You probably don’t think much about it, but the operating system powering your Apple TV greatly affects how smoothly and quickly it responds to your commands. If you’ve been experiencing lag on your Apple TV, you may want to dig a little deeper into the device’s software to see if any tweaks can improve its performance.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to fix the lag on your Apple TV. You can significantly reduce lag and other performance issues by updating its software first and foremost. Beyond that, there are some additional tweaks you can implement for further improvements. Read on for more information on how to fix Apple TV lag and improve its performance.
How to fix Apple TV lag
1. Connection settings
Because a weak Wi-Fi signal is one of the significant causes of lag, switching to a high-speed wireless connection is a way to stream without buffering. Apple TV should be close to the internet router to pick up signals easily.
These solutions work, but the best way is to use the Ethernet cable to connect your modem to the television for faster internet access. Reboot your router; if you’re mirroring from an Apple device, it should be on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
The nearby devices can also hinder the signals, so make it definite there are no nearby interfering devices.
2. Software updates
One of the most common causes of lag on the Apple TV is outdated firmware. If you’re running an older version of the software (which is unwise as Apple usually patches many of the bugs in newer versions), then you could be causing the lag on your device. Luckily, this is super easy to fix.
- Go to System > Software Updates and select Update Software.
- If an update is available, a message will appear.
- Then, click Download and Install
3. Switching the resolution
Screen resolution can also be a cause of lag on the Apple TV. If your video looks pixelated or blurry, then you may have the wrong screen resolution selected. To change the screen resolution,
- Go to Settings
- Audio and Video
- Format
- Other Formats
A speed of 6 Mb/s is required to display a 720p video. A comparably slower speed is sufficient for Standard Definition (SD), with Apple suggesting a speed of 2.5Mb/s.
Sometimes, your streaming quality also depends on your app or service. You can always change the streaming quality by logging into your service account or upgrading your plan to get a better display experience.
Apps like Beamer and Plex do an excellent job streaming on Apple TV using the Mac. Pushing the video to full screen by switching on AirPlay but turning off mirroring can also help improve speed.
4. Some miscellaneous pointers
Turning off Bluetooth on your Apple TV can help prevent lag.
- Go to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.
- Reset and troubleshoot your modem, so the home network is not the issue and devices interrupting the signal with their higher frequency are not in the open space of the router.
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