You can pair an Apple Wireless Keyboard (aluminum) to Apple TV (4th generation and earlier).* To use a Magic Keyboard, you need an Apple TV (4th generation).
Many third-party Bluetooth keyboards can also work. If you aren’t sure whether your third-party keyboard is compatible, ask the manufacturer.
* To pair a keyboard to an Apple TV (4th generation), you need tvOS 9.2 or later.
Pair your keyboard
- Turn on your keyboard and put it in discovery mode. If you need help, check the instructions that came with your keyboard.
- For Apple TV (4th generation), select Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth. For earlier models, go to Settings > General > Bluetooth. Then your Apple TV will search for nearby Bluetooth accessories.
- Select your keyboard.
- If asked, enter the four-digit code, then press Enter or Return.
If you need help, learn what to do.
Use your keyboard
- Search and enter text, email addresses, passwords, and more.
- Navigate menus on your Apple TV using the arrow, Return, and Escape keys.
- Jump to an item, title, or name on the screen by typing the first few letters. For example, when viewing your music collection, type a song title to jump to it.
- If your keyboard has
, 
, or 
keys, they might work to control music and videos and to select previous or next.
Use shortcuts on your Magic Keyboard for Apple TV (4th generation)
If you have a Magic Keyboard, here's a list of shortcuts to use with your Apple TV:
- Press F3 to quickly switch to a different app.
- Press F4 to go to the Home screen.
- Press F7 to rewind and F9 to fast forward.
- Press F8 or spacebar to play or pause content.
- Press F11 to decrease volume or F12 to increase volume.
- Use the arrow keys to navigate.
- Press return to make selections.
Unpair your keyboard
- For Apple TV (4th generation), select Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth. For earlier models, select Settings > General > Bluetooth.
- Select your keyboard, then select Forget this device.
Get help
If you can't pair your keyboard with your Apple TV:
- Turn on your keyboard and make sure that it's in range of your Apple TV.
- Make sure that your keyboard is discoverable or in pairing mode. If it isn't, turn your keyboard off and back on. For help, check your keyboard's manual.
- Make sure that your keyboard isn't paired or connected to another device.
If your keyboard can't stay connected:
- See if you need to charge your keyboard or replace its batteries.
- Check for nearby sources of interference, like other wireless or Bluetooth devices.
- Unpair your keyboard, then pair it with your Apple TV again.
Apple TV uses the U.S. English keyboard layout regardless of the keyboard's hardware layout. If you need help with a third-party Bluetooth keyboard, contact the manufacturer.