Channel 4 has boosted Freeview coverage of one its channels, meaning you’ll need to retune to continue watching.
- 4seven is changing frequency, which will give more viewers access to live events
- Changes are part of Freeview’s monthly update for June 2025.
Channel 4 is making an important technical change to the way it broadcasts offshoot channel 4seven on Freeview.
As part of this month’s Freeview channel update on Wednesday 18 June, 4seven has started to transition to a new multiplex – meaning a change in frequency.
The move will give more Freeview users access to the channel at a time when 4seven is increasingly used as an overspill channel for selected live events. Just this month, 4seven became the home of selected U21 Euro games, including Netherlands v Ukraine and Slovenia v Czechia. In the past, Channel 4 has simulcast coverage of the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies with BSL interpreter on 4seven.
What do you need to do?
For a brief period, 4seven is broadcasting on both new and old frequencies. At the end of the transition, the old copy of 4seven will carry a retune caption.
But you can already retune Freeview to ensure continued reception of 4seven on channel 49. Freeview has more information about how to correctly retune your TV on its website. Following a retune, you should see 4seven on 49 and the old copy of 4seven on channel 790.
Viewers in areas with a reduced Freeview service
As a consequence of the change, 4seven now has universal coverage on Freeview. It’s now available to all viewers in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as viewers in the UK who can only receive a reduced Freeview channel line-up.
It follows a reconfiguration of the multiplex that carries the main Channel 4 service on Freeview, meaning 4seven’s signal can now be broadcast alongside the parent channel.
If you only receive around 20 basic Freeview channels at your address, excluding services like Sky News and Quest, you should retune to add 4seven to channel 49.
This is a bonus to some viewers, as some remote communities with reduced access to Freeview are also affected by poor internet speeds, so they can’t stream TV instead.
Rewind TV completes channel change
The change to 4seven isn’t the only one in this month’s Freeview channel update. As announced last week, Rewind TV is now on channel 81.
It’s swapped places with Blaze+1, putting the channel next door to fellow vintage TV channel Talking Pictures.
New shopping channel
Must Have Ideas is setting up shop on Freeview channel 96. The teleshopping service was previously exclusive to satellite (Sky and Freesat) and YouTube. Retune to add the channel in time for its launch.
- This is just an overview of the main changes. You can find a detailed breakdown of every Freeview change, with additional technical information on our Freeview Updates page.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Channel 4