Use Apple TV to play audio throughout your home

You can send audio from Apple TV to one or more AirPlay 2–enabled devices (such as HomePod and other smart speakers and TVs) connected to the same network in your home. You can also send audio from AirPlay 2 speakers like HomePod to Apple TV.

Before you start, make sure you’ve set up your devices in the Home app on an iOS, iPadOS or macOS (Catalina or later) device. For more information, see the iPhone User Guide.

1. Do either of the following:

   • Press and hold the TV button on the Siri Remote to open Control Centre, select the General Settings tab , then select the Audio Controls button .

   • If you see the Audio Controls button in an app, select it.

   A list of available audio devices appears, organised by room (as assigned in the Home app on your iOS, iPadOS or macOS device).

   

2. Do any of the following:

   • Send audio from Apple TV to a speaker in another room: Navigate down, then select a device or devices. The currently playing song appears at the top of the screen under a description of the rooms you selected (for example, Living Room + Dining Room).

     Tip: If your Apple TV is connected to a home cinema receiver or TV via HDMI cable (shown onscreen as Receiver Speakers), you may need to calibrate the audio signal so the audio is in sync with wireless speakers elsewhere in your home. See “Calibrate audio between your wired and wireless speakers” below.

     Some home cinema receivers and smart TVs that also support AirPlay may appear twice in the list — as Receiver Speakers (connected via HDMI) and as AirPlay speakers. For the best audio quality, choose Receiver Speakers.

   • Send audio from a speaker in another room to Apple TV: Navigate up to highlight the currently playing song, navigate right to highlight another room, then navigate down and select the Apple TV. The song that was playing in the other room appears grouped with Apple TV.

   • Adjust the volume of devices in another room: Navigate right in the top row to select another room, then press the or button on the Siri Remote.

You can use HomePod speakers with Apple TV 4K to create room-filling sound in several configurations:

• Use one or two HomePod speakers for stereo sound.

• Use two paired HomePod speakers for true stereo separation.

• Use two paired HomePod speakers (1st generation or later) for home cinema surround sound (Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 7.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1).

Additionally, if you have an Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later), you can play audio on your HomePod speakers from devices such as DVD players or game consoles that are connected to an eARC-supported TV with an HDMI cable. See Set up Apple TV.

For more information on setting up HomePod, see the HomePod User Guide.

1. Before you start, make sure to assign a room to your Apple TV. Your HomePod (or HomePod stereo pair) must be connected to the same network and set up in the same room as your Apple TV 4K using the Home app on an iOS, iPadOS or macOS (Catalina or later) device.

2. Open Settings on Apple TV 4K.

3. Go to Video and Audio > Audio Output, then select the HomePod (or HomePod stereo pair).

   Note: This setting routes all sound, including navigation clicks, from Apple TV to your HomePod. Only HomePod speakers can be selected for default audio output. HomePod mini speakers support stereo only. If you temporarily select other wireless speakers, home cinema sound and navigation clicks are not supported and your speaker selection resets after Apple TV is put to sleep.

If you use a HomePod stereo pair, place the speakers on either side of the TV.

For the best surround sound, place HomePod within 25 centimetres of a wall and as close to the centre of your TV as possible. For optimal surround sound, the HomePod speakers should be about a metre apart from each other.

When you connect AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to Apple TV 4K, you can turn on Spatial Audio to listen in an immersive cinema-like environment with sound that surrounds you.

Apple TV 4K also supports Personalised Spatial Audio, which uses a customised scan of your ear geometry for even better sound. To experience this feature, you need to set up a Spatial Audio profile on iPhone using the same Apple ID as the primary user on your Apple TV 4K. Additional profiles are not supported. For more information, see the AirPods User Guide.

AirPods Pro and AirPods Max also offer controls for noise cancellation (to tune outside noises out) and transparency (to hear sounds around you). AirPods Pro (2nd generation) offers controls for Adaptive Audio, which automatically adapts to reduce loud sounds or enhance conversations while reducing background noise.

1. While sitting near your Apple TV 4K, wear your AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.

   If you don’t receive an onscreen notification, follow these instructions to connect your AirPods.

2. Press and hold the TV button on the Siri Remote to open Control Centre, then select the AirPods tab .

3. Do any of the following:

   • Choose what type of noise control you want (AirPods Pro or AirPods Max only): Select Noise Control, then select Noise Cancellation, Transparency or Off.

   • Turn Spatial Audio controls (if available) on or off: Select Spatial Audio, then select Head Tracked, Fixed or Off.

   • Turn Personalised Spatial Audio (if available) on or off: Select Spatialise Stereo.

   • Turn on Adaptive Audio for AirPods Pro (2nd generation only): Select Adaptive Audio, then turn on Loud Sound Reduction to automatically reduce loud sounds around you, or turn on Conversation Awareness to automatically lower the volume during a conversation and enhance voices in front of you, all while reducing background noise.

   • Share audio with a second pair of headphones: Select Share Audio, then follow the on-screen instructions to pair the second pair of headphones.

     Note: Spatial Audio without Head Tracking is available if you share audio with another pair of AirPods. AirPods controls appear in Control Centre only when a user is signed in on Apple TV using the same Apple ID associated with the AirPods. To change users, see Switch users in the Profiles tab on Apple TV.

4. When you’ve finished making changes, press the Back button (Siri Remote 2nd generation or later) or button (Siri Remote 1st generation).

To turn off automatic AirPods detection, open Settings on Apple TV, then go to Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth and turn off Suggest Nearby AirPods.

Additional AirPods preferences are available in Settings. See Set AirPods controls on Apple TV.

For private watching, you can send audio from an Apple TV 4K to up to two pairs of compatible Apple wireless headphones, such as AirPods or Powerbeats Pro.

1. Press and hold the TV button on the Siri Remote to open Control Centre, then select the AirPods tab .

   If you don’t see your headphones, follow the instructions in Find and connect to a nearby Bluetooth device.

2. Select Share Audio, then follow the on-screen instructions to pair the second pair of headphones.

If your Apple TV is connected to a home theatre receiver or TV using an HDMI cable, you may experience audio latency, a delay that sounds like an echo when playing audio on both receiver speakers and a wireless speaker.

You can use an iPhone to calibrate the audio signal on your Apple TV so that all speakers play in sync.

1. Open Settings on Apple TV.

2. Go to Video and Audio, then scroll down to Calibration.

3. Select Wireless Audio Sync, then follow the onscreen instructions for using your iPhone to sync your speakers.

   Note: During calibration, make sure you hold your iPhone close to your TV or receiver speakers. Apple TV plays tones through your wired speakers in order to measure the TV’s audio/visual latency, then it matches the output for the wireless speakers.

For more information, see Adjust video and audio settings on Apple TV.