Before you start
- Your TV is on and showing a picture — not in standby.
- Your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network — the same network name, not a guest network.
- You can see the TV screen — you may need to approve the connection there.
Pair your TV
Apple TV sleeps rather than switching off, and a sleeping Apple TV won't appear in iMote. Wake it so the home screen is showing.
If you have no remote at all, see No remote? below — Apple TV has no buttons on the box itself.
On your Apple TV, go to Settings › Network and note the network name. Put your phone on that same network.
Many Apple TVs are plugged in with an Ethernet cable rather than using Wi-Fi. That's fine and often more reliable — it just needs to be the same router as your phone.
Open iMote and tap Add device. Your Apple TV appears by the name it was given during setup, for example "Living Room" or "Apple TV". Tap it.
A four-digit passcode appears on the TV. Type it into iMote and tap Pair.
No remote? Here's what still works
Apple TV is the one platform with no physical controls whatsoever — no power button, no joystick, nothing on the box. So the usual advice doesn't apply.
Unplug the Apple TV from power and plug it back in. It boots to the home screen, which is all you need for the passcode to appear.
Apple TV supports HDMI-CEC, so your television's own remote can navigate its menus. Turn on CEC on your TV and use the TV remote's directional pad and OK button. Each manufacturer names it differently: Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG calls it SIMPLINK, Sony calls it BRAVIA Sync.
This is the most useful route if your Apple TV is stuck somewhere other than the home screen.
iPhones have a built-in Apple TV Remote in Control Centre. If it's already paired, you can use it to reach the settings you need. Swipe down from the top-right corner and tap the Apple TV Remote button.
If something isn't working
My Apple TV isn't in the list
Make sure it's awake. A sleeping Apple TV is invisible on the network. Wake it and wait for the home screen.
Check the network name at Settings › Network and match your phone to it exactly.
Check it's not a guest network. Guest networks stop devices from seeing each other. Move your phone to the main network.
Turn off any VPN on your phone. A VPN routes your phone off the local network, so it can't see your TV.
Pull down to refresh the device list in iMote and give it ten seconds.
Restart the device properly. Unplug it at the wall, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in. This clears more than the power button does.
If your TV or streaming box is plugged in with an Ethernet cable, that's fine — wired and wireless work together, as long as both are on the same router.
No passcode appears on screen
Apple TV shows the passcode as a full-screen prompt, so if you're seeing your screensaver instead, the device may not have registered the request. Wake it fully, then try again from iMote.
If it still doesn't appear, unplug the Apple TV, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in and try once the home screen loads.
The passcode was rejected
Request a new one by tapping Try again in iMote, and enter it as soon as it appears. Enter only the four digits.
It connected before, but now it won't
Remove the old pairing and start fresh:
On your Apple TV, go to Settings › Remotes and Devices › Remote App and Devices.
Find your phone under Devices and choose Unpair Device.
In iMote, remove the Apple TV from your devices, then add it again.
It keeps asking for the passcode every time
This usually happens when more than one phone or tablet is pairing with the same Apple TV and they're taking turns. Unpair the devices you don't use from Settings › Remotes and Devices › Remote App and Devices, then pair the one you keep.
Volume does nothing
Volume belongs to your television or sound system, not to Apple TV. Turn on HDMI-CEC on your TV so it accepts volume commands, or set it up under Settings › Remotes and Devices › Volume Control.
Still stuck?
Tell us your model number — you'll usually find it on a sticker on the back of the TV or streaming device — and we'll take a look.