Use Apple TV to play audio throughout your home
Apple TV can serve as a hub for playing audio throughout your home on devices such as:
Wireless headphones like AirPods and AirPods Pro, or Bluetooth headphones
Wireless speakers like HomePod and AirPlay 2–enabled speakers on the same network, or Bluetooth speakers (see Stream content using AirPlay with Apple TV)
Wired speakers connected to a home theater receiver or TV that’s connected to Apple TV with an HDMI cable
Use HomePod with Apple TV 4K for home theater sound
You can connect one or two HomePod speakers to Apple TV 4K to enjoy stereo, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 7.1, or Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. When you set up a second HomePod as a stereo pair, you get true stereo sound and a more immersive sound stage for your home theater.
Note: Apple TV 4K does not support home theater sound on HomePod mini.
Before you start, make sure you’ve assigned 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 (running Catalina or later) device.
For more information on setting up HomePod, see the HomePod User Guide.
Open Settings
on Apple TV 4K.Go to Video and Audio > Default 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.
For the best surround sound, place HomePod within 10 inches of a wall and as close to the center of your TV as possible. If you use a HomePod stereo pair, place the speakers on either side of the TV. For optimal surround sound, the HomePod speakers should be about 4 feet apart from each other.
Control audio on multiple AirPlay 2–enabled devices
If you’re having a party, for example, 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 around the house. 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 (running Catalina or later) device. For more information, see the iPhone User Guide.
Press and hold the Home button
on the Siri Remote to open Control Center.Select the Audio Controls button
.A list of available audio devices appears, organized by room (as assigned in the Home app on your iOS, iPadOS, or macOS device).
Do any of the following:
Send audio from Apple TV to a speaker in another room: Swipe 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 theater receiver or TV via HDMI cable (shown as Receiver Speakers), you may need to calibrate the audio signal so that the audio is in sync with other wireless speakers. See the task below to learn how.
Some home theater 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: Swipe up to highlight the currently playing song, swipe right to highlight another room, then swipe 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: Swipe right in the top row to select another room, then press the
or 
button on the Siri Remote.
Note: If you select headphones from the list of output options, other device speakers are turned off.
Calibrate audio between your wired and wireless speakers
If your Apple TV is connected to a home theater 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.
Open Settings
on Apple TV.Go to Video and Audio, then scroll down to Calibration.
Select Wireless Audio Sync, then follow the onscreen instructions.
For more information, see Adjust video and audio settings on Apple TV.
Share audio from Apple TV 4K with a second pair of headphones
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.
Note: Sharing audio is not supported on Apple TV HD. For more information on which headphones are supported, see the Apple Support article Share audio with AirPods or Beats headphones.
Press and hold the Home button
on the Siri Remote to open Control Center.Select the Audio Controls button
.Swipe down to headphones, then select the headphones you want to use.
If you don’t see your headphones, follow the instructions in Find and connect to a nearby Bluetooth device.
Select Share Audio, then follow the onscreen instructions to pair the second pair of headphones.