How To Restore Apple TV Without Remote and iTunes? (2023)

This past weekend, I had the idea of spending some quality time in front of my Apple TV, binge-watching one of my favorite shows. However, it has completely ceased operating. I tried every approach I could think of to remedy the problem, but none of them worked. As a result, I decided to restore the television.

If your television has been connected with iTunes, this is a rather simple process. If you wish to restore your Apple TV without using iTunes, you can do so. After a significant amount of time on the internet researching and receiving assistance from Apple Customer Support, I’ve discovered several techniques for restoring Apple TV without the use of iTunes.

There are several methods for restoring Apple TV that do not require iTunes. These include restoring using the settings on Apple TV, such as your remote, using the Finder on your Mac with macOS Catalina or newer, or using one of the many third-party apps available to assist in restoring the device.

I’ve also discussed recovering Apple TV using the Finder and restoring Apple TV using Tenorshare Reiboot, both of which are free software.

Restore Apple TV Using The Finder in macOS Catalina or Higher

Connecting your Apple TV to your Mac through cable or wirelessly using Xcode is all that is required for this one. The rest of the process is basic.

Via Cable: For older AppleTV (pre-Gen 5)

  • Step 1: Connect your Mac to your computer using a USB connection (type c or micro).
  • Step 2: Open Finder and select Apple TV from the sidebar menu.
  • Step 3: In the Finder’s Apple TV menu, select Restore from the drop-down menu.

Via Xcode: For AppleTV (Gen 5)

  • The first step is to ensure you have Xcode installed on your Apple TV as a prerequisite.
  • Step 2: Download and install Xcode 9 or later on your Mac device, and make sure your Apple TV is configured to use your WiFi network.
  • Step 3: Proceed in the same manner as with the cable.

Using a Third-Party Recovery system To Restore Apple TV

While implementing the techniques outlined above, you may encounter various difficulties. If this is the case, you can experiment with third-party software.

If you are a novice computer user, this software is great. You will be able to restore your device with just a single click if you use one of these programs. Among the numerous online resources accessible, the following are my personal favorites:

TunesKit iOS System Recovery

TunesKit is an easy-to-use system available at a nominal price and needs only a single click to solve your problems.

  • Depending on your Apple TV generation, the first step is to connect your Apple TV to your computer by a USB cable or Xcode (whatever is appropriate).
  • Step 2: Download and install the TunesKit iOS System Recovery application on your computer by accessing the web.
  • Step 3: Run the application, and when TunesKit identifies your Apple TV device, hit the “Start” button > Advanced Mode for a factory reset or Standard Mode for a firmware upgrade. • Step 4: Run the program and wait for it to detect your Apple TV device.
  • Step4: To proceed, click the Next button. After you’ve confirmed your device information, click “download” to begin downloading the firmware for your device.
  • Step 5: After it has been downloaded, click on the “Repair” button to restore your Apple TV to factory settings.
Connect Apple TV to WiFi Without Remote

Using Tenorshare Reiboot

Tenorshare Reiboot, like TunesKit, is a simple-to-use one-click platform that is accessible for a low fee and can be used for all of your iOS recovery requirements.

You can restore your Apple TV with Tenorshare Reiboot with the following steps:

  • Step 1: Connect your Apple TV to your computer (by USB or Xcode), install and run the Tenorshare ReiBoot software, and then click on the start button to begin the process.
  • Step 2: Enter Recovery Mode by selecting “Standard Repair” from the menu bar.
  • Step 3: Download the most recent firmware by selecting “Download” from the drop-down menu. This should trigger the installation of the package.

After completing the download, restart your AppleTV by selecting the standard repair option from the AppleTV menu.

How To Restore Apple TV With Remote?

The quickest and most straightforward option is to restore your Apple TV through the Settings menu on your remote. All you have to do is follow the steps below if you have an Apple TV from Generation or earlier.

In the case of an Apple TV 4K (Gen 4), you can perform a factory reset by going to Settings > System (General for Gen 3 or older) > Reset. If you have an Apple TV Generation 4 device, a popup will display with two options: “Reset” and “Reset and Update.” The “Reset” button will return your gadget to its factory default settings. It is necessary to have an Internet connection to perform the “Reset and Update” operation.

Apple TV Generation 3 offers the same two options as Apple TV Generation 4: “Reset All Settings” and “Restore.” The first of these restores your Apple TV to its factory settings, and the latter keeps your account settings while also updating the Apple television firmware.

Using your remote control, you can also perform a soft reset.

  • Step 1: Hold the Menu and Home buttons together until the sleep menu comes up and the system reboots. 
  • Step 2: When the reboot sequence starts, hold down the Volume Down, Play, and Pause buttons together to launch recovery mode from where you can now reset your device.

Conclusion

I’ve been using the Apple TV for several years. I have encountered several issues, including getting stuck in AirPlay mode, having no sound, and LED illumination issues, among others. But I’ve always been able to figure out how to fix it myself.

While experimenting with these strategies, it is conceivable that you will encounter a variety of questions and challenges. However, there is no need to be concerned because Apple Customer Support at 800-275-2273 is always available to help.

That’s how I was able to clear up the majority of my confusion while repairing my Apple TV without the use of iTunes.

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FAQs:

Question

How do I do a hard reset on my Apple TV?

You can perform a hard reset on your Apple TV through the Settings app, or you can enter recovery mode and select Reset all settings from the menu bar.

Why can’t I restore my Apple TV?

It’s possible that you haven’t linked your Apple TV to your computer or that your remote isn’t working properly.
It’s also conceivable that your Apple TV has been hard-blocked due to the problem.

How do I factory reset my Apple TV from my computer?

Once connected to your computer (Mac), you can do it via Finder, or you can reset via iTunes on both PC and Mac.

How do I reset my old Apple TV without the remote?

You can reset your Apple TV Gen4 or earlier by connecting it to your computer via a USB cable.

How do I manually restart my Apple TV?

Switch off power to your Apple TV. Now wait for five seconds and then plug it back in.

Last update on 2024-03-21

Lance Ulanoff is a renowned tech journalist, commentator, and on-air expert with over 36 years of experience. He has held esteemed positions including Editor in Chief of Lifewire and Mashable, where he delved into the impact of technology on daily life. Lance's expertise has been featured on major news programs globally, and he has made appearances on Fox News, CNBC, and the BBC.