Whether you are preparing to sell your Apple TV, giving it to a family member as a gift, donating it, or attempting to resolve persistent software glitches, crashes, or audio-video issues that routine troubleshooting has not fixed, a factory reset is the most thorough solution available. The reset wipes your iCloud account, all signed-in streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, your downloaded apps, and all personal settings, returning the device to exactly the state it was in when it first came out of the box.
Before You Reset: What Gets Erased
A factory reset permanently removes the following from the Apple TV:
- Your linked Apple ID and iCloud account
- All signed-in streaming service accounts (Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, YouTube TV, etc.)
- All installed apps and their data
- Your Wi-Fi network credentials
- All personalised settings including Accessibility, Display, and Audio configurations
- Any HomeKit home data associated with this device
If you are performing the reset to fix a software issue (rather than to prepare the device for a new owner), you may want to note which apps you have installed and which services you are subscribed to, so you can quickly set everything back up afterwards.
How to Factory Reset Your Apple TV
Ensure your Apple TV is plugged into its power source and connected to your television screen throughout this process. Do not unplug it at any point.
- Using your Siri Remote (or Apple TV remote), navigate to the Settings app on the Apple TV home screen. It is represented by a silver gear icon.
- Scroll down the Settings menu and select System. (On older Apple TV 3rd generation or earlier models, this setting may be labelled General instead.)
- Scroll down the System menu and select Reset.
- You will be presented with two distinct options. Choose the one that matches your situation:
- Reset: Wipes all personal data and restores factory settings without downloading any updates. This is the fastest option and does not require an internet connection. Use this if you are preparing the device for sale or if you have a stable internet connection to update later.
- Reset and Update: Wipes all personal data and automatically downloads and installs the latest available version of tvOS during the reset process. This takes significantly longer and requires a stable internet connection, but it is the most thorough option for resolving software-related issues.
- Confirm your selection when prompted.
The screen will turn black, the Apple logo with a progress bar will appear, and the device will complete the reset process. Do not unplug or disturb the Apple TV during this time. The process can take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes depending on the model and the option selected. The reset is complete when the initial setup screen appears, asking you to pair a remote or select a language.
Resetting Apple TV Remotely Using iTunes (Mac or PC)
If your Apple TV’s remote is lost or broken and you cannot navigate the on-screen menus, you can perform a factory reset by connecting the device to a Mac or Windows PC using a USB-C cable:
- Connect the Apple TV to your computer using a USB-C cable (or the appropriate cable for your model).
- On Mac, open Finder. On Windows, open iTunes.
- Your Apple TV will appear in the sidebar. Click on it to see its summary page.
- Click Restore Apple TV to begin the factory reset and firmware reinstallation process.