How to retune your Freeview TV or box

If a channel has disappeared, a new one hasn't shown up, or numbers look muddled, a retune nearly always fixes it. It takes about five minutes and you won't lose recordings.

When should I retune?

A channel has gone missing or shows a "no signal" message.
Freeview has announced channel changes and your list hasn't updated.
You've moved house, moved your aerial or bought a new TV or box.
Channels appear twice, or at unexpected numbers (often 800 and above).

How to retune: the usual steps

Menus differ between makes, but the route is almost always similar:

Press Menu, Home or Settings on your remote.
Look for Settings, Setup, Installation or Channels.
Choose Auto tune, Auto scan, Channel scan, Factory reset of channels or First time installation. Pick the full or "automatic" option rather than "manual" or "update".
If asked for a PIN, try 0000 or 1234 – the usual defaults – unless you've set your own.
If asked, choose Aerial / Terrestrial / DVB-T as the signal type (not cable or satellite) and UK as the country.
Let the scan finish. It can take a few minutes. Don't switch off part-way through.

Recorders and set-top boxes may keep their own channel list, so retune each device that's connected to your aerial.

Still missing channels?

Check the cables. Make sure the aerial lead is firmly pushed in at both ends and isn't damaged.
Remove amplifiers and splitters for a test. Plug the aerial straight into the TV and retune again.
Check your equipment. HD channels (numbers 101 and up) and some newer channels need a Freeview HD or Freeview Play device. Older standard-definition boxes can't show them.
Not every channel is available everywhere. Smaller transmitters carry fewer channels, and some channels are only on air at certain times of day.
Check for local issues. Engineering work at your transmitter can cause temporary problems. Freeview's website has a postcode checker and a list of planned work.

After retuning

Your channel numbers should now match the Freeview channel numbers list. Recordings you've already made aren't affected, but check any series links – some recorders need them set up again after a retune.

Now you're sorted, see what's on TV tonight.