Apple TV Won’t Turn On (10 Fixes)

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Written by Greg Randall

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Apple TV won’t turn on? What do you do? 

It just sits there with a blank screen. When you plug it back in, it starts working again. But after a few minutes, it stops working again. This happens more often than you think. 

Before you run out to the Apple Store and hit the Genius Bar, check out the solutions below in this article to see how you can fix your Apple TV.

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Table of Contents show

1. Unplug the Apple TV and Plug It Back in

Try unplugging the Apple TV from the power outlet and plugging it back in. This will restart the Apple TV, which can solve most issues with the Apple TV. Some settings might’ve been corrupted. 

Follow these steps to restart the Apple TV: 

  • Unplug the Apple TV from the wall outlet.
  • Wait 15 seconds.
  • Plug the Apple TV back into the wall outlet.

2. Unplug the HDMI Cable and Plug It Back in

Occasionally, an issue occurs when the HDMI cable isn’t plugged in properly. Reseating the HDMI cable may be able to fix the issue by refreshing the video signal. 

  • Unplug the HDMI cable from the TV and the Apple TV box.
  • Plug both ends of the cable back into the Apple TV and TV. 

If that doesn’t work, try plugging it into another HDMI port on the TV. 

If the status indicator light on the Apple TV is stable, then it is most likely a problem with the TV HDMI port or the cable.  

3. Try a Different HDMI Cable

Sometimes, it could be a cable issue. Using a different HDMI cable may fix the problem. 

4. Apple Remote Not Working

Couple things to try here

  1. Recharge the Apple Remote
  2. Re-pair the Apple Remote and Apple TV

If you’re pressing the buttons on the Apple TV and nothing is working, maybe the battery is dead in the Apple Remote. 

Charge the remote by connecting a Lightning cable to it to charge for at least 30 minutes before trying the remote again. 

If a recharged Apple Remote hasn’t helped, it could be that the Remote and Apple TV aren’t synced any longer. You can pair the two again by following these steps: 

  1. Press and Hold the Back button on 2nd generation or newer Remotes (Menu button on older Apple Remotes) and the Volume Up button together for 5 seconds. 
  2. Wait to see the prompt to pair the Remote and Apple TV. 
  3. Follow the steps to finish pairing the two. 

5. Try a Different Power Outlet

If you’re not seeing any indicator lights on the Apple TV, it means the device isn’t receiving any power from the wall outlet. 

The Apple TV might be connected to a power outlet that might have shorted out or have another issue. If you have multiple sockets available, try using a different one. 

You can also check the current power outlet by connecting your phone and its charging cable to it to see if your phone will recharge. If it’s not receiving power, then there’s something wrong with the outlet.

Apple TV Not Turning On

6. Bypass your TV Receiver or Switch

Using a TV receiver, HDMI switch, or other “middle-man” might be causing a disruption in the connection from the Apple TV to the TV. 

Check to see if it’s the receiver by plugging the HDMI cable from the Apple TV straight to an HDMI input on the TV. 

If you see a picture and the Apple TV is not having any issues, then at least you know the TV receiver is not working correctly and needs to be replaced. 

7. Try a Different TV Input Source

The HDMI input port that the Apple TV is plugged into on the TV could be having problems. Try using a different HDMI input source on the TV.

If another input port is working fine, then the original HDMI port is having issues and can’t be used. 

You’ll also want to double-check and make sure the correct input source is selected in the TV’s settings. 

8. Try a Different Supported Resolution

The TV resolution and Apple TV’s resolution are not the same, so it’s causing a black screen on the TV.

You can normally change the screen resolution on your Apple TV by going to the Settings. But because your screen is blank, you won’t be able to do that. Luckily, you can use your Apple Remote and the buttons on it to change the resolution. 

  • Press and Hold the Menu and Volume Down buttons on the Apple Remote for 6 seconds. 
  • Release the buttons. 
  • The Apple TV will automatically switch to a different resolution every 20 seconds. 
  • Once you see a picture on the TV, select  to confirm the correct resolution. 

9. Restore the Apple TV Software

If the status indicator light has been flashing for longer than a minute on the Apple TV, it’s telling you that there may be a software issue. A reset of the Apple TV can fix the issue by restoring the software. 

You can fix the issue by restoring the Apple TV software onto the device by using your Mac or PC and a USB-C cable (sold separately). Check out Apple’s support page on restoring the Apple TV software.

10. Contact Apple Support

If all else fails, it could be an issue with the Apple TV itself. You’ll need to contact Apple Support for repair and/or replacement. 

You can contact Apple Support via their website. 

Apple Support can help with any issue. They also have a good warranty plan, so if it hasn’t expired yet, they may give you a new Apple TV to replace your broken one. 

Apple TV Won’t Turn On Final Thoughts

I hope one of the fixes has solved your problem, and you can start watching TV again.

If none of them worked, try contacting Apple Support. 

Read about other TV models in these articles: 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my Apple TV to turn on my TV?

Make sure your TV has HDMI-CEC and is turned off before configuring the Apple TV to turn on your TV. Follow these steps to set up the Apple TV to also turn your TV on or off: 

1. Open Settings on the Apple TV.
2. Select Remotes and Devices.
3. Turn on the Turn On Your TV with Your Remote option. 
4. That’s it!

Can you turn on Apple TV without the remote?

Yes, you can turn on the Apple TV by simply plugging it into a power outlet. Once the Apple TV is plugged in, it will automatically turn on. If you have an iPhone, iPad or touchscreen iPod, you can also turn on your Apple TV through them with the Apple TV Remote app.  

Can I control my Apple TV from my iPhone?

Yes, you can control your Apple TV from your iPhone. You will need to download the Apple TV Remote app to your phone first, and then you can use your iPhone to control the Apple TV. 

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Written by:

Greg Randall
Greg Randall is deeply immersed in Smart Home Technology, with years of experience in home automation, from smart displays to TVs. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge with like-minded enthusiasts. Beyond smart homes, Greg loves snowboarding and exploring new culinary scenes with friends, bringing a zest for adventure and fine dining to his tech-savvy lifestyle.