Apple TV has been in the works by the giant tech brand for a long time, but it’s only the last few years that it’s really come to the forefront of the market.
This is probably due to the shows and films that they’ve started producing, which although are limited, generally have pretty good reviews across the board. For some, Apple TV is worth every penny, even if it does still have a few kinks they need to iron out.
And it doesn’t matter what app you’re using, there’s always a chance that you’re going to have issues with it at some point. Even with more established apps like Netflix you can have streaming problems, so there’s no surprise that this is the case with Apple TV, as their product is still really at its growing stages.
So, if you are having streaming problems with Apple TV, then there will likely be a fix to your dilemma, no matter what it is. Let’s look at some of the most common issues that people have with Apple TV, and what you can do to sort it out.
How to resolve any Apple TV streaming problems – Troubleshoot Guide
If you’re having streaming problems with Apple TV, then you’ll want to check your internet connection first of all. Then, go ahead and restart your device. This should resolve any basic streaming issues you’re having, both with the app or if you’re watching on your Apple TV 4K box.
In some cases though, this may not be enough. Step one is working out where the problem lies. Is the issue with just the Apple TV+ app within your phone, tablet or Macbook? Or are you having problems with your Apple TV box?
Either way, the first thing to do if you can’t access your Apple TV properly is to know whats causing the problem. If it’s with everything on your Apple TV box, your laptop, phone or tablet, then that’s what we’re going to look at now. As well as this, we’ll also be looking at the Apple TV+ app too.
You can also check out this smart TV internet problem guide if your issue is specific to a smart television. Much of the advice given here can be applied to different devices very easily, but some are more specific Apple TV problems.
Connectivity + Box Issues
Most of the time, your problem will likely be down to your Apple TV box itself and its connection to the wi-fi. In many cases, this is probably going to be a simple fix.
You should restart the Apple TV as the first step, and if needs be, you can also restore it back to factory settings. You can do by going into Settings and then System, where you’ll find the reset option. Bear in mind this will delete all of your saved programs, so it’s probably not the first thing you should do.
Instead, you can continue to try a few other things too to try and get things working. Then, if they don’t work, come back to this and try a factory reset.
Check the internet connection
It doesn’t matter what device you’re using in your home, if it’s reliant on your wifi, then one of the first things that you should do is check your connection. Start by checking some other devices in your house and see if they are working as normal.
If all the other devices in your house are working fine, then it may be due to too many devices on your home network (I’ll get to that in a minute). It could be down to your internet speed in general, which could be down to a few reasons.
You’re going to want to make sure that there’s not a great distance between the two devices, as the further the router has to travel, the more chance there is for interference. Make sure there’s nothing between the two either, or anything that could play with the signal, like a baby monitor or a home phone.
In the current climate, there’s a chance your wi-fi network will be working fine throughout the daytime but gets slower in the evening or when other people in your area are using it.
In this case, here’s not much you can do but get in contact with your internet service provider to try and fix it. If you’re having problems with your router, then check out this internet router guide.
You can also consider trying an ethernet cable between your Apple TV box and your router if they’re within a close proximity. This can eliminate any signal strength problems entirely, and allow you to maintain a strong connection.
Too many devices on your wi-fi network
This will generally depend on the router that you’re using, but more importantly, the internet package that you’re signed up to.
We’re in an age where we don’t just have one or two devices connected to our home network – we have our phones, tablets, laptops, smart appliances, gaming consoles and whatever else is using up your internet bandwidth.
And if all of these are trying to use the internet at the same time, then this can sometimes cause a problem when it comes to streaming. This can be a common problem if you have kids in the house that are using their Playstation or Xbox, or are watching 4k films in their bedroom at the same time you’re trying to use it.
So if there’s a whole lot of devices connected to your home internet using it at the same time, this might be the root cause of your problem. It’s pretty easy to work out if it is – simply disconnect some of the other devices, and see if your streaming improves.
If it does, you might need to upgrade your broadband package to be able to cope with more devices simultaneously. It’s important to distinguish that it’s not the amount of devices connected to your network that matters – it’s the amount of devices actively using the internet that can cause streaming problems.
Restart your Apple TV box or device
Although it always feels like a bit of a cop out when giving this advice to someone trying to fix a device, it just works. More often than not, if you’re having a problem with your Apple TV box then restarting it could immediately fix the issue without you having to do much about.
Actually, it doesn’t matter what device you’re using to watch Apple TV+. Whether you’re watching it through your Apple TV box, or you’re using your laptop, tablet or phone, simply restarting the device could be the easiest solution to your problem.
When you turn your device off and off again, its temporary memory will empty. This gives it a chance to start again from scratch, and in many cases, this might be the only thing you need to resolve your problem.
It could be down to Apple
At the end of the day, if you’re having problems with your Apple TV+ app and you’ve tried everything else on this list, then the problem may actually lay with Apple and not with you.
There’s quite a lot of folks online saying that they’re specifically having problems when using content from iTunes with their Apple TV app. If this is the case for you, then you’re definitely not alone, as a lot of other people are having the same problem as you.
In this case, all you can do is reach out to Apple to get them to try and resolve the problem for you. In many cases, there may be nothing you can do until Apple TV is improved and its integration with other softwares is better.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as with all devices your Apple TV can have streaming problems. This could be for a variety of different reasons, but it’s most likely something to do with your home internet. You can usually find the solution by using the guide above.
This is a pretty new release to the market, so there’s expected to be snags and issues with it whilst it’s in a growth period. The good news is that if it stops playing, it’s usually a temporary thing, with a simple enough solution to fix it.
