macReports

Apple iOS Mac OS X Reports , Help and News

  • How to
  • News
  • Not working?
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Guides
You are here: Home / Not working? / ‘This content can’t be played on this Apple TV’ Error Fix

‘This content can’t be played on this Apple TV’ Error Fix

Last updated on March 8, 2018 By Serhat Kurt 5 Comments

Do you get this error message when you want to watch something:

This content can not be played on this Apple TV.

Some users have reported that they were unable to download or stream movies or TV shows purchased from iTunes. You may also experience this problem and get this error message when you attempt to watch your content on your iPad or iPhone.

If you are having problems streaming purchased video content (e.g., iTunes purchases) to Apple TV, follow the steps below.

Furthermore, If you are unable to watch video content from third party apps (e.g., Netflix etc), following the tips below may also resolve your issue.

this content can't be played on this Apple TVIf you encounter this issue with your Apple TV, here is how you can troubleshoot:

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > iTunes Movies & TV Shows > turn off Quick start
  2. Restart your Apple TV. To do this simply go to Settings > System > Restart.
  3. If you are having issues with your PC or Mac, make sure that you authorize your computer in iTunes. Also note that some users have reported that previous iTunes updates may have deauthorized your computer. Simply:
    1. Launch iTunes
    2. Sign in (your Apple ID and password)
    3. And then go to Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer.
  4. Turn off Wifi and turn back on again. Simply go to Settings > Network.
  5. Restart your router and modem.
  6. Unplug your Apple TV from its power source and with a few seconds and plug back in.

Another thing you may want to try is to update your Apple TV’s firmware. Simply go to Settings > System > Software Updates and Select Update Software and then select download and install.

If nothing above helps you with your problem, you may want to reset your Apple TV.  Note that this will remove all information and restore your device to its factory settings. Here is how:

  • Simply go to Settings > System > Reset.

You may also want to contact the video content providers (e.g. Netflix, Amazon Prime) if your issue persists. If this is an iTunes issue, then contact Apple.

See also: AirPlay Now Working? 

Filed Under: Not working? Tagged With: Apple TV

Comments

  1. Gsm says

    March 4, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    Der sir please feedback your service i don’t Tv the device please help remove all

    Reply
  2. Stephen King says

    February 29, 2020 at 6:31 am

    Tried all this before coming here except for turning off Quick Scan. None of it worked. I am perfectly able to stream video from my TV app on Apple TV, but am no longer able to stream the same video that is downloaded to my library on the Mac. This all worked before they decided to “get rid of” iTunes

    Reply
    • Tito says

      March 9, 2020 at 4:17 am

      Having same issue. I did download a copy of one of my purchased movies from iTunes and it seemed like it was working, then it started acting like it was buffering. Still can’t get this to work smoothly.

      Reply
  3. Bryan says

    October 27, 2019 at 4:19 am

    That worked. Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Wescom says

    March 16, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    Thank you love!! So glad you enjoyed!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Got a tip for us? Email us.

Latest Posts

iPhone Won’t Send Pictures to Android, Fix

iPad Air Blank Screen Issue: Free Repairs

Where Do Apple Watch Screenshots Go?

How to Erase your Device Remotely using Find My

How to Use Recovery Mode with your iPhone or iPad

Pages

  • About macReports
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Use

Tags

AirPods Apple Car Apple Company Apple ID Apple Music Apple Pay Apple TV Apple Watch Apps App Store Backup Black Screen Bluetooth Catalina FaceTime iCloud iMessage iMessages iMovie iOS iOS 14 iPad iPhone iTunes Keyboard Mac Mac Battery MacBook macOS macOS Big Sur Mail Mail App Messages Music Notifications PDF Photos Safari screenshot Siri Spotlight Search Update Wi-Fi Windows YouTube

Search macReports

Categories:

  • Guides
  • How to
  • News
  • Not working?
  • Tips and Tricks

About macReports:

This website is founded by Serhat Kurt. He worked as a Senior Technology Director. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University.

Stacey Butler

Stacey Butler is a tech writer at macReports covering news, how-tos, and user guides. She is a longtime Mac and iPhone user and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

 

This website is not affiliated with Apple.

Copyright © 2021 / macReports

This website uses cookies. By navigating around this site you consent to cookies being stored on your machine.Accept