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.

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.

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 · Guides

Fix Apple TV remote volume buttons not working

Updated 2 July 2026

Volume buttons on an Apple TV remote do not control the Apple TV – they control your TV, receiver, or soundbar, either over HDMI-CEC or by blasting infrared. When volume stops working but everything else on the remote is fine, the link between the Apple TV and the audio device is what broke. Check Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control on the Apple TV first.

The fix, in order

Check the volume control mode. On the Apple TV, open Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control. "Auto (via HDMI)" uses HDMI-CEC to send volume to whatever the Apple TV is plugged into. If Auto is selected and volume does not work, the CEC chain is broken – continue below. You can also force a specific mode here instead of Auto.
Enable HDMI-CEC on the TV. Every manufacturer renames CEC: Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG calls it Simplink, Sony calls it Bravia Sync, Panasonic calls it Viera Link. Find it in the TV's settings and make sure it is on. If a firmware update or factory reset turned it off, Apple TV volume silently stops working.
Soundbar on an optical cable? Use Learn New Device. HDMI-CEC cannot reach a soundbar connected over optical (TOSLINK). On the Apple TV, go to Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control → Learn New Device, and follow the prompts with the soundbar's own remote. The Siri Remote then sends the soundbar's infrared volume codes directly.
IR mode needs line of sight. If volume is set to an IR/learned mode, the Siri Remote must be able to "see" the TV or soundbar. Objects in front of the IR receiver, or pointing the remote away, break volume while every Bluetooth button keeps working – which is exactly the confusing symptom people report.
Power-cycle the HDMI chain. CEC state gets stuck. Unplug the TV, the Apple TV, and any receiver or soundbar from power for 30 seconds, then plug them back in and test. If you use an HDMI switch or an older HDMI cable, try a direct connection – cheap switches frequently drop CEC signals.

Volume from remote apps (Control Center, Itsytv)

Software remotes on iPhone, iPad, or Mac have no infrared hardware, so they can only change volume when the Apple TV is in HDMI-CEC volume mode. If your setup relies on IR (a learned soundbar, for example), the physical Siri Remote will do volume but a remote app cannot – that is a protocol limitation, not a bug in any particular app.

In Itsytv specifically: volume up and down work whenever the Apple TV controls volume over HDMI-CEC. Mute is not yet supported by the protocol Apple exposes to remote apps.

Frequently asked questions

Why do the volume buttons on my Apple TV remote not work but everything else does?

Volume is the only function that leaves the Apple TV and goes to your TV or soundbar, over HDMI-CEC or infrared. Everything else is Bluetooth to the Apple TV. So a broken CEC setting, a disabled CEC feature on the TV, or a blocked IR path kills volume while navigation keeps working.

How do I make the Apple TV remote control my soundbar volume?

If the soundbar is connected over HDMI (ARC/eARC), enable HDMI-CEC on the TV and set Apple TV volume control to Auto. If it is connected over optical, use Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control → Learn New Device with the soundbar's own remote.

Can iPhone remote apps change the TV volume?

Only when the Apple TV is set to control volume over HDMI-CEC. Phones and Macs have no infrared blaster, so learned IR volume codes only work from the physical Siri Remote.

What is HDMI-CEC called on my TV?

Anynet+ on Samsung, Simplink on LG, Bravia Sync on Sony, Viera Link on Panasonic, EasyLink on Philips. It is the same underlying feature; make sure it is enabled for Apple TV volume to work in Auto mode.

Related guides

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