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Satellite TV with hard-drive recording

Sky Q explained

Sky Q is the satellite-based pay-TV box Sky has sold since 2017. It is still supported for existing customers and still on sale where there is an existing dish, but Sky now defaults new sign-ups to Sky Stream or Sky Glass. This page covers what Q actually does that Stream cannot, the pros, the cons and what the move to IP-delivered TV means for current Q households.

Sky Q features Compare Stream and Glass

At a glance

Launched 2017 Satellite-based (dish required) Up to 2 TB recording Multi-room with Sky Q Mini

What it actually does

Six features that define Sky Q

Sky Q is more than a satellite box: multi-room, hard-drive recording, fluid viewing and offline downloads are the features Stream and Glass do not fully replace. Below is what each one actually delivers in a real household.

Multi-room with Sky Q Mini

Pair the main Sky Q box with one or more Sky Q Mini boxes around the house. Each Mini streams from the main box over your home Wi-Fi or wired LAN, so every room has live channels, recordings and on-demand without a second satellite line.

Hard-drive recording up to 2 TB

The Sky Q top tier comes with up to 2 TB of storage, enough for roughly 350 hours of HD recording or about 60 hours of UHD. Recording happens in the box itself, not in the cloud, so it works even if your broadband drops.

Fluid viewing across boxes

Start an episode on the main box, walk to the kitchen and pick it up on the Sky Q Mini where you left off. It is the multi-room feature that Stream and Glass cannot fully replicate, because Q tracks playback in the device, not just in the cloud.

Offline downloads to tablet

The Sky Go app on iOS and Android can pull recordings off the Sky Q box and store them on the device for offline viewing, useful on flights or commutes. Downloads expire after 48 hours, like most TV catch-up apps.

Voice search via the Sky Q remote

The Sky Q remote has a built-in microphone. Hold the voice button, say "Top Gear" or "Premier League", and the box searches across live channels, recordings, on-demand and the streaming apps installed in Q.

Works without broadband (live only)

Because Sky Q gets live channels from the dish, you can still watch live TV during a broadband outage. On-demand, the streaming apps and the Sky Go syncing all need broadband, but the live signal is independent.

The bigger picture

What is changing in 2026

Sky has openly moved its TV business to IP delivery (Stream and Glass). Sky Q is no longer the front door for new customers, but it is not dead either. Here is what that means in practice.

If you already have Sky Q

  • Your box and recordings keep working. Sky has not announced a switch-off date.
  • Renewals can stay on Q, or you can switch to Stream/Glass at the end of your minimum term.
  • App support (Sky Go, Netflix, BBC iPlayer) is still updated for Q in 2026.
  • Sky Q Mini boxes are still sold for new rooms in an existing Q setup.

If you are new to Sky in 2026

  • Sky’s sales journey defaults to Stream or Glass, not Q.
  • You can still ask for Sky Q on the phone if you have an existing dish.
  • Without a dish, Q means an engineer visit and a dish installation, Stream avoids both.
  • Pick Q only if you specifically need hard-drive recordings or live TV that survives broadband outages.

Pros of Sky Q

  • Best multi-room TV experience in the UK, fluid viewing across boxes.
  • Hard-drive recording (up to 2 TB) means no cloud limits or expiry.
  • Live TV survives a broadband outage, the dish keeps feeding the box.
  • Voice search and a mature on-screen guide.

Cons of Sky Q

  • Requires a satellite dish, install adds time and an engineer visit.
  • 18-month minimum term, vs 31-day rolling on Stream.
  • Sky is no longer developing new features for the platform.
  • Bad weather can still affect satellite reception briefly.

FAQ

Sky Q questions and answers

Is Sky Q still available in 2026?

Yes, but with conditions. Sky still supports Sky Q for existing customers and lets you take it on a new sign-up if you already have a Sky satellite dish at your address. New build-from-scratch installs (no existing dish) are usually steered toward Sky Stream or Sky Glass, which deliver Sky TV over your broadband and skip the satellite engineer visit. The Sky Q box itself has not had a hardware refresh since 2022 and Sky has confirmed it is in run-out mode.

How much does Sky Q cost?

Sky Q’s base subscription is the same as Sky Stream: around £17 a month for Sky Entertainment. The Q box itself is provided at no upfront cost on a typical 18-month contract, with a small monthly hardware fee on Sky Q Multi-room if you add extra rooms. Add Sky Sports (~£30/month total) or Sky Cinema (~£11/month on top) the same way as on Stream.

Sky Q vs Sky Stream, which is right for me?

Pick Sky Q if you want hard-drive recordings, multi-room fluid viewing or live TV that survives a broadband outage. Pick Sky Stream if you want a 31-day rolling contract, no dish on the wall and you are happy with cloud-based "watch later" instead of physical recordings. For most households setting up Sky from scratch in 2026, Stream is the simpler choice. For an existing Sky customer with an established dish and recordings library, Q is still the better fit.

Will Sky Q be switched off?

Sky has not given a public switch-off date. The realistic read is that the box will be supported for several more years, because millions of Sky customers still use it, but no new features will be added and new sign-ups will be quietly steered to Stream and Glass. When your current Q contract ends, expect Sky to offer Stream or Glass as the renewal default.

Can I add Netflix to Sky Q?

Yes. Netflix has been integrated into Sky Q since 2018: a "Netflix on Sky" tile lives in the Sky Q home screen, and your Netflix bill can be charged through Sky. The Netflix with ads tier is included free with Sky Entertainment on Q, the same as on Stream and Glass. Upgrading to ad-free Standard or Premium adds the standard Netflix monthly fee.