Itsytv says “No Apple TVs found.”

Itsytv needs local network access to discover Apple TV devices. If you declined the permission prompt, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local network and enable Itsytv. Your iPhone and Apple TV must also be on the same Wi-Fi network.

My Apple TV doesn't show a PIN code when pairing.

Your Apple TV is probably restricting which devices can connect. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home, set Allow access to Anyone on the same network, and make sure Require password is Off. Then check Settings → General → Restrictions and confirm AirPlay Settings and Remote App Pairing are both Allow. Keep them there — Itsytv needs them that way to maintain a connection.

Now playing information isn't showing.

Itsytv relies on AirPlay to receive now playing updates. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home on your Apple TV and make sure AirPlay is set to On.

Now playing shows the wrong show or movie.

Apple TV occasionally reports now playing information from a previously used app instead of the current one — a known quirk of the Apple TV protocol itself. Restarting the streaming app on your Apple TV or switching playback usually clears it.

Netflix doesn't show now playing details.

Netflix recently updated their Apple TV player and no longer reports show information to the system. That means Itsytv can't display the title, artwork, or episode for what's playing in Netflix. This is a Netflix-side limitation. Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and most other streaming apps continue to work normally.

Volume buttons aren't working.

Volume control depends on your Apple TV configuration. If your TV uses HDMI-CEC for volume, the buttons will work. If your Apple TV is set to control volume over IR (infrared), commands from Itsytv won't reach the TV. Check Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control on your Apple TV to see which mode is active. The mute button isn't supported by the protocol yet.

On Mac: I launched the app and nothing happened.

Itsytv on Mac is a menu bar app — a tiny TV icon in the top-right, not a Dock tile. On MacBooks with a notch, macOS silently hides menu bar icons that don't fit behind the notch. Hold ⌘ Cmd and drag unused icons off the menu bar; when Itsytv reappears, ⌘-drag it somewhere safe.

Itsytv · Guide

Apple TV pairing not working? Here's the full fix.

Q: The remote panel closes a few seconds after connecting.

Your AirPlay access is set to Only people sharing this home. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home on your Apple TV and change Allow access to Anyone on the same network. Done.

Step-by-step · 5 minutes

Apple TV pairing fails for surprisingly predictable reasons — usually one of five settings blocking third-party remote access. Check them in order and the problem almost always resolves in under five minutes.

Before you start

Everything below applies to Apple TV 4th generation or later running tvOS 15+. If your Apple TV is older, no third-party remote app can pair with it — the protocol Itsytv uses didn't exist yet. Your device (iPhone / iPad / Mac) needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the Apple TV; neither a guest network nor a cellular connection will work.

Step 1 — AirPlay access

The single most common cause of pairing failures. On your Apple TV, open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home and set:

Allow access → Anyone on the same network
Require password → Off

If “Allow access” is set to Only people sharing this home, the Apple TV will refuse pairing requests from any device not signed into the same iCloud household. That's the quietest failure mode — no error, the pairing panel just closes after a second or two.

Step 2 — Restrictions

Even with AirPlay set correctly, tvOS has a separate Restrictions panel that can override it. Open Settings → General → Restrictions and confirm:

AirPlay Settings → Allow
Remote App Pairing → Allow

These are independent toggles. Families or schools sometimes turn one off for parental control and forget. Both must be Allow for pairing to complete.

Step 3 — Local Network permission (iOS / iPadOS only)

iOS 14 and later requires apps to ask permission before discovering devices on the local network. If you tapped “Don't Allow” when Itsytv first asked, it can't find any Apple TV at all.

Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network on your iPhone or iPad, and make sure Itsytv is enabled. Relaunch the app.

Step 4 — Request the PIN

In Itsytv, tap your Apple TV's name. A four-digit PIN appears on the TV screen. Type the PIN into Itsytv. Done — pairing is saved to Keychain and will survive restarts.

Specific symptom → specific fix

“No Apple TVs found”

iOS Local Network permission. Step 3 above. Also verify the Apple TV is on and on the same Wi-Fi.

No PIN code ever appears on the TV

AirPlay access restriction or Remote App Pairing restriction. Steps 1 and 2.

Remote panel closes a few seconds after connecting

AirPlay access is set to “Only people sharing this home.” Step 1.

Pairing works but disconnects when phone sleeps

Expected on iOS — when the phone locks and Itsytv is backgrounded, the Apple TV session closes. Unlock the phone and Itsytv will reconnect automatically.

Still not working?

Power-cycle the Apple TV (Settings → System → Restart), then try again from Step 1. If you're running a guest network, a mesh router with device isolation, or a VLAN, the Apple TV and your iPhone may be on the same SSID but not the same broadcast domain — switch both to the main network. Failing that, email support@itsytv.app and I'll help.

If you don't have Itsytv yet

Itsytv is a one-time $4.99 universal purchase covering iPhone, iPad, and Mac. No subscription. Download on the App Store →