Harmony experience with Apple TV

It's compatible with Harmony IR remotes

It's compatible with Harmony hub‑based products

4th generation - 2015 2nd & 3rd generation 1st generation

Harmony and Apple TV

Power on your television, automatically set the correct inputs, and begin navigating your Apple TV with a single Harmony remote. Use the Harmony mobile app on-screen keyboard* to make password entry easier or use voice search for movies and television shows.

And if you have a Harmony hub‑based product, then you can create a "Bedtime" Activity that automatically turns off your TV at 9:00PM, locks the door, closes the blinds and even turns on your night light. Harmony makes bedtime a little easier.


*Apple TV, generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015)

Apple TV generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) don't allow Bluetooth keyboards to pair with them, including the keyboard used in the Harmony mobile app. Harmony can power on and control your Apple TV and Apple TV apps for these generations, but cannot be used for keyboard or voice text entry.

Did you add Apple TV before Nov. 20, 2015?

If you added an Apple TV generation 4 (2015) into your Harmony Account prior to Nov. 20th 2015, then you must delete and re-add Apple TV to avoid receiving future prompts to Bluetooth pair.

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Removing your current Apple TV generation 4 (2015)

  1. Select the Devices tab along the left side of the screen.
  2. Select your Apple TV in the carousel across the top of the screen, and then Delete This Device.
  3. When prompted to confirm, select Delete. It is okay if your Apple TV is used in an existing Activity.

Delete Apple TV 4th Gen

Re-adding your Apple TV generation 4 (2015)

  1. While still on the Devices tab, select the Add device button.
  2. Enter manufacturer, "Apple" and model number "Apple TV (4th Generation)".

Reconfigure your Watch Apple TV Activity

  1. Select the Activities tab along the left side of the screen.
    • If you had previously configured a Watch Apple TV Activity using your Apple TV generation 4 (2015), then you should see your Activity listed with a warning icon next to it. Select your Activity, then click on the Change your settings link to be guided through reconfiguring your Activity.
    • If you had not previously configured a Watch Apple TV Activity, create a new one. Select the Add Activity button, select the Watch Apple TV Activity type, and follow the guide to create your Activity.

Setup

Setting up a new Harmony remote

Harmony IR based remotes

During the setup process, Harmony will ask you for the manufacturer and model numbers of your television, AV receiver and other devices. Enter manufacturer "Apple" and model number "Apple TV", you will be prompted to select your Apple TV generation. Harmony will also guide you through the creation of a Watch Apple TV Activity.


Harmony hub products

During the setup process Harmony will automatically scan your home network searching for connected Apple TV devices. Once found, Once found, Harmony will either automatically create a Watch Apple TV Activity or guide you through the process of creating one. If you wish to select a channel to launch each time the Activity begins, you may edit your Activity to select one.

If your Apple TV is not detected, ensure it's powered on and connected to the same Wi‑Fi network as your Harmony hub.

Once your Apple TV is set up, you may then enable text and voice entry using the Harmony app.

Note

Text and voice entry, as well as keyboard control are not available for Apple TV generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015).



Add Apple TV using the Harmony mobile app

Only Harmony hub and Harmony hub‑based products have access to the Harmony mobile app.

  1. Launch the Harmony mobile app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Select MENU, then Harmony Setup > Add/Edit Devices & Activities.
Apple TV - Adding from mobile
  1. Select DEVICES and then press the ADD DEVICE button at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Select SCAN FOR WI-FI DEVICES and Harmony will search for Apple TVs on your home Wi‑Fi network.
Scan Wi-FI
  1. Once added, Harmony will prompt you to create an Activity. Select Yes.
  2. Continue through the series of questions to build your Watch Apple TV Activity.
  3. Follow the on screen guide to select your proper Activity devices and inputs.
  4. Once created, Harmony will be able to control your Apple TV.
  5. You may also choose to enable text and voice entry.
Note

Text and voice entry, as well as keyboard control are not available for Apple TV generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015).



Add Apple TV using the MyHarmony desktop software

  1. Launch the MyHarmony desktop software and sign into your account.
  2. Select your Harmony product from the Remote Gallery screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left side of the screen.

Harmony IR based products

  1. Select the Add device button.
  2. Enter the manufacturer Apple and model number Apple TV, you will be prompted to select your Apple TV generation.

  3. Harmony Desktop Softare

Harmony hub‑based products

  1. Select the Scan for devices button near the center of the page.

  2. Harmony Desktop Software - Auto Scan Apple TV
  3. You will be prompted to connect your Harmony to your computer with the provided USB cable. Harmony will scan your home Wi‑Fi network for Apple TV. Ensure both Apple TV and Harmony hub are on the same Wi‑Fi network.

Create a Watch Apple TV Activity (recommended)

  1. Select the Activities tab on the left side of the screen.
  2. Select the Add Activity button.
  3. Select the Watch Apple TV Activity type and select Next.
  4. Continue through the series of questions to build your Activity.
  5. Once done, remember to sync your remote after making any changes.


Want to enable voice and text entry on Apple TV?

Harmony hub‑based products allow you to use the Harmony mobile app to enter text more easily from your mobile device. Or, use the voice-to-text feature to skip typing all together. This is available for Apple TV generations 2 (2010) and 3 (2013). Generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not permit keyboard text entry.

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Harmony hub will send text commands to Apple TV using Bluetooth. To enable this you must first pair the two devices:

  1. Using the Harmony mobile app, navigate to MENU > Harmony Setup > Add/Edit Devices.
  2. Select ENABLE TEXT ENTRY and select your Watch Apple TV Activity. Harmony hub is now in pairing mode.
  3. Using your Apple TV remote, select Settings > General > Bluetooth. Apple TV is now in pairing mode.

Harmony and Apple TV should pair after several seconds. If you're having problems pairing, try removing any existing keyboard pairings from Apple TV by selecting it, clicking OK, and selecting Forget this device.

Control

Harmony hub‑based products may also use the Harmony mobile app:


Netflix

Direction Pad Navigation will navigate the Netflix app.

Media Keys such as Play, Pause, Stop, Fast-Forward and Rewind commands work.

During playback pressing the up arrow twice will bring up the item description. Holding OK will bring up the subtitles and AirPlay speaker options.

Text entry is possible using the Harmony mobile app for Apple TV generations 2 (2010) and 3 (2013). Generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not support text entry.

Hulu

Direction Pad Navigation will navigate the Hulu app.

Media Keys such as Play, Pause, Stop, Fast-Forward and Rewind commands work.

During playback pressing the up arrow twice will bring up the item description. Holding OK will bring up the subtitles and AirPlay speaker options.

Text entry is possible using the Harmony mobile app for Apple TV generations 2 (2010) and 3 (2013). Generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not support text entry.

YouTube

Direction Pad Navigation will navigate the YouTube app.

Media Keys such as Play, Pause, Stop, Fast-Forward and Rewind commands work.

During playback pressing the up arrow twice will bring up the item description. Holding OK will bring up the subtitles and AirPlay speaker options.

Text entry is possible using the Harmony mobile app for Apple TV generations 2 (2010) and 3 (2013). Generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not support text entry.

Vevo

Direction Pad Navigation will navigate the Vevo app.

Media Keys such as Play, Pause, Stop, Fast-Forward and Rewind commands work.

During playback pressing the up arrow twice will bring up the item description. Holding OK will bring up the subtitles and AirPlay speaker options.

Text entry is possible using the Harmony mobile app for Apple TV generations 2 (2010) and 3 (2013). Generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not support text entry.

Other Apps

The behavior of other apps may vary depending on the app's design.

Customize


Adjust the physical buttons on your remote

Harmony has already optimized the buttons on your remote; however you can further customize these buttons depending on your preference.

Add, remove or rename commands on your remotes screen

Harmony displays commands specific to your Watch Apple TV Activity on your remote screen. You can add, remove or rename them.

Customize Harmony mobile app buttons

You can view common Apple TV commands on your phone or tablet screen. You can add, remove or rearrange these commands.

Set your own swipe gestures

By default, swiping up or down on the gestures screen will change volume. There are 22 gestures in total, view and customize them from the app.

FAQs

Apple TV does not respond to any commands sent from Harmony

Apple TV may sometimes come linked with a specific Apple remote and will ignore commands sent from any other Apple or Harmony remote control. To allow Harmony to interact with your Apple TV, you must send an "unlink" (or "unpair") command. You may send this using your Harmony remote.

Using a Harmony remote

  1. Navigate to the Devices menu on your Harmony remote LCD screen.
  2. Select Apple TV, and while pointing your remote at your Apple TV box, select Unpair.
  3. Your Apple TV should now respond to all commands sent from Harmony.

Using the Harmony mobile app

  1. Launch the Harmony mobile app, select the Devices tab and select Apple TV.
  2. Ensuring your Harmony hub and Apple TV are within visible range of each other and then select Unpair.
  3. Your Apple TV should now respond to all commands sent from Harmony.

My TV powers switches to the wrong input when I start a Harmony Activity

Apple TV generation 4 (2015) uses a feature called HDMI CEC which can turn on compatible TVs and change inputs automatically. This may conflict with Harmony control, so we recommend it be disabled.

From the Apple TV main menu, select Settings > Remotes and devices > Turn on your TV with your remote, and ensure this setting is Off.

My TV powers back on when I end a Harmony Activity

Apple TV has a power management feature that will turn off your media player after a period of inactivity. This may conflict with Harmony control, so we recommend it be disabled.

From the Apple TV main menu, select Settings (gear icon) > General > Sleep timer, and continually press OK until the option Never is selected.

Apple TV does not display a remote Bluetooth keyboard pairing option

The Harmony Team tests and updates our products to work with the most recent version of Apple TV software. We recommend you keep your Apple TV up to date so we may communicate with it.

Note

Apple TV generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not support Bluetooth pairing.

To update your Apple TV to the current software version:

  1. Select Settings > General > Update Software.
  2. If an update is available, a download message will appear.
  3. Select Download and Install to complete the process.

Apple TV doesn't go to sleep when I power off my Harmony Activity

Apple TV generation 4 (2015) doesn't currently support a Harmony initiated sleep command.

How Harmony integrates Apple TV

Harmony hub‑based remotes

Harmony hub‑based remotes also allow text entry* using your voice or from the keyboard in the Harmony mobile app. To enable this, Harmony hub and Apple TV must be paired using Bluetooth. You will be prompted to pair during setup using Harmony app, or on first time use for Harmony Ultimate or Ultimate Home remotes.

*Apple TV generations 1 (2007) and 4 (2015) do not allow Harmony to Bluetooth pair and therefore text entry is not currently possible.

Harmony remotes without Harmony Hub

Apple TV may be controlled using infrared (IR) signals that are sent directly from your Harmony remote.

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Our Activity troubleshooter can fix most problems

We recommend visiting our Harmony Activity troubleshooter to help narrow down the specific problem and find instructions on how to correct it. Device not turning on? Switching to the wrong input? We can help.

Or, you may want to visit our community forums. Harmony product managers actively participate and provide help.


Thank you for being a Harmony customer