Troubleshooting Apple TV not recognized in iTunes

Resolution

First steps

1. Verify that you have the latest version of iTunes installed.
2. Verify that you have the latest version of Apple TV software installed.
3. Verify Apple TV is powered and properly connected to your television and you can navigate the Apple TV interface.
4. Verify Apple TV is properly connected to your network and the network is properly configured. When configuring Apple TV, if you do not see your wireless network, exit the selection screen by pressing the Menu button then go back in and the software will rescan.
5. You can't stream and sync from different computers at the same time. If you have configured Apple TV to stream from another iTunes library, Apple TV won't be available in iTunes. Go to the Sources menu on Apple TV and select the computer you're trying to sync from.

Tips

• Verify network connectivity on Apple TV by playing a movie trailer in Movies > Trailers.
• Verify that the computer you are using can access the iTunes Store.
• If you're using Apple TV in a school or office environment, make sure Apple TV is on the same network segment as your computer (check with your network administrator) or else iTunes won't see Apple TV.

For more information on how to properly set up your Apple TV, see the Apple TV Users Guide.

If Apple TV still doesn't appear in the iTunes source list (below Devices) after you verify the above items, try these eight steps. After attempting each steps, check iTunes to see if Apple TV appears in the source list. When Apple TV appears in the iTunes source list, you can stop troubleshooting and continue configuring Apple TV.

1. Restart iTunes (Quit or Exit and then reopen iTunes).

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

2. Reconnect Apple TV to iTunes

   1. Choose iTunes > Preferences (Mac) or Edit > Preferences (Windows), click Apple TV, and make sure "Look for Apple TVs" is selected.
   2. If Firewall is on in Mac OS X (in the Sharing pane of System Preferences), make sure "iTunes Music Sharing" is selected.
   3. Open iTunes on your computer.
   4. Select the Apple TV icon with "Click to set up" next to in in the Devices list.
   5. Enter the 5-digit passcode from your TV screen

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

3. Reset

   If you are still having trouble, you can try to reset your equipment by unplugging power cords for the following:

   • Apple TV
   • Your TV
   • Your wireless networking equipment or AirPort Base Station
   • Your router from the power outlet.

   Wait 30 seconds and then plug everything back in again.

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

4. Restart your computer.

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

5. Rejoin network (wireless) and/or Restart your network router

   If you have an AirPort Base Station, see the troubleshooting section of the setup guide for the your model. If you have a third-party router, check the documentation that came with it.

   • AirPort Express Setup Guide v4.2
   • AirPort Extreme Base Station Setup Guide
   • Designing AirPort Extreme 802.11n Networks
   • AirPort Extreme (802.11n) Setup Guide

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

6. Reinstall iTunes

   • Go to http://support.apple.com/downloads/ to get the latest version.
   • If you are having issues reinstalling iTunes for Windows, see "Trouble installing iTunes or QuickTime software in Windows"
   • If you are having issues reinstalling iTunes for Mac OS X, see "Troubleshooting iTunes installation on Mac OS X"

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

7. If you have Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), click here for information on configuring Firewall. For Mac OS X 10.4 and earlier, make sure UDP port 5353 (Bonjour) is open on your firewall. If you use Windows Firewall, follow the steps here. Otherwise, if you use other firewall software or hardware, check the software documentation on how to open UDP port 5353.

If that doesn't address the issue, then:

8. If you use Windows, try disabling services and startup items that may be conflicting.