Use Apple TV (1st generation)

Play items in your iTunes library using Apple TV (1st generation)

You can set up iTunes to automatically sync your Apple TV (1st generation) with your iTunes library. That way, you can play your iTunes library on your TV without having to turn on the computer and open iTunes.

You can also use your Apple TV (1st generation) to stream items (songs, movies, TV shows, and more) from your iTunes library to your TV. You can stream from up to five iTunes libraries, plus the library the Apple TV is synced with.

If your Apple TV (1st generation) is synced with an iTunes library, it’s already set up for streaming. (When Apple TV is synced, it appears in the Devices pop-up menu near the top of the iTunes window.)

For Apple TV (2nd generation), see Play items in your iTunes library using Apple TV (2nd generation or later).

Sync your Apple TV with iTunes

  1. Make sure the computer you want to sync with is on, and iTunes is open.

  2. On your Apple TV, choose Settings > Computers > Add Shared iTunes Library, and note the passcode displayed.

  3. Click the Devices button near the top of the iTunes window to access your Apple TV, and enter the passcode.

  4. Click the category buttons (Movies, TV Shows, and so on) and specify your syncing preferences.

  5. To transfer a rented movie from your computer to your Apple TV, click the Movies button, select the movie you want to transfer, and click Move.

    Important:  You must be connected to the Internet to transfer a rented movie.

  6. To sync photos, click the Photos button.

Note:  If you play content on Apple TV while a sync is in progress, the sync pauses until playback stops.

If your Apple TV doesn’t appear in the iTunes window

When you set up syncing on Apple TV (1st generation), your Apple TV appears in the Devices button (or the Devices pop-up menu, if other devices are connected) near the top of the iTunes window on the computer you’re syncing with. If your Apple TV doesn’t appear in iTunes:

  • Make sure your Apple TV is turned on and connected to your network. To check your network settings on your Apple TV, choose Settings > General > Network.

  • On your Apple TV, choose Settings > Computers > Add Shared iTunes Library, and follow the onscreen instructions.

  • Check whether the OS X firewall is turned on (in the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, or the Security pane of System Preferences). If it is, make sure File Sharing is turned on for iTunes in Firewall Options.

Turn off syncing

Do one of the following:

  • On your Apple TV (1st generation), choose Settings > Computers > Select iTunes Library , select your iTunes library, and choose Disconnect.

  • Click the Devices button near the top of the iTunes window to access your Apple TV, click Gear icon in the bottom-left corner, and choose Turn Off Syncing from the menu that appears.

Note:  Turning off syncing removes all synced items from your Apple TV.

Remove an Apple TV from your iTunes library

  1. Choose iTunes > Preferences, and click Apple TV.

  2. Select the Apple TV, and click Remove Apple TV.

Set up your Apple TV for streaming

  1. Make sure the computer you want to stream from is turned on and iTunes is open.

  2. On your Apple TV (1st generation), choose Settings > Computers > Add Shared iTunes Library, and note the passcode displayed.

  3. Click the Devices button near the top of the iTunes window to access your Apple TV, and enter the passcode.

Note:  While content is being streamed, the computer must remain on (not in sleep mode) and iTunes must remain open.

Stream photos to your TV

  1. Set up your Apple TV (1st generation) to stream content from the iTunes library on the computer with the photos you want to stream.

  2. Click the Devices button near the top of the iTunes window to access your Apple TV, and click the Photos button.

    If you don’t see your Apple TV or the Photos button in iTunes, make sure you’re using Apple TV software version 1.1 or later. To check the software version, choose Settings > General > About on your Apple TV. To update your Apple TV software, choose Settings > General > Update Software.

  3. Choose the photos you want to stream, and click Apply.

Note:  While content is being streamed, the computer must remain on (not in sleep mode) and iTunes must remain open.

Disable streaming

You can set your Apple TV (1st generation) to disable streaming and play only content that’s synced.

  1. Click the Devices button near the top of the iTunes window to access your Apple TV.

  2. Select “Show only the synced items on my Apple TV.”

During a sync, items are added to your Apple TV (1st generation) as space allows, in this order: movies, TV shows, music, podcasts. If you also want to sync photos, they are added last, unless you select “Sync photos before other media” in the Photos pane.

Syncing starts automatically whenever you click Apply or Sync, or choose File > Sync.

For more information, see the Apple TV Setup Guide or Apple TV Support website.