Fix Frozen Apple TV

Apple Tv Keeps Freezing
Apple Tv Keeps Freezing

Apple TV 4 is Frozen, How Do I Fix It?

Users of the Apple TV 4 may occasionally experience a frozen or unresponsive device. This article explains how to fix a broken Apple TV.
Apple TV 4 is a new gadget with a newly created operating system, tvOS. For numerous consumers, this, along with Apple’s declining quality, has resulted in a subpar experience.

The new Apple TV is a step forward than my previous Apple TV 2, which would reboot several times throughout the evening, usually in the middle of a program. I’ll even say that both Apple TV models have proven to be the worst electronic gadgets I’ve ever bought. They’re not what one would anticipate from an Apple product. Every night, I make use of my Apple TV, which can often provide hours of trouble-free enjoyment. I have at least one problem every day, and a few nights, and it’s a frustrating experience.

The new Apple TV 4 has a number of issues, including the ability to freeze and need the user to reset it. Unfortunately, a frozen Apple TV can’t be navigated to the Settings menu to be renewed. Thankfully, Apple has offered instructions on how to restart Apple TV, even if it is entirely frozen.

Restart Apple TV 4 if necessary

Apple TV may be forced to restart using the Siri remote, even if it is frozen. For roughly 6 seconds, hold down the Menu and residential (TV screen) buttons. Your Apple TV base unit’s front light will begin to flicker rapidly. Your Apple TV will restart after you release the controls. The process takes roughly 30 seconds; however, if you’re on tvOS 9.2, you’ll have to wait a little longer. After restarting Apple TV, the home screen may also become frozen.

After restarting, fix the frozen home screen.

After restarting Apple TV, tvOS 9.2 introduced a bug that causes the house screen to freeze. Fortunately, this is usually a simple repair. Wait a few moments, then press the Siri remote’s touchpad. You should now be able to utilise your Apple TV and explore the home screen.

Turn off tvOS’s automatic updates.

With each new iteration, tvOS appears to add more flaws. While Apple corrects some issues, they also appear to make silent the default setting. This was likewise the case with my Apple TV 2. Something changed at Apple in 2014, and their goods began to suffer from a lack of quality.

You are not required to upgrade to the most recent version of tvOS on the day it is released. It’ll be wiser to stick with the devil you’re familiar with and conduct some research. Before updating to tvOS 9.2, I did some study. Nobody, however, was writing about the problems. The keynote was being regurgitated by the tech writers. The Apple Support Forum is the finest location to learn about the quality of any Apple product.

The default setting for tvOS is about to change. This is something I like to recommend turning off. By going to Settings > System > Software Upgrades, you can turn off automatic tvOS system updates. The screen for Software Updates will appear. Update automatically closes the window. Return to the Software Updates screen and select Update Software to manually update Apple TV.

Users of the Apple TV 4 may occasionally experience a frozen or unresponsive device. This article will show you how to unfreeze an Apple TV.

The Apple TV 4 is a new gadget with a newly built operating system called tvOS. For many customers, this, along with Apple’s declining quality, has resulted in a subpar experience.

The new Apple TV is a step forward than my previous Apple TV 2, which would reboot several times throughout the night, usually in the middle of a video. I must admit that both Apple TV models have proven to be the worst electronic devices I’ve ever bought. They aren’t of the high quality that one would expect from an Apple product. Every night, I turn on my Apple TV, and it can deliver hours of trouble-free enjoyment. Every day, I encounter at least one issue, and some nights, it’s a frustrating experience.

The new Apple TV 4 has a number of issues, including the ability to freeze and need the user to restart the device. Users can’t get to the Settings menu on a frozen Apple TV, so they can’t restart it. Fortunately, even if Apple TV is entirely stuck, there is a way to reset it.

Restart Apple TV 4 if necessary

Apple TV may be forced to restart using the Siri remote, even if it is frozen. For around 6 seconds, hold down the Menu and Home (TV screen) buttons. Your Apple TV base unit’s front light will begin to flicker rapidly. Restart your Apple TV by releasing the buttons. Restarting takes roughly 30 seconds, but if you’re on tvOS 9.2, you might have to wait a little longer. After restarting Apple TV, the home screen may become frozen.
Restart Apple TV 4 by holding down the Menu and Home buttons.

Fix Frozen Home Screen After Restarting A bug in tvOS 9.2 caused the home screen to freeze after restarting the Apple TV. Fortunately, this is a simple problem to solve. Simply press the touchpad on the Siri remote and wait a minute. You should now be able to utilise your Apple TV and explore the home screen.

Turn off tvOS’s automatic updates.

With each new iteration, tvOS appears to add more flaws. While Apple appears to solve certain issues, they also appear to create more than they solve. This was likewise the case with my Apple TV 2. Something changed at Apple in 2014, and their goods began to suffer from a lack of quality.
You are not required to upgrade to the most recent version of tvOS on the day it is released. It’s possible that sticking with the devil you know and doing some research is the best option. Before updating to tvOS 9.2, I did some research and found that no one had written about the issues. The keynote was just regurgitated by the tech reporters. The Apple Support Forum is the greatest location to learn about any Apple product’s quality.

By default, tvOS is set to update automatically. This is something I recommend turning off. Go to Settings > System > Software Updates to disable automatic tvOS system updates. The screen for Software Updates will appear. Simply disable Automatic Update. Return to the Software Updates screen and select Update Software to manually update Apple TV. This is also a wonderful way to see whether any new updates have been released.

This article will explain how to fix an Apple TV that isn’t working. These instructions are applicable to Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD that run tvOS 13.3 and the Siri Remote.  

Restart to Get Started

Most problems with Apple devices can be fixed by a restart. You can restart your Apple TV device using the Siri Remote or the tvOS System display.

Use the Siri Remote to restart

Hold the Menu and Homebuttons simultaneously on the Siri Remote until the status light blinks on the Apple TV device.

Restart from the tvOS System Screen

You can restart the TVOS system screen by using the Siri Remote. Select Settings > Systems > Start.

Restart the Apple TV device by unplugging it

For 15 seconds, physically disconnect the Apple TV from power.

After the Apple TV device restarts, verify that the latest software is installed. Select Settings> > software updatesupdate Software.

Problem: Poor Wi-Fi Connection

There are many possible Wi-Fi issues, including slow performance, inability to connect to a local network and sudden, unintentional disconnection.

To troubleshoot a slow Wi-Fi connection, select Settings > Network. Look for an IP address on the Network screen under Status. If you do not see an IP address, reboot your modem or wireless connection point (WAP), and Apple TV.

You can take these actions if an IP address is detected but signal strength is low:

  • As the Network name, confirm that your network is listed and not another’s.
  • Move your modem/WAP closer to the Apple TV.
  • Instead of using wireless connections, connect your modem or WAP with an Ethernet cable.
  • To increase signal strength near your Apple TV, invest in a Wi Fi extender

AirPlay doesn’t work

AirPlay allows you to share movies, photos and videos from your mobile device with family and friends using an Apple TV. AirPlay compatibility is a feature that allows co-workers to share training programs and presentations in conference rooms.

You have two options if AirPlay doesn’t work on your Apple TV device:

  • Make sure that your mobile device (iOS, iPadOS, or Mac) is connected to the same network as your Apple TV device.
  • Select Settings HomeKit to turn AirPlay on your Apple TV device. Select AirPlay from the AirPlay screen to toggle between On or Off.

AirPlay can be affected by certain electronic household items like cordless phones or microwave ovens. Your Apple TV, modem or WAP and any Mac or iOS/iPadOS devices that are broadcasting can be moved away from interference-generating items. Also, ensure that your basement computer is not using all of the available bandwidth to download movies from your wireless connection.

Problem with no sound or audio

These steps will help you fix audio or video problems.

  1. You should ensure that your television or external audio device does not have a volume set to muted.
  2. Restart your Apple TV device.
  3. The HDMI cable that connects your TV and Apple TV should be unplugged.
  4. Select SettingsAudioresolution.Verify that the resolution you have selected is suitable for your TV.

    Apple TV automatically sets the resolution. The resolution chosen may not be compatible with your TV’s make or model. For the best resolution, refer to the guide that came with your TV.

  5. Select Settings > Audio > Output.Make sure HDMI has been selected on the Audio Output screen.

Siri Remote isn’t working

The main reason Siri Remotes stop working is because the battery needs to recharge.

You can check the battery life of your Siri Remote by choosing SettingsRemotes or DevicesRemote. You can also see a graph of remaining battery life beside Remote. Select Remote to see the remaining battery life. An additional percentage is displayed beside Battery Level.

The Lightning to USB cable included with your Apple TV can be used to connect your Siri Remote to a power source to recharge it.

Problem: The Touch Surface Scrolling Speed isn’t Right

Apple TV users are often annoyed by the Siri Remote’s “hair trigger”“. The cursor on the screen is moving too fast, according to Apple TV users.

Select SettingsRemotes & DevicesSurface Tracking to adjust the sensor sensitivity. Select the option Fast or Medium that you prefer.

Problem: The Apple TV Status Light is Flashing

The status light on your Apple TV device flashes rapidly if it is experiencing a hardware problem. It should not flash for longer than three minutes. You need to restore the factory default settings of your Apple TV.

These steps will reset your Apple TV to factory settings.

  1. Select Settings > System > Reset.
  2. Select one of these options from the Reset screen:
    • Reset This option restores the factory settings of your Apple TV. This command does not require an internet connection.
    • Reset and update: This option resets the Apple TV to factory settings, and then installs new software. This option requires an internet connection.

    Keep the Apple TV connected to a power source until you complete the reset process.

  3. If the reset does not solve the problem, unplug the power cable from your Apple TV device. After 30 seconds, connect the Apple TV to a different outlet.

    Try a different Apple TV power cord if you can.

Problem: Tint, color, or brightness is off

Select SettingsAudioHDMI output if the brightness, color or tint of the content is off on Apple TV. Three settings are available on the HDMI output screen:

  • YCbCr
  • RGB High
  • RGB Low

YCbCr should be the preferred setting for most TVs. You will need a high-speed HDMI cable. The RGB settings on your TV and Apple TV must match.

Choose the option that is most convenient for you.

Problem: Apple TV claims it’s out-of-space

Apple TV streams music and videos from the internet. However, it stores apps (and their data) on its internal drive. The amount of storage you have available for new apps decreases as you download them.

Follow these steps if you receive an error message indicating that Apple TV is out-of-space

  1. Select Settings> > Manage.
  2. The Storage screen allows you to browse the list and see how much space they take up.
  3. Click the Trash button beside any apps you don’t use and then choose Delete. These apps can be downloaded again from the App Shop.

Problem: Black bars appear on the screen or the picture doesn’t fit the TV

This problem can be fixed by adjusting your TV’s aspect ratio so that it is 16:9.

Jennifer Thomas
Jennifer Thomas is the Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Cybers Guards. Prior to that, She was responsible for leading its Cyber Security Practice and Cyber Security Operations Center, which provided managed security services.