the News categories in Edit mode by tapping and holding on the three-bar icon to the right-hand-side of the category title and dragging the section up or down.
When you have completed personalising the app, tap the 'Done' button to save your changes.
How can I use the BBC News iPad app when not connected to the internet?
The app will automatically save stories on the device for reading when you don't have a network connection.
The BBC streams video and audio clips to the device so they won't be available when you don't have a network connection.
How can I find the Settings menu for the app?
Go to the home screen of your iPad and tap the Settings icon. Then scroll down the Settings screen and tap on the BBC News entry to access the BBC News iPad app Settings menu.
How do I change the font size on a story?
In landscape (sideways) view, use the font size controls represented by the lowercase 'a' and capital 'A' symbols in the top right of the app to adjust the text to your preferred size.
How do I share stories?
In landscape (sideways) view, tap on the share symbol to access the 'send to a friend' features. This gives you the option to post the story to Facebook or Twitter, and send a link to a friend via email.
Can I change the language on the BBC News app?
The BBC News app is provided in English, with the option to view some content and headlines in other languages.
What languages are supported in the BBC News app?
The BBC News app offers news headlines in the following languages:
- BBC Mundo (Spanish)
- BBC Brasil (Portuguese)
- BBC Chinese (Chinese traditional)
- BBC Zhongwen (Chinese simplified)
- BBC Russian
- BBC Hindi (India)
- BBC Arabic
- BBC Persian (Iran)
- BBC Urdu (Pakistan)
In which countries is the app available?
The app has been released by BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm and wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC.
The BBC News app is therefore available to download in all of the Apple App Stores outside the United Kingdom.
Why is there advertising on the BBC News app?
Because this version of the BBC News app is a commercial activity outside the UK it does include advertising.
How do I opt out of statistics collection?
We collect statistical data about how the application is used to help us learn what works and what's most useful to you.
The more data we can gather, the better we know what people want from applications like this. All data is collected anonymously (e.g. we won't know what pages a specific person visits, or their location, but we will be able to see general trends about which pages and areas are more popular). Naturally, if you'd prefer us not to collect this data, we won't.
To opt out of statistics collection, go to the iPad home screen and tap the Settings icon. Then scroll down the Settings screen and tap on the BBC News app entry.
In the Settings menu set the 'Share Usage Statistics with the BBC' option to 'OFF'. Tap the 'Settings' back arrow to return to the Settings screen and save the changes.