You marked this day on your calendar.
You knew this new movie was premiering on Apple TV.
So you excitedly turned on your laptop. Launched the app.
But… It’s not even working.
I know, I know. Terrible feeling, right?
Good thing there are fixes available a few scrolls away.
Continue reading to discover:
- How to properly reset the Apple TV app if it’s glitching.
- How many Mbps you’ll need to stream Apple TV without buffers.
- 11 effective fixes to resolve your Apple TV issues on your laptop.
- And a lot more…
Why is Apple TV not working on my Laptop?
Apple TV isn’t working on your laptop because of a poor or unstable network connection. You may reset your modem and router to fix your internet. It’s also likely that your Apple TV app is glitching. You may relaunch it or reset it to fix the issue. You may also delete it and then reinstall it.
Apple TV not working on Laptop: 11 fixes
#1: Check if Apple TV is down
If Apple TV isn’t working on your laptop, the first thing to do is check if it’s down.
This streaming service has over 33 million subscribers. And while it has a very reliable uptime, outages do happen. Even though they’re rare.
Now Apple actually has a dedicated System Status page that you can check.
Just look for Apple TV on the list. If there’s a red circle beside it, then it means it’s currently down.
In addition, you may also try to watch from your browser to check.
You may visit Apple TV’s official website. If you’re also not able to watch from there, then there really is a service interruption.
Don’t worry, though. Apple has amazing engineers working round the clock. Outages generally don’t take long. So simply check back after a while.
#2: Check if you’re having network connection issues
Apple actually has no specific speed requirement for its streaming service.
But with Apple TV, you can only stream in High Definition (HD) or 4K.
This means that you’d need around 5 Mbps for HD. And around 25 Mbps for 4K.
If your internet speed is below that, you’d really struggle to stream.
For internet problems, you may try to perform a power cycle on your modem and router.
A power cycle is the process of resetting a device. It’s simple yet effective in resolving a lot of technical issues.
Here’s how to do it:
- Unplug your modem and router from the outlet.
- Wait for about 30 seconds.
- Plug both devices back in.
Once your laptop’s reconnected to the internet, try to relaunch the Apple TV app. And check if you’re now able to stream.
#3: Ensure you’re not exceeding Apple TV’s user limits
Apple TV has a Family Share feature. This allows account owners to share their subscriptions with up to 6 family members.
While it’s quite generous of Apple, there are still streaming restrictions.
Thinking about watching a particular channel with your family at the same time?
With Apple TV, you can only do that on a maximum of 3 devices.
So if 3 of your family members are already watching the same content on different devices…
You’ll get an error if you try to stream the same video.
So you’ll just have to wait for one of them to finish. Or just use another device or streaming service. You can watch Netflix from your iPhone, for instance.
#4: Manage your Apple TV subscription
Now it’s also possible that your Apple TV subscription has already expired. And the card on your account got declined for whatever reason.
You may manage your subscription through the App Store.
Here are the steps:
- On your laptop, click the App Store icon.
- Select your account name on the bottom left of the screen.
- Click Account Settings.
- Under the Apple ID Summary, look for Manage Payments and click it.
You may then proceed to update your payment information.
#5: Force close and relaunch the Apple TV app
Another reason the Apple TV app’s not working is a temporary malfunction. Which is normal. And happens to most applications.
A quick fix for that would be to force close the app. And then relaunch it.
Here’s how to do that:
- On your laptop, click the Apple menu logo on the upper left of your screen.
- Click Force Quit.
- From the list of apps, select Apple TV.
Want a shortcut to launch the Force Quit menu?
Just press the Command, Option, and Esc buttons at the same time.
Now don’t relaunch the app just yet. Wait for 1 or 2 minutes. And then try to launch it again.
For a visual guide on how to force quit an app, watch this video:
#6: Close all other apps to free up memory space
Your laptop uses memory to load and run programs and applications.
But when too many apps are running at once, the memory becomes full. And your device will struggle to run apps.
Perhaps Apple TV isn’t working because you have other apps open at the same time.
The way to fix this is to close any apps that you’re not really using.
When you do that, your laptop’s memory will have enough storage to run Apple TV.
So just launch the Force Quit app. You may refer to Fix #5. And then close every app aside from Apple TV.
#7: Restart your laptop
The Apple TV app isn’t the only one that can experience a malfunction.
It could also be your laptop itself that’s glitching. And preventing the app from working properly.
But it’s likely nothing that can’t be resolved by a simple power cycle.
So you may try resetting your laptop as well.
The fastest way to do that is by pressing and holding the Control, Command, and Power buttons.
Another way is by clicking the Restart option on the Apple menu.
#8: Install updates for the Apple TV app
Apple regularly releases updates for its apps.
They do this to enhance features. And fix existing bugs.
Now app updates actually happen automatically.
As long as your laptop’s connected to the internet, it’ll download available updates.
You’ll also be notified if there are updates to install.
But if you suspect that your Apple TV app’s outdated, you may manually check via the App Store.
These are the steps to do it:
- Click the App Store icon.
- Select the Updates option.
- Look for the Apple TV app.
- If there are available updates, click Install.
Note: If you couldn’t find the app under Updates, it means it’s up to date.
#9: Reset the Apple TV app
So you’ve tried to close and relaunch the Apple TV app. And you’ve also installed available updates.
And yet it’s somehow still not working.
The next step to fix the Apple TV app is by performing a reset.
However, bear in mind that doing this will actually erase all of your information. Including your account info and personal settings and preferences.
It’ll be restored to its original settings.
Now Apple TV is actually part of the macOS. So you can’t delete it and then reinstall it.
Resetting it is the closest thing to doing that.
Here are the steps to do it:
- On the Apple TV app, look for Settings and select it.
- Navigate to Reset and click it.
- Click the Reset option.
The process should then begin. After the reset, log back in. And check if you’re now able to stream.
#10: Update your macOS
An outdated macOS can also cause the Apple TV to malfunction.
The great thing about Apple, though, is updating to the latest macOS is always free.
So if there are available updates, ensure that you install them.
Now updating a macOS may take a while. That’ll depend on the size of the updates to be installed.
So see to it that your laptop has at least 50% of battery charge. Or you may simply plug it into an outlet.
This is to ensure that it doesn’t turn off while updates are ongoing.
These are the steps:
- Click the Apple menu logo and select System Preferences.
- Look for the Software Update icon and click it.
- If there are available updates, you’ll see Update Now. Click it.
Your laptop should begin updating. It should turn on and off automatically multiple times.
Don’t interrupt the process. Simply wait for it to finish.
Once it’s done, you may relaunch the Apple TV app.
#11: Contact Apple for customer support
If all else fails, then it’s best to contact Apple for customer support.
Apple actually has a Streaming Support department.
You may schedule a call with them. Simply fill out the form with your name, contact number, and email.
You may also reach them via chat.
They should be able to help you fix your Apple TV app.
You might also want to know:(7 Fixes) HBO Max Not Working On Laptop