Is the Netflix app for Apple TV not working on your device?
Netflix is arguably the best on-demand movie streaming platform out there, with thousands of titles on their library.
What separates them from the competition is that their platform is accessible to multiple devices, and the user interface is straightforward. Netflix is even built-in to most modern Smart TVs making the viewing experience for their users even better.
However, like any platform, Netflix is not perfect and could encounter errors and other problems occasionally. If you’re reading this right now, you probably have a hard time using Netflix on your Apple TV.
Usually, server-related errors cause this issue on Netflix, but you should also consider other factors on your end when addressing this problem.
This guide will show you a few steps in fixing the Netflix app for Apple TV if it is not working correctly.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Check Netflix Servers.
Whenever you encounter problems on Netflix (or other apps), the first thing you should always do is check the status of its servers. Since Netflix is an online platform, it relies on its servers to deliver its services and features.
To check Netflix’s servers, visit their dedicated page where they show their servers’ status and the problems they encountered.
You can also use third-party sites like Downdetector if Netflix’s website is not accessible.
If the servers are down, the best thing to do for now is to wait until Netflix gets everything sorted on their end. However, you can still try the listed methods below and see if anything improves the situation.
2. Re-Login to Your Netflix Account.
Your account data may have gotten corrupted when Netflix servers go down and are now causing multiple problems on the platform.
To fix this, try to sign out of your Netflix account and log back in after several minutes to reload your user data.
Check out the steps below to log out of your Netflix account on Apple TV:
- On your Apple TV remote, press the Menu button to access the options menu.
- After that, open the Settings tab.
- Finally, select Sign Out and follow the on-screen prompts to log out of your Netflix account.
Once done, allow several minutes to pass before logging back into your account.
3. Sign Out of All Devices.
Netflix only allows a certain number of devices to be connected to your account, depending on the plan that you availed. If the Netflix app for Apple TV is not working, sign out your account on other devices first before connecting it to your Apple TV.
On Android and iOS, follow the guide below to sign out of your account:
- On your home screen, tap the Netflix app to launch it.
- After that, tap on your Profile from the top right corner of your display.
- Lastly, tap on Sign Out.
For Windows PC, see the steps below to sign out of your Netflix account:
- First, access Netflix on your Windows PC.
- Now, click on the More Options button at the top right corner of the window.
- Lastly, click on Sign Out and follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the action.
If you are using a Mac computer or browsers, you can sign out of your Netflix account by doing the following:
- On your Mac or browser, navigate to the Netflix website.
- After that, hover your mouse to your Netflix Profile beside the Notification bell icon.
- Finally, click on Sign Out of Netflix and follow the prompts to continue.
For other devices, go to Netflix’s Help Center and find the dedicated guide for your device to sign out of your Netflix account.
After signing out your Netflix account, go back to the Netflix app for Apple TV to check if the problem is solved.
4. Force Close the Netflix App.
Temporary bugs and errors may have occurred on the Netflix app causing multiple problems on the platform. Try to force close the Netflix app on your Apple TV to reload all of its resources to fix this issue.
Check out the step-by-step guide below to force close Netflix:
- On your Apple TV, press the Home button on your remote twice to access the application switcher.
- After that, find Netflix from the list of applications running on your Apple TV.
- Finally, highlight Netflix and swipe upwards on the Touch Surface of the Siri Remote to stop the app from running.
Once done, go back to your home screen and re-launch the Netflix app.
5. Update the Netflix App/Apple TV Firmware.
Netflix releases frequent updates on their platform to ensure that bugs and other errors get patched. They also include performance optimizations and security patches on the update to improve their platform.
However, if you haven’t checked for an update for a long time, your Netflix app may be due for an update.
Check out the guide below to update the Netflix app on Apple TV:
- First, open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
- Now, navigate to General > Software Updates.
- After that, select Update Software/Update Automatically.
- Finally, select Download and Install and follow the on-screen prompts to continue.
Once done, go back to Netflix and check if the app is now working correctly.
6. Reinstall the Netflix App.
The installation files of Netflix on your Apple TV may have gotten corrupted during a failed firmware update or when Netflix’s servers went down. To fix this, delete the Netflix app from your device and reinstall a working copy afterward.
See the steps below to uninstall Netflix on your Apple TV:
- First, find the Netflix app from your Apple TV’s home screen.
- Highlight Netflix and press the Play/Pause button on your Apple TV’s remote.
- Finally, select Delete and follow the on-screen prompts to proceed.
After deleting the Netflix app, go to the App Store and reinstall the application from there.
7. Restart Your Apple TV.
If applications are not working on your Apple TV, the problem could be with your device’s operating system. Temporary errors may occur on your device without warnings and cause other applications to malfunction.
To fix this, reboot your Apple TV to reload its system resources. Follow the steps below to restart your Apple TV:
- First, open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
- Next, access the Systems tab inside your Apple TV Settings page.
- Lastly, select Restart and follow the prompts to reboot your Apple TV.
On the other hand, you can also unplug your Apple TV from the outlet for five seconds and reconnect it to restart the device.
Once done, go back to Netflix and check if the problem is solved.
8. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Network-related problems could also be the reason for the Netflix app not to work on your Apple TV. A stable internet connection is required to enjoy the services of Netflix without any issues.
Run a speed test on your network using Fast.com to check its current status.
If the test result shows that your internet connection is running slow, restart your router to re-establish the link with your ISP’s servers.
After restarting your router, perform another test to check if your network is now running correctly. Contact your service provider immediately if you continue to encounter network-related problems and ask them to fix their service.
9. Reset Your Apple TV.
If the Netflix app for Apple TV is still not working, your Apple TV’s system files may have gotten corrupted. In this case, we recommend resetting your Apple TV back to factory defaults to roll back any changes on your system.
Follow the steps below to reset your Apple TV:
- On your Apple TV, access the Settings app from your home screen.
- Next, access the Systems tab and select Reset.
- Finally, click on Reset again and follow the on-screen prompts to continue with the process.
Wait for your Apple TV to reset, which could take several minutes. Go back to Netflix afterward and see if it will now function correctly.
10. Reach Out to Apple or Netflix.
We suggest reaching out to the experts for your last option if the Netflix app for Apple TV is still not working.
Contact Netflix’s customer support to let them know about the issue on their platform. Provide all necessary details on your report and include a screenshot of the problem to help their team assess the situation faster.
You can also call Apple’s attention to check if the problem is caused by their device and not Netflix’s servers.
This sums up our guide in fixing the Netflix app for Apple TV if it is not working correctly. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to help you out.
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