Can't add Apple TV 4K to HomeKit

Question

Level 1

24 points

Can't add Apple TV 4K to HomeKit

I got my first HomePod mini recently and thought everything was essentially working, but I realized that my Apple TV 4K wasn't properly connecting with HomeKit because I couldn't select the HomePod as a default audio output for the ATV. It would play audio as a temporary output just fine though.

Playing around with the Home app on my iPhone, I noticed that the Apple TV was added to the room, but it always said it was "unavailable" even though it was on and functioning normally. I noticed that the TV OS wasn't updated, so I did that and rebooted everything, but still no luck. It just kept saying the Apple TV was unavailable.

I then tried deleting the Apple TV from the Home app completely, but now I can't add it back in. I can't add it as an accessory from the Home app, and when I try to add it to a room in the Apple TV settings, it gives me this message:

iCloud required

AirPlay 2 and HomeKit require an iCloud account

Gosh! You don't say?! Obviously, I have an iCloud account and I'm logged in just fine on the Apple TV. Actually, multiple users are set up for me, my wife and our two kids, and I'm wondering if that's causing a problem. I am selected as the current user, though.

I've also tried deleting and recreating the Home to reinstall the HomePod, but this time the Apple TV didn't get added automatically like when I first unboxed and set up the HomePod.

I've even tried swearing profusely in two different languages, but no luck, oddly enough.

Oh, yeah. When I first set things up, the Apple TV was connected via an Ethernet cable. When trying to add the Apple TV back to the Home after deleting it, I tried disconnecting the Ethernet cable and using Wi-Fi, but no go. The Apple TV is still on the network and working fine over Wi-Fi, but it's still not discoverable for HomeKit.

Any ideas?

TIA

7104X,

Posted on Dec 16, 2021 8:02 PM

Reply

Answer 1

genieen16

Community Specialist

Dec 17, 2021 4:23 PM in response to Grey Drane

Hey there, Grey Drane!

From your post, it sounds like you are working on getting your HomeKit to locate your Apple TV device. We’re glad that you reached out to the Apple Support Communities. We want to try and help you find the answers you need.

First, we would like to run through a checklist of all settings to look over.

Make sure that both the Apple TV and iOS device (with the Home app) are using the same Apple ID. If the Home app isn't installed on the iOS device, install it once more. Then, follow the steps on this page: Set up your HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV, or iPad as a home hub.
If you're having issues with opening the Home app on your iOS device, you'll want to Contact Apple for support and service.
Ensure that the Apple TV, iOS device, and any other devices involved are up-to-date.

We hope this information helps you out!

All the best.

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Answer 2

Grey Drane Author

Level 1

24 points

Dec 19, 2021 11:49 AM in response to Grey Drane

So I solved the issue on my own before having to contact Apple support:

For some reason, the Apple TV had no "default user" set, so everyone in the family, myself included, was listed as "additional users". I don't understand why the Apple TV doesn't let you "select" a default user from among the additional users. Seems like a design flaw to me. But it means that what I had to do was delete myself as an "additional" user, then re-add me as the "default" user.

After I did that, the Apple TV asked me which Room it should be added to, and everything started working just fine.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Grey

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Answer 3

genieen16

Community Specialist

Dec 18, 2021 7:05 AM in response to Grey Drane

Grey,

Thank you for checking these settings and returning to the Apple Support Communities with this information. Next, check to see that Settings > iCloud > Home is enabled. Also, make sure that Settings > iCloud Keychain is enabled. If either is disabled, make sure to turn them on. Then, restart the iPhone, the Apple TV, and all network hardware. See if this helps to correct the problem. If it does not, you'll want to Contact Apple for support and service.

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

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Answer 4

Grey Drane Author

Level 1

24 points

Dec 18, 2021 5:56 AM in response to genieen16

Thanks for the reply. I've gone through the checklist and everything seems to be OK:

I am using my Apple ID on both Apple TV, my iPhone, and the HomePod mini. The Apple TV does have the other members of my family set up, but I'm the currently active user. I've also checked the setup page you link to, but didn't find anything particularly useful since both HomePod and Apple TV should just set themselves up automatically.(*)
The Home app opens fine on my iPhone.
All devices are running the latest OS.

(*) The unusual thing in my case is that the Apple TV did get added to the HomeKit Room automatically when I first set up the HomePod mini out of the box, but its status always showed as "unavailable", and I couldn't set the HomePod mini as a default audio output. When trying to fix that, I discovered that the Apple TV hadn't been updated to the latest version of the OS yet, so I updated it (now at 15.2). When that didn't fix things with HomeKit, I tried deleting the Apple TV so that I could re-add it back into HomeKit. Now I can't get Apple TV into HomeKit at all, even after deleting the Home and creating a new one in order to redo the HomePod mini setup, hoping that it would bring in the Apple TV automatically.

Other ideas? Thanks again!

Grey

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Answer 5

timbck2

Level 1

19 points

Dec 24, 2021 2:49 PM in response to Grey Drane

I’m having the same issue, and I’ve gone through all the troubleshooting steps in this thread, but no luck. I checked the default vs. additional user setting, but I am already set as the Default user, so I’m stuck. Any ideas?

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