Freeview is rolling out an update nationwide that brings two new channels and a change of tweaks to your TV Guide. If you watch on Freeview, the free-to-watch brand recommends a quick retune to ensure all updates are applied to your television or set-top box.
The latest overhaul of the Freeview TV Guide started to become available late on Wednesday November 22. Depending on the make and manufacturer of your Freeview device, it could take a little while for the update to reach you.
Freeview always recommends that users retune their devices to guarantee that all of the changes have been applied. Some Freeview devices will retune automatically once an update is available.
The pair of new arrivals are Moochi, which is dedicated to animated shows for children like Misho and Robin, The Dreamstone, and Daniel Tiger, on Channel 213, and TV Extra, which is focused on crafting content and found on Channel 291.
Both of these channels are internet-based, so you won't be able to tune in with an aerial alone – you'll need an active internet connection to your Smart TV or streaming box.
Look for the Freeview Play branding on your television or box to find out whether you're able to watch internet-only channels, like the newly-launched Moochi
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If you're unsure whether your Freeview-powered device supports these internet-based channels, look for the "Freeview Play" branding. This is found on almost all Wi-Fi-enabled Smart TVs and set-top boxes like the Humax Aura.
As well as two new arrivals, the latest update to Freeview has rebranded a slew of channels, which removes the CBS branding from UK screens. This completes a transition that started last year, when CBS Justice was ditched from Freeview devices and CBS Drama rebranded to RealityXtra.
With the November 22 update, CBS Reality (Channel 67) has been renamed to TRUE CRIME, stylised with all-capital letters ...something that you'll find across all of the ex-CBS channels. Reality Xtra becomes TRUE CRIME XTRA and Horror Xtra is branded to LEGEND XTRA.
Legend, which was already available on Freeview, is slightly tweaked to LEGEND, so it matches the rest of its counterparts.
All Of The Changes In Latest Freeview Update
- Moochi – all-new channel packed with children's content – launches on Ch. 213
- TV Extra – all-new channel focused on crafts – launches on Ch. 291
- Legends is rebranded as LEGEND and gets a new logo, remains on Ch. 41
- CBS Reality changes its name to TRUE CRIME on Ch. 67
- RealityXtra changes its name to TRUE CRIME XTRA on Ch. 68
- HorrorXtra changes its name to LEGEND XTRA on Ch. 69
- CITV has been removed from Ch. 203 following its closure in September 2023
- Vision TV has been removed from Ch. 261
- Arise News has been removed from Ch. 262, it was also recently delisted from Sky TV
Whenever a substantial update that makes multiple changes to the TV Guide is rolled out by Freeview, the UK firm always advises viewers to retune their television or set-top box.
Although updates are applied automatically in the background, changes to the TV Guide can sometimes need a little encouragement before they appear on your screen.
How To Retune Freeview
- Press the Menu button on your Smart TV or streaming box remote control
- Navigate to Set-Up > Installation > Update. The exact phrasing of these options might vary slightly between manufacturers, but it should be relatively similar
- If you're asked for a password to begin the update process, the default codes are "1234" or "0000"
- Select Full Retune, sometimes named First-Time Installation, Factory Reset, or Default Settings depending on the brand of your kit
- Hit the OK button on your remote – and that's it
Your box might check whether you're happy for existing channels to be deleted as part of the retune process – that's normal since the box will need to wipe the existing TV Guide before it can replace it with the new channels and rebranded ones.
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Freeview is the most popular free-to-watch provider in the UK, with 16 million homes watching content via its service on Smart TVs and streaming boxes.
