How to Restart, Reset, Update Your Apple TV: Step-by-Step Guide

Is your Apple TV acting a little hangy, freezing up during your favorite shows, or just not feeling as snappy as it used to? There are a few key things you can do troubleshoot your Apple TV: restart, reset, and update. So we made this step-by-step guide on how to reset, update, and restart your Apple TV quickly and get back to streaming.

Restarting Your Apple TV (Quick Fixes)

Sometimes, a simple restart is all it takes to get your Apple TV working smoothly again. Here are a few easy ways to restart your Apple TV:

Method 1: With Siri Remote (or Apple TV Remote)

If your remote is handy, this is often the quickest way to give your Apple TV a fresh start. The button combination might depend slightly on the type of remote you have.

Press and hold both the Monitor/Screen(5) button and “<” (4) in the 2nd generation remote or Menu(2) in the 1st generation remote on your remote.
Once the Apple TV status light starts blinking fast, your Apple TV is restarting. Just wait a moment for it to power back on.

Method 2: Disconnect and Reconnect Power

Another straightforward way to restart your Apple TV is by simply cutting off its power supply and then plugging it back in. Here’s how:

Locate the power cable connected to your Apple TV.
Unplug the power cable from the wall outlet or the back of the Apple TV.
Wait for about five seconds. This gives the device enough time to fully power down.
Plug the power cable back into the wall outlet and/or the back of your Apple TV.

Your Apple TV should automatically start up again.

Method 3: Through the Apple TV Settings Menu

If your Apple TV is still responsive enough to navigate the menus, you can also restart it through the settings:

Navigate to the Settings app (the gear icon ).
Scroll down and select System.
Select Restart.
Confirm your choice. Your Apple TV will then begin the restart process.

If you’ve tried all these methods and your Apple TV is still giving you trouble, it might be time to move on to a more significant step: resetting it to its factory settings. We’ll cover that in the next section.

Resetting Your Apple TV (Factory Settings)

Sometimes, a simple restart just isn’t enough to fix your issue. The next step is to perform a reset to its factory settings. It’s important to understand that resetting will erase all your data on the Apple TV, including your accounts, settings, and any customizations you’ve made.

When to Reset Apple TV?

You’re experiencing recurring and significant problems that a restart doesn’t fix.
You’re preparing to sell, trade in, or give your Apple TV to someone else and want to clear your personal information.
You’re instructed to do so as part of a more advanced troubleshooting step.

Here are the methods to reset your Apple TV:

Method 1: Reset from Apple TV Settings Menu

If you can still navigate the Apple TV interface, this is the most straightforward way to perform a reset:

Go to the Settings app (the gear icon ).
Scroll down and select System.
Navigate down and select Reset.
Select Reset option.
Confirm that you want to reset and confirm your selection.

The process of resetting your Apple TV and restoring it to its factory settings can take a few minutes. Be patient, and don’t interrupt the process.

Method 2: Reset and Update Simultaneously

For a truly clean slate and to ensure your Apple TV is running the newest software, you can choose to reset and update at the same time. This option will erase everything and then install the latest version of tvOS.

Open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
Go to System.
Look for the Reset option again, and this time, select Reset and Update.
Confirm your choice when prompted.

This process will take longer than a regular reset, as it includes downloading and installing the latest software. Again, do not disconnect your Apple TV during this process.

Also Read:

Method 3: Reset an Unresponsive Apple TV HD via Computer

If your Apple TV HD is completely unresponsive and you can’t access the Settings menu, you might need to use a computer to restore it. Note: This method applies specifically to Apple TV HD, not to Apple TV 4K.

For Apple TV HD with a Mac running macOS Sequoia or later (using Finder):

Disconnect the HDMI cable from your Apple TV, but leave the power cable connected.
Connect one end of a USB-C cable to the back of your Apple TV and the other end to a USB port on your Mac.
Open Finder on your Mac. You should see your Apple TV listed in the sidebar under Locations.
Select Apple TV in the sidebar.
Click on Restore. Follow the on-screen instructions in Finder.

For Apple TV HD with a PC running iTunes or a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier (using iTunes):

Disconnect the HDMI cable from your Apple TV, but leave the power cable connected.
Connect one end of a USB-C cable to the back of your Apple TV and the other end to a USB port on your computer.
Open iTunes on your computer. You should see your Apple TV listed in the Source” list.
Select Apple TV in the Source list.
Click on Restore. Follow the on-screen instructions in iTunes.

Update Your Apple TV Software

Just like your phone or computer, your Apple TV also receives software updates from Apple. These updates are important because they often bring new features, improve performance, fix bugs, and enhance security. Keeping your Apple TV software up to date ensures you’re getting the best possible experience.

You’ll usually see a notification pop up on your Apple TV screen when a new software update (tvOS) is available. However, you can also manually check for updates or even set your Apple TV to update automatically in the background. Here’s how:

Method 1: Check for Updates Manually

If you want to see if there’s a new version of tvOS available, you can easily check for updates yourself:

On your Apple TV, navigate to the Settings app.
Scroll down and select System.
In the System menu, look for Software Updates and select it.
On the Software Updates screen, you’ll see an option called Update Software. Select it.
Select Download and Install to begin the download process.

If an update is available, a message will appear on your screen with information about the new version.

Note: Once the download starts, do not disconnect your Apple TV from the power source. The status light on your Apple TV might flash slowly during the update process – this is normal. Let the update complete without interruption. Your Apple TV will likely restart automatically once the update is finished.

Method 2: Set Up Automatic Updates (For Hassle-Free Maintenance)

To ensure your Apple TV is always running the latest software without you having to lift a finger, you can enable automatic updates:

Open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
Go to System.
Select Software Updates.
Enable Automatically Update.

With automatic updates turned on, your Apple TV will typically download and install new software versions when your device is idle, usually overnight. This way, you can enjoy the latest features and improvements without having to manually check for updates.

And that covers how to keep your Apple TV software up to date! By staying current, you’ll ensure a smoother and more enjoyable streaming experience.

Apple TV How-to