Apple TV 2nd Generation Troubleshooting

The Apple TV device won’t power on.

Be sure the power cord is plugged into a power source and that the Apple TV’s status light is on.

Check to see if the HDMI cable is securely plugged into the HDMI port on the back of the Apple TV as well as into the HDMI port on the television. If the television has multiple HDMI ports, try plugging the cable into each of them to see which one produces the desired results.

Check to see that the television or receiver is plugged into a power source and turned on.

If the device turns on but the screen only displays a black screen, press and hold the Menu and Up buttons on the remote for 5 seconds. The device will now change resolution settings every 20 seconds. When the television displays a resolution you are happy with, select OK to set the resolution settings.

The remote is not responding and you lost control over your Apple TV.

Be sure there is nothing obstructing the path between the Apple TV and remote. Relocate any possible obstructions.

If there is nothing obstructing the path, you may need to disconnect and reconnect the remote to the Apple TV. To do this, press the Left and Menu keys for 6 seconds. Look for an icon that looks like two unconnected chain links above the remote symbol on on the Apple TV device. To reestablish the connection, hold down the Menu and Right keys on the remote for 6 seconds. Check the AppleTV to see if the icon has switched to an image of two connected chain links. Your Apple Device and Remote are now reconnected.

If all else fails, you can always try to unplug the AppleTV from the power source and plug it back in after waiting several seconds.

Replace the battery in your Apple Remote.

The screen goes totally black, you can’t play any media on it and it’s not responding.

If the light flashes for longer than three minutes, it is time to restore the Apple TV. To do this, be sure to have iTunes open on your computer. Unplug the HDMI cable and power cord from the Apple TV and, using a USB cable, plug the Apple TV into your computer. If iTunes doesn't automatically open the Apple TV summary page, click on the Apple TV icon in the upper left corner. Choose Restore Apple TV from the provided options and let the restoration process proceed to completion. When it is finished, unplug the Apple TV from the computer and reconnect the HDMI cable and power cord to the Apple TV.

If the light on the Apple TV remains steady and doesn't flash, unplug both ends of the HDMI cable. After waiting a few seconds, plug the cable back into the ports. Turn off the TV and, if you use one, the receiver, and unplug the TV from the power source, plugging it back in after a few seconds. Turn the TV and receiver back on and open the TV menu, selecting the HDMI input. Connect the Apple TV directly to the TV, without the use of a receiver or HDMI cord to test if the problem is in the switch or receiver. If this hasn't fixed the problem, try a different HDMI cable.

If the device turns on but the screen only displays a black screen, press and hold the Menu and Up buttons on the remote for 5 seconds. The device will now change resolution settings every 20 seconds. When the television displays a resolution you are happy with, select OK to set the resolution settings.

No lights on the Apple TV are lighting up.

If the Apple TV isn't displaying any lights, unplug the Apple TV from the power source. Wait for about a minute (60 seconds) and plug it back in. If this doesn't work, try a different power outlet. If this doesn't work, plug the Apple TV into the computer using a USB cord and use iTunes to restore the Apple TV.

A light on the Apple TV box blinks continuously and doesn't respond to remote commands.

The blinking light means the Apple TV needs to be restarted. This can be done by opening the Settings menu, selecting General and finally choosing Restart from the listed options.

To restart the Apple TV using the remote, press and hold the Menu and Down buttons. Release the buttons when the light goes out, then comes on again.

Unplug the Apple TV from the power source. After waiting 30 seconds, plug the device back into the power source.

To restore the Apple TV to its factory settings, open up the Settings Menu, select General and choose Reset from the options listed.

Using a micro USB cable, connect the Apple TV to your computer and wait for iTunes to open. Once iTunes has opened, it will provide the option to install/reinstall the most recent update.

If you can't mirror or stream content from your iOS device to your Apple TV or other AirPlay enabled device.

Using a USB cable, plug your Apple TV into the computer and use iTunes to download updates.

Make sure your device is AirPlay compatible. Airplay content can only be played to an Apple TV or AirPlay enabled receiver or speaker. AirPlay content cannot be played via an iOS device to another iOS device or Mac.