Fresh start. Clean slate. Square one.
No matter what you call it…
We all need a restart sometimes, even the apps on your Apple TV.
This is especially true once they start showing signs of aging:
Slowing down. Freezing. Often unresponsive.
Fortunately, it’s easy to restart an Apple TV app.
Keep reading to discover:
- 5 dependable steps to restart your app on Apple TV.
- How to clear app cache on Apple TV to restart an app.
- 3 quick ways to factory reset your Apple TV if your app can’t restart.
- The cause of frozen apps on Apple TV and a quick solution for this issue.
- And so much more…
How to restart an app on Apple TV – 5 steps
Step #1: Use the Return button
Sometimes, the solution to our problems is so simple that we simply haven’t thought about it yet.
This principle is called Occam’s Razor. It’s when we sometimes eliminate the most obvious answer.
In the case of your Apple TV…
Have you tried using the Return button on your Siri remote yet? It’s often the simplest way to quit any app on your streaming device.
And, if that didn’t work, you can proceed to…
Step #2: Power cycle your Apple TV
Another thing you can try to restart an app is to power cycle your TV. This is a restart that gets rid of all excess charges on your device.
Now, you might be wondering:
“Wouldn’t a normal restart suffice?”
And the answer is no.
You see, turning off your TV alone won’t shut it down. Instead, it’s put into Standby or Sleep Mode.
Do you ever notice how TVs usually pick up where you left off when you turn them off? That’s because it’s on Sleep Mode, not completely closed.
So, here’s what you need to do to power cycle your Apple TV:
- Shut down the TV with your Apple streaming device.
- Unplug both the TV and the Apple TV from the socket.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- Return everything.
The key here is those 30 seconds. Your Apple TV will use that time to remove all charges from itself.
Alternatively, you can also do a power cycle using the Settings menu of your Apple TV. This is how:
- Switch to your Apple TV input.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Head to System.
- Tap Restart.
Step #3: Reinstall the app
The best way to restart an app on any device is to clear its cache. This is data stored in an app about you and your habits while using the app.
For example, notice how YouTube saves your recent searches? That’s because of the cache.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to clear the app cache on an Apple TV.
But there’s an easy workaround:
Uninstall and reinstall the app.
Luckily, the reinstall process is easy. You just have to:
Step 1: Uninstall the app
- Switch to your Apple TV.
- Highlight the app you want to uninstall.
- Hold the Center button on your Siri remote until the app icon shakes.
- Tap the Play button on your Siri remote to open App Settings.
- Select Delete.
Step 2: Reinstall the app
- Open the App Store.
- Tap the Search icon.
- Type and enter the app you want to install.
- Press the menu containing your app.
- Select Get to install.
Step #4: Update your firmware
If none of the previous steps worked, there might be a problem with your Apple TV.
But don’t fret. There’s a simple solution for this:
Updating your Apple TV firmware.
Not only will this get rid of glitches on your device, but it can also:
- Make it perform faster.
- Give it access to new apps.
- Provide new features to improve user experience.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Now, to upgrade your Apple TV, you must:
- Switch to your Apple TV input.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Head to System.
- Tap Software Updates.
- Select Update Software.
- If a prompt says an update is available, press Download and Install.
Alternatively, you can also enable automatic updates. All you need to do to enable this is:
- Return to the Settings menu.
- Head to System.
- Tap Software Updates.
- Set Automatically Update to On.
Now, here’s the thing:
Written instructions can sometimes be confusing.
So, I also looked for a good instructional video to help you update your firmware. And this is what I found:
Step #5: Factory reset your Apple TV
Lastly, if nothing’s working…
Instead of restarting a single app, why not reset the entire Apple TV instead?
This system reset is possible through a process called the factory reset. This will get rid of all your:
- Saved data and history.
- Glitches, errors, and malware.
- Changed preferences and settings.
- Accounts and personal information.
To factory reset your Apple TV, you have 3 options. These are:
Through the Settings menu
- Switch to your Apple TV input.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Head to System.
- Press Reset.
- Select Reset again to confirm.
With a Macbook using macOS Catalina or later versions
- Disconnect your Apple TV from the power source and your TV.
- Using a USB-C cable, connect your Apple TV to a Macbook.
- Power your Macbook on.
- Open the Finder app.
- Select Apple TV on the side.
- Tap Restore.
With a pre-Catalina Macbook or Windows PC
- Disconnect your Apple TV from the power source and your TV.
- Using a USB-C cable, connect your Apple TV to a Macbook.
- Power your PC on.
- Download the iTunes app.
- Open the iTunes app.
- Under Source, select your Apple TV.
- Tap Restore.
Why are apps not working on Apple TV?
Apps aren’t working on your Apple TV because of insufficient storage. You see, once the data on your device begins to pile up, your Apple TV will become increasingly slower.
At a certain point, an app will become so slow that it stops working.
The best course of action to fix this is to factory reset your Apple TV. You can find the steps on how to factory reset in this article under “Step #5: Factory reset your Apple TV.”
You may also be interested in: Apple TV Not Working
How to close a frozen app on Apple TV
You can close a frozen app on Apple TV by power cycling your device. This is a restart that removes all charges on your device.
To find out how to do a power cycle, look under the section titled, “Step #2: Power cycle your Apple TV.”