How to use siri to control your apple tv from your iphone
Everything you need to know about using Siri to search for and play TV, movies and music on the Apple TV.
It had a slow start and felt like an Apple hobby rather than a product they took seriously. But the Apple TV has improved vastly in features and content since its inception and is widely regarded to be one of the best quality streaming devices on the market.
The Apple TV also provides seamless interaction with Siri.
Where is Siri available on the Apple TV?
Siri can be used on the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV (4th generation) in these countries, regions, and languages:
Australia — English, Brazil — Portuguese, Canada — English and French, France — French, Germany — German, Japan — Japanese, Mexico — Spanish, Netherlands — Dutch, Norway — Norwegian Bokmål, Spain — Spanish, Sweden — Swedish, UK — English, US — English, and Spanish.
How to turn Siri on and off on an Apple TV?
To enable or disable Siri features on your Apple TV, go to:
Settings > General > Siri.
Activating and using Siri
Hold down the Siri button on the Apple TV Remote, say what you want, then let go of the Siri button.
Siri searches many apps (compatible apps will depend on your country) and shows your viewing options or the answer to your question.
Siri on the Apple TV doesn’t give audio feedback but displays text on the screen; this is to avoid interrupting your viewing or listening.
If you press and release the Siri button, Siri will give you ideas on what you can use it for.
Searching for movies and TV shows with Siri
You can search content on your Apple TV by:
- Title
- Genre
- Cast
- Rating
- Age
- Popularity
- Director
- Actors
Show me moves starring Jennifer Lawrence
Once you have the results of your search, you can refine them by asking:
If you’re not sure what you want to watch, you can ask Siri to make some suggestions for you, even narrowing it down to a particular genre:
Controlling an Apple TV with Siri
Use simple commands to control an Apple TV.
Skip back**forward 5 minutes**seconds
Saying ‘What did he/she say?’ will skip back 15 seconds and turn on the subtitles.
If you’re having trouble understanding what characters are saying on screen, or wish to watch in a foreign language with subtitles, try these phrases:
Using Siri with Apple Music
If you have a subscription to Apple Music, it’s possible to search and play music via your Apple TV.
Siri can search for music using artist names, song titles, album titles, genres, and years.
Play All I want for Christmas
Play the number one song from 2010
To control music once it’s playing:
Play a song by a similar artist
Add this song to my library
Siri can also play a radio station or create one for you:
Create a radio station based on Titanium
Other things Siri can do on the Apple TV
Besides being able to search and control TV, movies, and music, Siri offers a few other valuable services.
Check the weather
Siri can check the weather locally and worldwide to the same extent it can on the iPhone or iPad.
Check stock prices
Find prices for stocks and worldwide markets.
How is the FTSE 100 doing today?
Check sports results
Find out the latest scores and ask for information about players and teams.
Open and search for apps and content
Open installed apps on your Apple TV.
Search YouTube for move trailers
Find cooking tips on YouTube
Want to discover more about using Siri, Apple’s popular virtual assistant? We’ve written a helpful collection of tutorials full of techniques for using apps, dictation, using Siri Shortcuts, and a comprehensive beginner’s guide to activating and using Siri.
Siri User Guide Newsletter
Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.
В Apple TV доступно приложение «Поиск» , которое помогает находить фильмы, телешоу, информацию об актерах и съемочной группе, приложения в App Store , а также музыку, если Вы подписаны на Apple Music.
Поиск с помощью экранной клавиатуры
Откройте приложение «Поиск» на экране «Домой» Apple TV .
Введите запрос на экранной клавиатуре.
Приложение «Поиск» показывает различные материалы, соответствующие поисковому запросу.
Совет. Можно использовать клавиатуру находящегося поблизости устройства iPhone или iPad для ввода текста на Apple TV вместо того, чтобы использовать пульт Apple TV Remote . Подробную информацию см. в разделе Использование клавиатуры в iOS или iPadOS для ввода текста на Apple TV .
Список приложений, используемых при поиске, приведен в статье Службы поддержки Apple Поиск содержимого на Apple TV.
Примечание. Результаты поиска приложений могут различаться в зависимости от региона.
Поиск с помощью пульта Apple TV Remote
Нажмите кнопку поиска на пульте Apple TV Remote, чтобы открыть приложение поиска.
Выбор видео в результатах поиска
Выберите объект в списке результатов поиска, чтобы просмотреть дополнительные параметры.
Отобразится информация об этом объекте, в том числе перечень всех приложений, в которых доступны данные материалы.
Oliver Haslam is a professional freelance writer with nearly ten years of experience. His work has been published on Macworld, PCMag, 1Password’s blog, and other websites. He writes about all things Apple. Read more.
Smart homes are best when controlled using just your voice. Siri can already control your lights, plugs, and more. You can use it to control your Apple TV, too. Here’s how to survive the next time you lose the remote.
Apple knows that when you’re watching TV, you’ve probably got your iPhone nearby. That makes it the perfect remote control, but nowadays nobody wants to push buttons. Voice control is where it’s at, and with Siri, you can choose what to watch and then control it, too. Barking orders at your TV might make you look like a crazy person, but it’s surprisingly fun.
What you’ll need
There are some prerequisites to consider if you want to make this work. You’ll need to have an iPhone—or iPad, or iPod touch—running the latest version of iOS with Siri enabled. You’ll also need an Apple TV with the latest version of tvOS installed as well.
Now all of your devices are updated, you need them to all be on the same network. That’s a given in most homes but if you’re having problems that’s one gotcha that’s easy to run afoul of.
Finally, your Apple TV has to be set up via the Home app. It also needs to be assigned to a room—Fear not, we’ve covered how to set up rooms before.
How to Use Siri to Play Content
Asking Siri to play content is easy, but you need to make sure you have the phrasing down.
The key is to tell Siri what you want to watch and then where you want to watch it. That might sound obvious, but it’s easy to get muddled. And remember to use the room that you set your Apple TV up in, too.
All commands should begin with “Hey Siri” or by pressing the Siri button on your iPhone.
Some examples of a correctly formatted command are:
- “Hey Siri, play the latest episode of Chernobyl on the living room Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, play Toy Story on the den Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, play Jumanji on the office Apple TV.”
If you’re watching a video on your iPhone and want to watch it on the big screen instead, no problem. Say “Play this on the living room Apple TV,” and the appropriate app will open if it’s installed. If it isn’t, and the app supports it, your iPhone will AirPlay the video to your Apple TV instead.
How to Use Siri to Control Playback
You can control all aspects of playback once a video is on-screen. Here are the commands you are most likely to use.
- “Hey Siri, pause the living room Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, skip 30 seconds on the bedroom Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, turn on subtitles on the kitchen Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, turn off the den Apple TV.”
- “Hey Siri, play the dining room Apple TV.”
There are more commands available, and if you can press a button to make it happen, you can do it with Siri. Why not try it out for yourself?
Invite Your Family to Use Siri
You can invite your family to use their iPhones with Siri and your Apple TV as well. Invite them to share HomeKit access, and they’ll be able to enjoy the same hands-free functionality.
Even if you don’t own an Apple TV, there are plenty of cool things you can do with Siri. Twenty-six of them, to be exact.
Ask Siri to play what you’re watching on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your TV. Or ask to play a movie or TV show in the room where you want to watch it. And you can control it all with just your voice.
Ask Siri to play what you want to watch
Ask Siri on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to play a movie in the living room or the latest episode of your favorite TV show in the bedroom.
Just say “Hey Siri,” or press the button for Siri. Then you can say things like:
- “Play Happy Feet on the living room TV.”
- “Watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones on the bedroom Apple TV.”
Some apps and video services require a subscription to play their content.
Continue watching on your TV
Ask Siri to play a movie or TV show that you’re watching on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, say “Hey Siri,” or press the button for Siri. Then say something like:
- “Play this on the living room TV.”
- “Play this on the bedroom Apple TV.”
If you’re streaming from an app that’s downloaded on Apple TV, then the video will play in that same app on your Apple TV. If the app isn’t downloaded on your Apple TV, then your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch will use AirPlay to stream the video to your Apple TV.
Control what’s playing
Ask Siri to turn your TV on or off. Or to play, pause, rewind, and control what’s playing.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, say “Hey Siri,” or press the button for Siri. Then you can say things like:
- “Turn on the living room TV.”
- “Stop the bedroom Apple TV.”
- “Play the bedroom Apple TV.”
- “Skip 30 seconds on the living room TV.”
If Siri won’t play or control your video
- Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
- Make sure that you have an Apple TV with the latest version of tvOS or an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
- Connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
- Add your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV to the Home app and make sure that it’s assigned to a room.
To allow others in your home to use Siri on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to AirPlay video, invite them to control your home in the Home app.
Do more with Siri
- Use Siri to play and control music throughout your home.
- Ask Siri to turn on lights, adjust the thermostat, and control all of your HomeKit accessories.
- Use Siri on your Apple TV to play movies, TV shows, find apps, and more.
- Learn how “Hey Siri” works with multiple devices.
Siri availability, features, and commands varies by language, and country and region. Learn which Siri features are supported in which countries and regions.
By Killian Bell • 6:00 am, April 29, 2021
- How-To
- Top stories
Your iPhone or iPad can replace your Apple TV remote completely.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
We want to help you master Control Center, one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. Cult of Mac’s Control Center Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.
Lost your Apple TV’s Siri Remote? Control your set-top box using Control Center on your iPhone or iPad instead. It’s super-simple to set up and you get all the buttons you need for complete control.
We’ll show you how to use it.
One of the advantages to owning an Apple TV is that it works seamlessly with other Apple devices. You can use it to watch Apple TV+ and all the content you’ve purchased through iTunes, to listen to Apple Music, and to stream video from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
You can even control your Apple TV via Control Center on an iOS or iPadOS device without downloading any additional apps.
How to control Apple TV with Control Center
To get started, you may need to add the Apple TV Remote to your Control Center options. Begin by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app and tap Control Center.
- Tap the plus button alongside Apple TV Remote.
Now open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on iPhone models with Touch ID). Then tap the Apple TV Remote button. You get all the buttons you need, and you can even interact with Siri via your iPhone and iPad. All the buttons you need for complete control of your Apple TV.
Screenshots: Cult of Mac
If your Apple TV isn’t detected immediately, or the wrong Apple TV is chosen by default, select the right one from the list of available devices. Note that both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
You can also the Apple TV Remote to control a smart TV that’s compatible with Apple’s AirPlay 2 ecosystem.
Apple just removed the TV Remote app from the App Store. But don’t panic. You can still control your Apple TV with your iPhone. Here’s how
Apple just discontinued and removed the TV Remote app from the App Store with the latest iOS update. But don’t panic. If you’re somebody who had been using the TV Remote app on your iPhone, you can still control your Apple TV with iPhone — it’s just a little bit different now.
That’s because the Remote feature is integrated into the Control Center or all iPhones (running iOS 12 or later). You can access the Control Center by swiping down from the upper-right corner of your iPhone (this applies to any iPhone with a notch). If you have an older iPhone or one with Home Button (meaning no notch), you can access the Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
Once in the Control Center, then you’ll see the icon for Apple TV Remote. If you don’t see it, you can turn it on by going into Settings, then Control Center and enabling it if you already turned it off. The good news is that it works exactly the same as the TV Remote app, so there shouldn’t be a learning curve. You just have to remember that you look for this remote control feature in a different place.
Of course, you can still use the Siri Remote to control your Apple TV. There’s no downside to this, but the Siri Remote continues to be one of Apple’s most polarizing devices ever. Some people love it. Some people strongly dislike it because of small size, confusingly symmetrical design and propensity to lose itself between your couch’s cushions.
Apple this week rolled out iOS 12.2 which includes a new feature to use Siri on your iPhone or iPad to play movies and television shows on your Apple TV.
In addition to announcing several new entertainments services this week, Apple released iOS 12.2. The new update includes a long list of improvements including support for second gen AirPods and Apple News+. Another interesting feature is the ability to tell Siri on your iPhone or iPad to play videos on your Apple TV. Here’s a look at how to use it.
Use Siri on iPhone or iPad to Play Videos on Apple TV
If both of your devices are up-to-date there is virtually no set up other than knowing the name of your Apple TV. You can find its name on your Apple TV by going to Settings > General > About and look at the “Name” field (it’s “Apple TV” by default).
Now, from your iPhone or iPad, launch Siri and say: “Hey Siri, watch Star Trek Discovery on [Apple TV name].” If you just have one Apple TV you can just say: “Hey Siri, watch [show/movie name] on my TV.” Siri will figure out what you want to do.
Then the show or movie will play on your TV in the app it’s available in. For example, I asked for Star Trek Discovery which is available on CBS All Access. Once the program starts playing, you will be able to use basic playback controls from the lock screen.
In fact, you can launch a touchscreen version of the Apple TV remote that includes a “Search” button. And you don’t need the standalone Remote app installed.
The Siri and Apple TV Experience
Now, there are a few things to point out here. First, you need to log into the app or apps on your TV for a show to play. It doesn’t need to be active, but you do need to be logged in. Also, it is inconsistent on where it pulls a show from. For example, when I asked Siri to play “The Gifted” it opened in the Fox Now app versus Hulu where I watch it from.
Also, as you’d expect, it doesn’t play nice with anything from Netflix. You can call up House of Cards, for example, but it will kick you into the onscreen remote or the physical Siri Remote. It will do the same if you want to watch a movie that you haven’t purchased. And if you ask for a title that has multiple versions, it provides a list on your phone.
It’s not an optimal feature yet, but it’s fun to play with. And it can be helpful if you lose or misplace the actual Apple TV remote. Speaking of ways to navigate your Apple TV, check out our article on how to control Apple TV from your Apple Watch.
Everything you need to know about using Siri to search for and play TV, movies and music on the Apple TV.
It had a slow start and felt like an Apple hobby rather than a product they took seriously. But the Apple TV has improved vastly in features and content since its inception and is widely regarded to be one of the best quality streaming devices on the market.
The Apple TV also provides seamless interaction with Siri.
Where is Siri available on the Apple TV?
Siri can be used on the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV (4th generation) in these countries, regions, and languages:
Australia — English, Brazil — Portuguese, Canada — English and French, France — French, Germany — German, Japan — Japanese, Mexico — Spanish, Netherlands — Dutch, Norway — Norwegian Bokmål, Spain — Spanish, Sweden — Swedish, UK — English, US — English, and Spanish.
How to turn Siri on and off on an Apple TV?
To enable or disable Siri features on your Apple TV, go to:
Settings > General > Siri.
Activating and using Siri
Hold down the Siri button on the Apple TV Remote, say what you want, then let go of the Siri button.
Siri searches many apps (compatible apps will depend on your country) and shows your viewing options or the answer to your question.
Siri on the Apple TV doesn’t give audio feedback but displays text on the screen; this is to avoid interrupting your viewing or listening.
If you press and release the Siri button, Siri will give you ideas on what you can use it for.
Searching for movies and TV shows with Siri
You can search content on your Apple TV by:
- Title
- Genre
- Cast
- Rating
- Age
- Popularity
- Director
- Actors
Show me moves starring Jennifer Lawrence
Once you have the results of your search, you can refine them by asking:
If you’re not sure what you want to watch, you can ask Siri to make some suggestions for you, even narrowing it down to a particular genre:
Controlling an Apple TV with Siri
Use simple commands to control an Apple TV.
Skip back**forward 5 minutes**seconds
Saying ‘What did he/she say?’ will skip back 15 seconds and turn on the subtitles.
If you’re having trouble understanding what characters are saying on screen, or wish to watch in a foreign language with subtitles, try these phrases:
Using Siri with Apple Music
If you have a subscription to Apple Music, it’s possible to search and play music via your Apple TV.
Siri can search for music using artist names, song titles, album titles, genres, and years.
Play All I want for Christmas
Play the number one song from 2010
To control music once it’s playing:
Play a song by a similar artist
Add this song to my library
Siri can also play a radio station or create one for you:
Create a radio station based on Titanium
Other things Siri can do on the Apple TV
Besides being able to search and control TV, movies, and music, Siri offers a few other valuable services.
Check the weather
Siri can check the weather locally and worldwide to the same extent it can on the iPhone or iPad.
Check stock prices
Find prices for stocks and worldwide markets.
How is the FTSE 100 doing today?
Check sports results
Find out the latest scores and ask for information about players and teams.
Open and search for apps and content
Open installed apps on your Apple TV.
Search YouTube for move trailers
Find cooking tips on YouTube
Want to discover more about using Siri, Apple’s popular virtual assistant? We’ve written a helpful collection of tutorials full of techniques for using apps, dictation, using Siri Shortcuts, and a comprehensive beginner’s guide to activating and using Siri.
Siri User Guide Newsletter
Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.
While the fourth-generation Apple TV supports a variety of MFi Game Controllers, most games can also still technically be played using the Siri Remote as well. However, in a lot of games you’ll probably find the Siri Remote too small and awkward to use as a game controller — especially in those cases where you’re expected to turn it sideways and use the accelerometer. While you can of course just go out and buy a game controller like the SteelSeries Nimbus, that’s not always an easy expense to justify if you’re just a casual gamer.
Fortunately, there’s another possible option, courtesy of Apple’s Apple TV Remote app. In addition to replacing your Siri Remote for normal Apple TV control and navigation functions, it can also double as a basic game controller. Load up the Remote app on your iPhone, and once you’re in a game, a game controller icon will appear at the top of the screen — tap on this and you’ll be taken into a landscape view with a touchscreen surface on the left and two game controller buttons on the right. While you still won’t get the full button support of a standalone game controller (and it’s not going to cut if for any games that now require game controllers), the larger iPhone still has a much better feel for gaming than the dainty Siri Remote.
There are smart-home controls built right into your iPhone or iPad, but if you want Siri to turn your stuff on and off when you’re not at home, you’ll need to add an Apple TV to your setup. Here’s how to do it.
There’s a whole universe of connected home gadgets that want to smarten up your living space — and a growing number of them work with Apple HomeKit , the set of smart of smart home protocols built right into your iPhone and iPad.
HomeKit provides a sort of standardized vocabulary that helps devices talk with one another, and with Siri, Apple’s AI virtual assistant. It’s one of HomeKit’s marquee draws — install HomeKit-compatible lights , locks , and other smart home gear in your home, and you’ll be able to to control all of it using voice commands.
There’s a small catch, though — those Siri commands won’t work from beyond your home’s Wi-Fi network unless you’ve got a third-generation Apple TV or later. The reason comes down to security. Apple wants to ensure that none of the smart home gadgets it controls becomes a vulnerable point in your home network. If you’re going to send in commands from outside of the home, it needs to authenticate that it’s really you sending the commands.
Siri runs the smart home with these Apple HomeKit gadgets
That’s where Apple TV comes in. Sync it up with your home network and with your iCloud account, and it’ll serve as something of a smart home bouncer. When you send a Siri command from afar, it’ll check the credentials before letting it in.
Adding Apple TV to your setup can also be a handy way to extend the reach of smart home gadgets that use Bluetooth to send and receive information (the HomeKit-compatible Schlage Sense deadbolt is just one example). You can’t connect with those gadgets from outside of the limited Bluetooth range, but with HomeKit, you can use Apple TV as a relay point — it’ll receive your commands from afar over Wi-Fi, then pass the command in question to the device in question via Bluetooth.
Thankfully, getting all of this up and running is a piece of cake — and if you’ve already got an Apple TV installed at home, then you’re probably already good to go.
1. Update your iOS devices
First things first: if you want to use HomeKit, then you need to be sure that your devices are up to date with the latest version of iOS. HomeKit was introduced with iOS 8, but it’s been updated steadily ever since — for full features and compatibility, you’ll want to go ahead and get your software current.
2. Pick your HomeKit poison
It goes without saying (I hope), but you can’t take advantage of HomeKit’s smart home controls unless you’ve actually got a smart home to control. That means you need HomeKit-compatible devices under your roof.
As said before, the list of options is continuing to grow, but there are already a few big names out there. The latest version of Philips Hue’s color-changing smart bulb starter pack will work with HomeKit, for instance. You could also keep things simple and start with a smart switch from iDevices that’ll let you automate anything with a plug on it.
Keep an eye out for this badge on the product packaging before you make your purchase.
Whatever it is, just keep an eye out for the “Works with Apple HomeKit” badge on the product packaging. You don’t want to accidentally drop $200 on the old, non-HomeKit-compatible version of that Philips Hue kit , for instance. Some HomeKit products, like the August Smart Lock and the Ecobee3 thermostat , are just identical versions of existing, non-HomeKit-compatible models that add in Apple’s HomeKit chipset. That HomeKit badge on the packaging will help you be sure that you’re buying the right model.
3. Install your gadget and download the app
Every HomeKit device is going to come with its own control app — you’ll want to be sure and download it, and then follow its instructions to get your gadget installed.
When you go to set your gadget up, the app will ask you if it can sync with your home data. Say OK — that’s its way of asking if it can join up with your larger HomeKit setup. Once you do, it’ll ask you which “home” you’re adding it to.
If it’s your first gadget, you’ll need to create one — just pick a name like “Ry’s House,” and you’ll be all set. HomeKit will save this home profile in your iCloud account; you’ll be able to add more devices to it as you expand your setup. You’ll also be able to add additional “homes” if you want to manage devices in more than one location.
4. Go into HomeKit’s settings and allow remote access
At this point, you’re all set to start playing with smart home gear and controlling it using Siri, but in order for those Siri commands to work when you’re away from home, we’ll need to bring Apple TV into play. To do that, we’ll need to head to the settings.
Scroll down a bit, and you’ll find the little yellow house icon representing HomeKit. Tap your way in, and you’ll see a list of the homes you’ve set up, along with the option to set up a new one. Go ahead and tap on your existing home’s profile.
This is where you’ll go if you want to give additional users control of your stuff, but for now, we’re just interested in that slider right at the top. Go ahead and side it over into the on position if it isn’t there already. You’ll need to be at home and connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network in order to do this, by the way. Remember that emphasis on security I mentioned?
5. Connect Apple TV to your iCloud account
That home profile you created is tied to the same iCloud account you use with iTunes and for App Store purchases. So, in order for Apple TV to access your HomeKit gear, it’ll need to have access to your iCloud account.
If you’ve already got an Apple TV, then there’s a very good chance that you’ve already set this up in order to make purchases and sync with your phone or tablet. If you haven’t yet, doing so is simple. On the main screen, navigate over to the gear icon that represents the system settings. Scroll down to “iCloud,” then enter your account’s email and password when prompted.
Once you’ve done that, you’re all set — your Apple TV should automatically begin functioning as an overseer of your smart home gear. Note that it’s designed to work seamlessly as a background player, which means that you won’t find a graphical smart home interface native to Apple TV. The door is open for third-party app developers to make something happen, though, so controlling devices and tweaking automation recipes right on your TV screen might not be too far off.
