Complete guide to the Apple TV, Apple’s iOS-powered, 1080p streaming set top box.
While rumors of a new Apple TV continue to make the rounds, the current Apple TV has just seen a price drop to $69 an exclusive agreement signed for HBO Now in the U.S. It also lets you stream all sorts of content — including iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, MLB, NHL, and much, much more — to your HDTV, even if you don’t have an iPhone or iPad in-hand. If you do, it lets you AirPlay video and even mirror the screen of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac straight to the big screen. There’s a lot more you can do as well. Here’s our complete guide!
- How to automatically set up your Apple TV using an iPhone or iPad
- How to manually set up your Apple TV using the hardware remote
- How to use VoiceOver on your Apple TV
- How to pair an Apple remote with your Apple TV
- How to use shortcuts on your Apple TV remote
- How to access the chapter menu on the Apple TV
- How to control your Apple TV with the Remote app for iPhone or iPad
- How to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your Apple TV
- How to hide channels on your Apple TV main menu
- How to AirPlay video from your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV
- How to use Control Center to AirPlay videos to your Apple TV
- How to use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your Apple TV
- How to use AirPlay to mirror your Mac screen to your Apple TV
- How to watch iTunes Extras on your Apple TV
- How to use Home Sharing to access your iTunes library on your Apple TV
- How to manually check for software updates on an Apple TV
- How to fix a glitchy Apple TV by restoring it to factory settings
- How to fix a bricked Apple TV by restoring it with iTunes
How to set up and start using your new Apple TV
Because the Apple TV is relatively inexpensive — only $99 in the U.S. — and provides a ton of video and audio streaming capability, including direct lines in iTunes and even AirPlay from iOS devices, it’s an incredibly easy purchase to justify. It’s also an incredibly easy device to set up. If you’re having any trouble, however, here are the step-by-step directions.
- How to automatically set up your Apple TV using an iPhone or iPad
- How to manually set up your Apple TV using the hardware remote
How to use VoiceOver on your Apple TV
If you have an Apple TV but find it difficult or impossible to see and navigate the menu system VoiceOver is there to help. An accessibility option meant to help those with visual challenges, VoiceOver “speaks” the controls to you, letting you hear what you can’t see. You can even set up shortcuts to turn VoiceOver on and off with just two taps.
- How to use VoiceOver on your Apple TV
How to pair an Apple remote with your Apple TV
Apple’s hardware remote is a small, convenient aluminum stick with absolutely indiscriminate infrared (IR) blasting. If you only have one Apple TV in the vicinity, that’s not a problem. If you have multiple Apple TVs, however, or if you have older Macs running Front Row, you’ll want to lock the remote a specific device. Luckily, it’s easy to do!
- How to pair an Apple remote with your Apple TV
How to use shortcuts on your Apple TV remote
Ever been stuck deep down inside Netflix on the Apple TV and wished there was a way to instantly jump all the way back to the main Home screen? Ever been frustrated by fast forward going too slow or too fast and wished you could simply skip chapter by chapter instead? Ever had Home screen icons disappear or services say they’re not available and wished you could reboot with only a couple of clicks? Well, you can! The little aluminum remote that comes with the Apple TV might not seem like much but there are a lot of options hidden behind those buttons. Here are some of the best!
- How to use shortcuts on your Apple TV remote
How to access the chapter menu on the Apple TV
If you want to skip forward or rewind to a certain scene on your Apple TV, scrubbing through with the standard fast forward and rewind controls can be daunting, especially if you’re going back or forward more than just a few seconds. When you want to skip through a significant amount of time, the chapter menu is the best option and can be brought up in one button click.
- How to access the chapter menu on the Apple TV
How to control your Apple TV with the Remote app for iPhone or iPad
Apple’s Remote app lets you control the Apple TV with your iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi. Not only does that give you a backup if you ever lose the aluminum hardware remote that comes with the Apple TV, but it also lets you maintain control even if you’re not in line-of-sight, makes navigating large amounts of content — including Home Sharing libraries — easier, and thanks to the virtual keyboard, makes search term and password entry a breeze. Here’s how it works!
(Come April, you’ll be able to control your Apple TV with an Apple Watch as well!
- How to control your Apple TV with the Remote app for iPhone or iPad
How to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your Apple TV
While navigating and selecting with the Apple TV remote control works fine, trying to enter a search term or a password is tedious and frustrating. The Remote app can help ease the pain, but nothing beats a real keyboard when it comes to typing. Luckily, Apple makes it possible to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your Apple TV so that you never have to struggle again!
- How to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your Apple TV
How to hide channels on your Apple TV main menu
The Apple TV interface is overflowing with channel icons and it can make finding your favorites, the ones you actually want to watch, into a chore. So, what if you want Netflix and HBO Go but not NBA or MLB, or vice versa? Easy! You can hide channel icons right from the main menu, or toggle them on or off right from settings!
- How to hide channels on your Apple TV main menu
How to AirPlay video from your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV
AirPlay lets you wirelessly beam whatever you’re watching on your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV, even videos in App Store apps like YouTube and Netflix. Any app that’s incorporated Apple’s AirPlay media button will work. All that’s required are a few taps!
- How to AirPlay video from your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV
How to use Control Center to AirPlay videos to your Apple TV
Ever wish you could take a video from your iPhone or iPad and watch it on your big screen TV? Well, with AirPlay and an Apple TV you can! Many apps have built-in AirPlay buttons but, sadly, they’re often in different shapes, sizes, and places. Luckily, Control Center has an AirPlay button as well. That makes it easy to find and easy to use!
- How to use Control Center to AirPlay videos to your Apple TV
How to use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your Apple TV
AirPlay Mirroring lets you wirelessly beam whatever you’re viewing on your iPhone or iPad to your Apple TV. Whether you’re using a dumb network TV app that doesn’t include built-in AirPlay or just want to game on your big screen HDTV, AirPlay Mirroring lets you share almost anything and everything in just a few taps.
- How to use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your Apple TV
How to use AirPlay to mirror your Mac screen to your Apple TV
While iTunes can send media directly from your Mac to your Apple TV, you can also mirror your entire display. It’s especially useful for things like family FaceTime and company presentations. What’s more, it’s easy to do!
- How to AirPlay Mirror your Mac to your Apple TV
How to watch iTunes Extras on your Apple TV
iTunes Extras are like DVD to Blu-ray movies extras that play right inside iTunes on the Mac or Windows, and on your Apple TV. They can include director’s commentary, deleted scenes, bonus scenes, making-of documentaries, and other features. Not every movie has iTunes Extras, but for those that do, here’s how to find and enjoy them!
- How to watch iTunes Extras on your Apple TV
How to use Home Sharing to access your iTunes library on your Apple TV
Home Sharing is a great way to stream content from your Mac right to your Apple TV. It lets you quickly and easily get anything from the iTunes library on your desktop to the HDTV without it having to be on Apple’s servers, like iTunes in the Cloud, or you having to be at your computer, like AirPlay. It’s an older feature, more pull than push, but for home movies, personal video collections, ripped CDs, and more, it still works great. Here’s how!
- How to use Home Sharing to access your iTunes library on your Apple TV
How to manually check for software updates on an Apple TV
When there’s an update available for the Apple TV you’ll get a popup notification telling you about it. However, you might be in a hurry to watch a movie, listen to music, or do something else when it happens, and you may not want to stop and do the update right then and there. Luckily, you can check for and apply Apple TV software updates at any time. Here’s how!
- How to manually check for software updates on an Apple TV
How to fix a glitchy Apple TV by restoring it to factory settings
If you’re having problems with your Apple TV, if Wi-Fi or connectivity is buggy, if it keeps failing to connect or update, if the channels just don’t work the way they’re supposed to, then restoring it to factory settings can give you a fresh start. Sure, it’s the nuclear option but it will also solve most problems, most of the time. If you’re suffering, a factory restore is one of your last, best hopes for salvation!
- How to fix a problematic Apple TV by restoring it to factory settings
How to fix a bricked Apple TV by restoring it with iTunes
Like any device, from time to time an Apple TV can give you problems. In most cases a restart, reset all settings, or restore to factory settings will fix the problem. If you’re Apple TV is totally non-responsive — or bricked — the only way to fix it is a full restore using iTunes. Here’s how!
- How to fix a bricked Apple TV by restoring it with iTunes
How to get more help with your Apple TV
If you need any additional help or have specific questions check out our Apple TV Forum!
Note: Originally published April 2014. Updated March 17, 2014.